tracymartin, Author at Snellings Snellings Gerald Giles

One of the most desirable and innovative vacuum brands around, Dyson has been making waves in the world of cleaning for decades. The manufacturer produces a fantastic range of vacuum cleaners with everything from handheld models to cordless and upright models available.

Each of the vacuum cleaners in the Dyson range offers its own unique benefits and features. From small, light and manoeuvrable cleaners to strong, powerful and durable cleaners, the Dyson range has something for everyone. As Dyson vacuum cleaners are so innovative and so well made, they’re among the more expensive vacuums on the market.

This makes it even more important to ensure you select the model that’s perfect for your home and your requirements. To help you decide which Dyson cleaner best meets your needs, we’re taking a look at the brand’s most popular vacuums and what makes these models truly unique.

Dyson technology

Over the years, Dyson has developed its own unique designs and technology. This innovation is largely behind the brand’s popularity, and its price tag. Understanding this technology should help you to decide if Dysons are right for your budget and requirements.

Bagless vacuum cleaners

All Dyson vacuum cleaners are bagless. This means you won’t have to remove or replace the bag when you’re cleaning your home. Instead of a bag, Dysons have cylinders to collect the dust, dirt and debris removed from your surfaces. It was this bagless technology that originally put Dyson on the map. The company ran a high-profile marketing campaign promoting the technology and highlighting the advantages of bagless vacuums over traditional bagged cleaners. One of the main advantages of bagless vacuum cleaners is that you don’t have to worry about buying and replacing vacuum bags. This makes bagless vacuums cheaper and easier to run and means you won’t be caught short on cleaning day.

Dyson vacuum cleaners use cyclone technology to ensure there’s no loss of suction as the dust cylinder fills up. This means that the dirty air is sucked into the cleaner and pulled through the cones that are visible at the top of the vacuum’s dust cylinder. It’s then flung into the surrounding dust bin. Once the bin is full, you can simply empty the vacuum and continue cleaning. This bagless technology ensures your vacuum remains powerful and effective even when it’s full. It also means you don’t have to worry about buying replacement bags for your cleaner.

The Dyson ball

As well as the brand’s unique cyclone technology, all corded Dyson vacuums come complete with the manufacturer’s innovative ball design. Developed by Dyson to aid usability, the flexible ball helps to make these powerful vacuum cleaners exceptionally manoeuvrable, even in tight spaces. The ball also houses the vacuum’s motor, which helps to make these devices quieter and more streamlined. It also lowers the centre of gravity of the vacuum, something that can further aid manoeuvrability. The Dyson ball technology has been commended by the Royal College of Chiropractors for its potential to prevent musculoskeletal discomfort during vacuuming.

View all Dyson Ball vacuum cleaners

Dyson dust ejector

A number of cordless vacuum cleaners feature Dyson’s unique dust ejector function. This hygienic solution is essentially a silicon collar that slides down inside the dust bin, pushing the collected dirt and debris as it goes. This easy, innovative function means you don’t have to put your hand in the dust and helps to keep vacuuming as clean and easy as possible.

Pet hair removal

If you’re a pet owner, a vacuum’s, fur-removing properties will probably be fairly high up on your list of priorities. Dyson offers a range of vacuums that are specifically designed to remove pet hair. These innovative cleaners come with a built in Tangle-free Turbine. The turbine is made up of two counter-rotating spinning discs with bristles that pull hair into the middle and suck it up into the vacuum. The Tangle-free Turbine has been designed in this way to prevent pet hair from clogging up the vacuum and reducing suction. Choosing a vacuum with a Tangle-free Turbine will help you to remove pet hair from your home and give all your surfaces a deep clean.

View all Dyson animal vacuums

Multi floor cleaning

If you don’t have pets, or if animal hair isn’t a big issue in your home, you might find a Dyson Multi Floor vacuum is better suited to your needs. Although multi floor vacuums don’t have a Tangle-free Turbine, they still offer excellent versatility and good suction power. Multi floor vacuum cleaners can pick up dirt from a wide variety of surfaces, including carpet, hard wood, laminate and tile. To get the best out of your cleaner, you may need to adjust the head or change the end of your vacuum to better suit your floor type.

Capacity

The capacity of the vacuum cleaner you buy will have an impact on its weight, its look and how regularly it needs to be emptied. Most Dyson vacuum cleaners have fairly small capacities, with many coming in at around 0.5 litres. However, some larger models measure in at around two litres. In general, cordless vacuum cleaners have smaller capacities than corded versions. While this means you’ll need to empty your vacuum on a regular basis, it also means your vacuum will be pretty lightweight. This is a real bonus if you need to carry your vacuum up and down stairs or if you have limited mobility.

Weight and noise

Two things you should always consider before buying a vacuum cleaner are noise and weight. While these might not initially seem as important as suction power, battery life and design, if your vacuum is deafening, or too heavy to carry, it can make using it a real challenge.

In general, Dyson’s cordless vacuum cleaners are lighter and quieter than upright and cylinder models. Most of the cordless cleaners in the Dyson range weigh in at around 2.5–3kg. This makes them light enough to carry around the house and lift above your head when cleaning cupboard tops and corners. Although Dyson cylinder vacuums are heavier than cordless versions, they’re still pretty easy to handle with most weighing in at around 5kg. This makes cylinder cleaners suitable for people who need a lightweight vacuum with excellent suction power. The heaviest vacuums in the Dyson range are the upright cleaners. Containing a lot more plastic than other models, upright cleaners are more solid than other Dysons available. Upright Dyson vacuums weight between 7kg and 9kg, making them substantially heavier than other models.

However, as Dysons are designed to be manoeuvrable and easy to use, this extra weight shouldn’t have too much of an impact on usability. If you live in an apartment, like to vacuum when your kids are napping or just prefer a quiet cleaner, noise is an important consideration when buying a new model. Unless you happen to have a decibel meter handy, the best way to test volume is to turn the vacuum on and have a go with it before your buy. While not the quietest vacuums on the market, Dysons are far from the noisiest, so you shouldn’t have too many issues with sound when cleaning.

Dyson upright and cylinder cleaners

Dyson’s most popular vacuum cleaners are probably its upright models. Easy to store, great for covering large floor areas and able to collect a lot of dust, dirt and debris, upright vacuums are suitable for most homes and floor surfaces. However, Dyson also makes an excellent range of cylinder vacuums. These models tend to be lighter, easier to manoeuvre and quieter. They’re also better suited to cleaning awkward areas like stairs. If manoeuvrability is important to you, a cylinder vacuum may suit you better than an upright model.

View all Dyson upright and cylinder vacuum cleaners

Cordless vacuum cleaners

In 2018, Dyson announced that it would stop developing corded vacuum cleaners and focus all its energies on cordless models instead. So while corded vacuums are still available to buy, it won’t be long until almost all Dysons available on the market are cordless. Luckily for consumers, Dyson’s cordless cleaners are among the best in the business.

The brand has put a huge amount of time and money into creating efficient, stylish and effective vacuum cleaners for the homeowners of the 21st century. Dyson’s cord-free cleaners offer a sleek, modern design and many of the innovative features the brand is famous for. Some cordless cleaners from Dyson have battery lives of up to 60 minutes. This means you can clean your home for an hour before the vacuum needs to be recharged. When the battery is empty, simply hang the vacuum on its base unit to recharge. Models in the Dyson cordless range take between 3.5 and 5 hours to recharge when full empty.

View all Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners

Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners compared

As all Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners come complete with the latest cord-free technology, choosing between them isn’t always easy. In 2018, Dyson launched its V10 range. The brand claimed V10s were good enough to replace corded vacuum cleaners as the models featured large bin cylinders, long battery lives and powerful suction.

The brand’s most recent collection of cordless cleaners is the V11 range, with additionl features including a digital display with a battery life countdown, optimised battery life and a range of other extras, it’s the perfect choice if you want to get more from your vacuum. Some models in the range come with an auto-cleaning function that automatically adapts to your floor surface, ensuring every room in your home is as clean as possible.

If you’re looking for a more affordable Dyson cordless cleaner, you could opt for one of the brand’s older models. The V7 range, released in 2017, offers great value for money, a good battery life and the same dust ejector mechanism as later models. The V8 range is very similar to the V7 range but has better battery life and a few more extras.

Choose from the Dyson V11 Animal + or the V11 Absolute Extra

Cost

One of the most recognisable vacuum brands around, Dyson is also one of the most expensive. Although a new Dyson vacuum won’t break the bank, a premium model will set you back around £400. If you’re happy to opt for a vacuum from an older or more basic range, you can pick up a standard Dyson for less than £200, there are also seasonal offers where the more premium ranged cleaners are reduced. Dysons cost more than other vacuums because of their reputation, their innovation and their features.

The company is constantly looking for new ways to make their vacuums more powerful, more useful and more versatile. Every generation of Dyson cleaners that hits the market offers something unique and gives consumers an excellent product to enjoy. If you’re looking for a high-end vacuum cleaner that’s built to last, you can’t go far wrong with a Dyson.

Reliability

No one wants to spend £400 on a new vacuum cleaner just to have it break down a few months later. Luckily for people buying Dysons, the brand’s products are generally very reliable. In fact, most of its upright, cylinder and cordless models come with a 2-year guarantee included, with some products even available with an impressive 5-year warranty. This means that any issues you have with your vacuum in the first two years will be sorted for free, giving you peace of mind and ensuring you’re able to get the most out of your new cleaner.

5 Year warranty Dyson vacuums Small Ball Allergy Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Which Dyson is right for you?

Once you’ve got to grips with the unique features and benefits offered by Dyson vacuums, it’s time to decide which model is right for you. Before you part with your hard-earned cash, make sure you take the time to consider your options and decide which vacuum best suits your requirements.

Your home

The first thing to consider when buying a new vacuum cleaner is your home. Think about the different floor surfaces you have in the building, how many stairs you have and if your property has any special requirements. If you have a variety of floor types in your home, like carpet, laminate, tile or hard wood, a multi floor vacuum will probably be the most suitable option for your home. Dyson multi floor vacuums are specially designed to remove dust and debris from a variety of surfaces. Investing in one of these versatile cleaners will help to ensure every corner of your home is as clean as possible.

If you have pets in your home, it might well be worth investing in a Dyson Animal Vacuum. As we’ve already seen, Dyson’s innovative Tangle-free Turbine will remove pet hair from your home quickly and efficiently. This is great news if you want to reclaim your home from your animals and leave the space looking its best.

If you’re thinking about opting for a cordless cleaner, make sure you have somewhere discreet to place the wall mount so it doesn’t get in your way. It’s also important to think about whether or not the battery life of a cordless vacuum will give you enough time to clean your home from top to bottom.

Your budget

Cost is always going to be a consideration when buying a new vacuum cleaner. Although Dysons are among the more expensive vacuums on the market, there is still a lot of variation in price in the Dyson range. If you’re working to a tight budget, look at vacuums from an older Dyson range. Models released in 2017 and 2018 offer great value for money and still boast a variety of innovative features. More basic models from recent Dyson ranges are also very affordable. They may not have all the bells and whistles of premium models, but they’ll still allow you to clean your home quickly and effectively. Alternatively, if money isn’t an issue, opt for a top-of-the-range Dyson vacuum. Offering you the very latest in cleaning technology, a Dyson premium vacuum will help you get your home cleaner than ever before.

Offers

Even if you’re on a budget, you may be able to get a good deal on a premium Dyson by keeping an eye out for special offers. Deals can save you a significant amount off the retail price of a new Dyson so make sure you take advantage of any you see. Offering an excellent array of features, innovative design and powerful cleaning, Dysons are popular with homeowners around the world. To find out more about Dyson vacuum cleaners, and the range we offer, explore our site or get in touch with a member of our team today.

A good dishwasher can make a huge difference to the functionality of your kitchen. Enabling you to get your plates, cups and cutlery gleaming, and helping to ensure the smooth running of your home, a reliable, high-quality dishwasher is an absolute must have.

For years now, German manufacturer Miele has been leading the way in the world of dishwasher design. Constantly innovating and producing ever more exciting and practical products, Miele manufactures some of the best appliances on the market.

The company’s newest range of dishwashers, the G7000, combines the innovation and build quality the company is known for. A fantastic option for anyone who wants to improve the functionality of their kitchen and future-proof their home appliances, a Miele Gen 7000 self-dosing dishwasher could make the perfect addition to your home. Keep reading to find out more.

The benefits of self-dosing dishwashers

In the last few years, we’ve seen more and more manufacturers introduce self-dosing appliances. Designed to help minimise the amount of detergent used in washes and cleaning cycles, self-dosing appliances can help homeowners to save money and reduce their impact on the environment.

Miele’s Generation 7000 range of dishwashers comes complete with the company’s latest self-dosing technology. Although you’ll still be able to use standard liquids and tablets in the appliance, you can also opt to use Miele’s very own PowerDisks. These specially designed blocks of detergent fit into a compartment in the front of the appliance and release a set amount of detergent during every cycle. The PowerDisk also contains rinse aid, helping to ensure your dishes come out gleaming every time.

As tablets and liquid detergents are also compatible with Generation 7000 dishwashers, you have complete control when it comes to running your dishwasher. Simply select the product that’s right for you and your dishwasher will ensure that your plates, pots and pans are cleaned as thoroughly as possible.

Miele PowerDisks

If you opt to use Miele PowerDisks over standard detergent options, you’ll only need to replace the product a few times a year. According to Miele, each PowerDisk should last the average household around one month. If the dishwasher is used in its Eco mode it may last a little longer, while using standard cycles will mean that you’ll need to replace the disk every 20 washes. If you select an auto programme from the dishwasher’s menu, the amount of detergent that’s dispensed during a cycle will depend on how dirty your plates, pots and pans are and on the amount of crockery and cutlery loaded into the appliance.

The all-in-one granular detergent provides your crockery and cutlery with silver and glass protection and comes with components for a final rinse and salt functions. The PowerDisk is available here at just under £10 when bought singularly, however, further saving can be made when you purchase the PowerDisk six-pack, then you’ll have one handy whenever you need it. This detergent is an affordable option for households looking for a high-performance product.

Connectivity

If you’re in the process of creating a smart home, or if you just like your appliances to be as high tech as possible, Miele’s G7000 range is the perfect choice. Many of the dishwashers in the collection can be connected to your smartphone using the manufacturer’s very own app. You can then turn it on, change the settings and receive notifications via your device wherever you happen to be.

This can be very useful if you forget to turn the dishwasher on before heading off to work and if you want to check how much detergent is left in the appliance when you’re out and about. If you run out of detergent, you’ll receive a notification straight to your phone and can instantly order more PowerDisks via the Miele app or directly from Gerald Giles. If you have other Miele products in your home, your app can be used as a hub to control a variety of these high-tech products.

Functionality

As you’d expect from a manufacturer like Miele, the functionality of the dishwashers in the G7000 range has been thought through from start to finish. As well as an exceptionally high build quality, these appliances feature intuitive controls and a great choice of programmes and cycles. This will help you to get the most possible out of your dishwasher and enable you to enjoy sparkling plates, cups and crockery with every cycle. Even heavily soiled pots and pans should come out gleaming, with Miele’s high-quality detergent ensuring great results every time.

Thanks to the Wi-Fi capabilities of the G7000 dishwashers, their functionality is future-proofed and ready for the 21st century. As smart appliances become increasingly common, having the ability to control your dishwasher, washing machine, oven, microwave and boiler from your phone will become a necessity. By investing in a Wi-Fi enabled dishwasher now, you can ensure you’re ready for the future of kitchen connectivity.

Flexibility

The 3D Multiflex tray demonstrates the improvements Miele has made to the cutlery tray, it can now also accommodate even small items such as espresso cups. The 3D MultiFlex tray has a sunken central section and two side sections, giving you further flexibility. The left-hand section can be pushed to the right to create space for tall wine glasses in the upper basket. The depth of the right-hand section can be adjusted to easily accommodate large items of cutlery and small items of crockery.

Energy consumption

Despite the great results and high-performance cycles we see from the Miele G7000 range, these appliances use remarkably low levels of energy to clean your pots, pans and crockery. If you’re currently running a retro dishwasher, you may well notice the difference in energy consumption in your next bill, especially if you use the appliance on a regular basis. What’s more, G7000 dishwashers can tell you exactly how energy efficient you’re being. If you’re trying to boost the eco credentials of your household, this extra info could go a long way to helping you achieve your green goals.

Easy to use, reliable and capable of producing excellent results every time, Miele’s self-dosing Generation 7000 dishwashers are perfect for the kitchens of the 21st century. To find out more about this innovative range, or to order an appliance for your household, take a look around our site or get in touch with a member of our expert team today.

We get asked a lot “are the Miele TwinDos washing machines worth it?” Well, here is our overview, with the appliances we would recommend.

If after reading this you are still unsure, we have Miele Twin Dos washing machines in our Miele Centre showroom and our experienced sales team are always on hand to offer impartial advice and recommendations, based on your requirements and budget.

Miele TwinDos washing machines

An efficient, hardworking washing machine is an essential tool in a busy home. If you have a young, active family, a good washing machine is even more important. Some of the most efficient appliances currently on the market can be found in the Miele TwinDos range. Specifically designed with family life in mind, these high-tech, high-performance machines will help to get your family’s clothes looking great every time.

To help you select the perfect appliance for your busy family home, we’re taking a closer look at the Miele TwinDos range.

The TwinDos range

If you’re looking for a reliable, innovative and high-performance washing machine, you’ll find plenty of appliances to choose from in the TwinDos range. Machines with built-in TwinDos technology come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ensuring there’s an appliance for you, no matter how busy, big or active your household.

If you need to be able to wash large loads on a regular basis, invest in the Miele WER865WPS or the Miele WEG365WCS. Able to handle up to 9kg of laundry, the machine will help you get through your mountains of dirty clothes even faster.

Like many Miele TwinDos machines, the the Miele WER865WPS and the Miele WEG365WCS come with the brand’s unique CapDosing technology. This allows you to place single-use capsules of specialist detergents into the machine, making it easy to clean hard to wash fabrics like wool, silk and cashmere. Simply pop the capsule into the machine at the beginning of the wash and your intelligent appliance will dispense the detergent at just the right moment, allowing you to get the best possible results from every cycle.

Miele CapDosing system

Do you have those special pieces of woollen clothing that need more care than your ordinary laundry? The Miele CapDosing system takes the effort out of caring for your woollens, simply insert the small dosing capsule in the conditioner drawer and your Miele washing machine will take care of the rest.

For households with limited space, Miele offers a high-performance washer dryer. The WTR860WPM Washer Dryer offers the functionality of two separate machines in one appliance. As well as coming complete with Miele’s efficient TwinDos technology, the machine features a QuickPowerwash programme and Miele’s high-performance CapDosing system. This makes it easy for busy families to clean all types of fabric quickly and efficiently.

TwinDos liquid detergent system

More often than not, we end up putting too much, or too little, detergent in the washing machine. Measuring out the exact amount needed is time-consuming and, if you’re like most people, you probably just pour a generous slug into the draw and hope for the best.

The new Miele TwinDos system does away with all that guesswork. Instead of adding detergent and fabric softener every time you do a wash, you simply insert two specially designed canisters filled with good-quality, specially designed product and the machine measures out the precise quantities for you. This convenient system can reduce the amount of detergent you use by up to 30%, saving you money and helping to reduce the amount of pollutants that end up in your local environment.

The video below demonstrates how easy it is to install the UltraPhase cartridges into the TwinDos washing machines.

As Miele TwinDos washing machines run through their cycle, they dispense detergent at just the right moment, getting the best results possible from each wash. The first layer of dirt is removed during Miele UltraPhase 1. This washes away common marks like sand and soil. During this phase of the cycle, greasy stains like oil and chocolate are also broken down by the detergent. Once they’ve been dissolved, they can be easily rinsed away.

Each UltraPhase 1- 1.5-litre detergent cartridge will last for around 50 washes. So once you’ve installed new cartridges you can forget about adding detergent for at least a few weeks.

The video below demonstrates how UltraPhase 1 and UltraPhase 2 detergents work together to give you the best results with your laundry.

UltraPhase 2 detergent is used at the end of the washing cycle. This removes more stubborn stains like tea and coffee, leaving your clothes looking as good as new.

Both Miele UltraPhase 1 and UltraPhase 2 detergents have been specially designed for use in these high-tech machines. Specifically formulated to remove a variety of stains, these purpose-made detergents will give you great results every time. If you’re washing specialist fabrics like wool, silk or cashmere, simply add a Miele capsule to the wash and the machine will do the rest of the work for you.

In 2020 Miele introduce a long awaited Sensitive detergent to the TwinDos detergent range. Miele UltraPhase 1 Sensitive and UltraPhase Sensitive 2 contain no fragrances or colourants, so they are kind to the skin, the detergents have also been verified as Eco friendly by Nordic Swan. They can be purchased in single cartridges or more economically the Miele UltraPhase Sensitive Campign Pack is also available, which contain 3x Utralphase 1 Sensitive and 2x Ultraphase 2 Sensitive cartridges.

Miele TwinDos and family life

Because Miele TwinDos washing machines dispense exactly the right amount of Ultraphase detergent, save you money and get your clothes as clean as possible, they’re ideal for family life. Swap your old, tired machine for a brand new TwinDos appliance and you’ll see the difference in your laundry basket straight away.

Not only do TwinDos machines do an excellent job on large, family-sized loads, most also feature quick 20-minutes cycles. This allows you to get urgently needed clothes cleaned quickly and helps to ensure you and your family always have the right outfit on hand whenever you need it.

Creating a connected home

Every year our homes get a little bit more connected and a little bit smarter. Today, many products in the Miele range, including its TwinDos washing machines, are WiFi enabled. This means that you can control your washing machine when you’re out and about, allowing you to time washes to finish just before you get home so your washing is always fresh, crease-free and ready to dry. Invest in other WiFi-enabled products from the Miele range to create a truly connected home.

Find out more about the benefits of the Miele TwinDos system and the rest of Miele’s unique features, or start shopping for a machine of your own, by exploring the products on our site today.

This delicious recipe brought to you from our friends at Neff is a quick and easy meal ideal for lunch or tea.

Topping:
300g cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
25g bunch basil, leaves only
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
20g pea shoots

Frittata:
2 tsp olive oil
200g bunch fine asparagus, trimmed and halved lengthways
1 small courgette, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3 spring onions, sliced in half lengthways and chopped into 3cm pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs
100g finely grated parmesan
125g soft goats cheese

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to CircoTherm® intensive 170ºC.
2. Place the tomatoes (still on the vine) on a large, lightly oiled baking tray. Drizzle over the 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Place in the oven to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the skins of the tomatoes just start to split. Remove from the oven and change the setting of the oven to CircoTherm® (still at 170ºC).
3. Whilst the tomatoes are roasting, make the basil dressing and start on the frittata. Whizz the basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper in a mini chopper until combined, but still with a bit of texture. Set aside.
4. Make the frittata in a 20cm base diameter non-stick oven proof frying pan. Heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the asparagus, courgette slices, spring onion slices and a pinch of the salt and pepper to the pan. Cook gently for 5 minutes, whilst retaining a little crunch. Turn off the heat.
5. In a jug, whisk together the eggs and parmesan with the remaining salt and pepper. Pour into the pan over the vegetables and give everything a stir. Break the goat‘s cheese into pieces and dot over the top of the frittata. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and top with the roasted tomatoes, pea shoots and a drizzle of the basil dressing before serving*.

* If you wish to serve on a plate, take the frittata out of the oven and leave for 5 minutes before loosening and carefully turning out onto a plate. Turn onto the other side using a plate so that it’s the same way up as it cooked in the pan. Leave to cool slightly and serve topped with the tomatoes, pea shoots and basil dressing.

Neff, who supply the GBBO ovens, have really set out to make a baker’s life simpler and easier when it comes to getting things in and out of the oven. Stylish, elegant and built-in, the features that are incorporated in the Neff multifunction single oven will really help your baking efforts in the kitchen. Not only is there the Slide & Hide door – genius, by the way – but it’s also soft close so no more banging and broken panels when you forget to close the door carefully.

The Neff 4 Zone Induction hob

Every baker needs a hob and the GBBO Neff 4 Zone Induction hob with touch controls is the perfect accompaniment to their oven, and it’s not bad to look at either! Flat black glass that is amazingly easy to clean; four cooking zones that have individual LED display and heat indicators, making it easy to see which zone is in use or still hot; and to top it all, seventeen stage power settings! Never before has a baker had such precise control over their rolling boil or gentle simmer.

Neff’s Warming Drawer

Calling all bread makers; we have just the kitchen appliance for you, as featured on GBBO, which will simply make bread making a doddle. Welcome to Neff’s warming drawer. Yes, it is perfect for warming up plates and coffee cups ready for serving, but it has a couple of other uses that are a cook’s and baker’s dream come true. The warming drawer is the ideal place to keep prepared food warm for up to 6 hours whilst you get yourself ready to receive your guests. But the pièce de résistance of the warming drawer is that it’s the perfect place to leave bread dough to rise, as demonstrated by many GBBO contestants during bread making week!

Great Baking with Neff

Most of our ovens have just two shelf heights; not Neff’s, it’s got four! Move the two shelves up and down to adjust the height as you need based on the cake and biscuit tins you are using – no more squeezing bun tins next to each other on one shelf. With twelve cooking programmes, you may struggle to decide which one to use. As well as programmes for grilling and broiling, the baking programmes add versatility and ease of use for every baker; time to get bread baking and dough proving! Select the bottom heat option and that’s the end of soggy bottomed cakes! And for those recipes that require a low heat, that’s easy for Neff’s CircoTherm fan technology which is built-in.

Oh, and there’s one more feature that any baker is just going to love! Throw away the rubber gloves and elbow grease; Neff has perfected the art of oven cleaning with their pyrolytic self-cleaning programme. Set it to work and all you need to do when the programme has finished is wipe the inside with a damp cloth – easy!

Mix and chill

The start of all baking is to bring together all the inspiring ingredients. Remember the original Kenwood mixing machine? Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood certainly would. Well, GBBO’s selection of the latest in mixing technology goes above and beyond the original mixer with the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. With a 4.3L capacity mixing bowl, a dough hook, whisk and flat beater, as well as a fast mixing action that will ensure thorough mixing at all times, anybody can become a baker success story

But no GBBO kitchen would be complete without the SMEG Retro fridge freezer. With its relaxing pastel blue shade, the SMEG freestanding fridge freezer is the epitome of ‘50’s retro style coupled with all the latest technology and space. A large capacity fridge houses three glass shelves, a grocery drawer, a covered storage box and an all-important wine rack. Whether it’s a traditional vanilla or a mint choc chip, or a more exotic tropical sorbet, whipping up delicious ice creams is now a breeze with the KitchenAid Stand Mixer and an ample sized freezer.

As we settle down to our regular dose of the Great British Bake Off on Tuesday nights for the next nine weeks, get ready to become inspired and motivated to take up baking again. Now, we can’t promise that using the same oven, hob, warming drawer, mixer and fridge freezer will turn you into the next GBBO champion, but they will certainly go a long way in making your baking simpler and easier.

The old adage “you pay for what you get” certainly applies to Miele appliances. We were one of the first retailers to stock Miele back in the fifties because we could see how well they were made even then. And the same is true today. Ask any of our fitters and repairmen. They know how good they are because they so very rarely have to repair them.

Here’s a true story. We were recently called out to take a look at a Miele dishwasher that wasn’t cleaning very well.

When we arrived we discovered that the lady had had the machine for over 30 years and that this was the first problem she’d ever had with it.

She asked us if she should get a new one but having quickly repaired her existing Miele we told her “no don’t get a new one, this one looks like it’s got another 30 years left in it“. That’s how reliable they are.

The build quality of all Miele appliances is amazing – every single part in a Miele appliance is made at the Miele factory in Germany where they test them to last for 20 years.

Most other manufactures will source parts from all over the world, mainly to try and keep the price down. And that’s no bad thing. But because Miele make everything themselves – they make sure the quality is as good as it can be.

Miele are also one of the most innovative manufactures. Our teams here have been able to visit to the Miele factory showroom over in Germany. There we were lucky enough to see some of the new products they are working on. It’s not just the big things with Miele but the attention to detail that makes them stand out.

For example, most fridges have a single fixed light. They don’t really light up the whole fridge very well. So Miele have introduced multiple wire free lights that you can put on any shelf, any where in the fridge. Simple and brilliant.

You’ve got three temperature zones for different types of wine, glass doors with UV filters so your wine is not affected by the sunlight and it’s the first wine cooler where you can decant wine in the cooler itself and prepare it for pouring.There is even a rack for the wine glasses so they are at the right temperature too. It’s an amazing kit for the wine buff.

We also saw dishwashers with infinitely flexible baskets to suit any load (and a 3D cutlery basket!), colour customisable vacuum cleaners and a steam pressure oven that, from the outside looked more like a torpedo launcher. See above.

Of course they are a bit more expensive but the build quality is second to none and the innovative features and design really make them stand out.

Gerald Giles are very proud to be the only official Miele Centre in East Anglia and we have an extensive range of Miele products in our Gerlad Giles store in central Norwich, that you can actually try before you buy so it’s worth popping to take a look at the amazing appliances that Miele have on offer. Whether its the latest Miele appliances or Miele Repairs and Service you need Gerald Giles Miele Centre is here to help.