Animal Crossing – New Horizons game

Product: Animal Crossing – New Horizons game (Nintendo Switch)
Price: £39.99 (reduced from £49.99 for digital download)
Supplier: CDKeys
Rating: *****

This new game released on 20 March 2020 was a firm favourite with my son after he saw all the pre-release promos. He has been playing it for the last couple of days and he says it is very early days to review it properly. So I guess watch this space!

He has an SD card on his Switch which enables him to download games digitally. Given the current lock down situation with COVID-19 in the UK we thought it would be the best way to safely enjoy this game without unnecessarily involving packers, couriers etc delivering the physical product to our front door.

The Nintendo shop had this product priced at £49.99 but after doing a search on the web we were disappointed that most of the other suppliers (without naming any names) were charging this or more. However, after we were previously successful with the CDKeys website with his annual Nintendo Switch annual subscription we decided to explore this option to see if they were selling this title. To my surprise they were and £10 cheaper than anyone else but why did it not appear in a Google search?

I thought this was strange but was glad I had explored this option before relieving myself of £50 give or take a penny. I would urge you to do the same if you were thinking of spending some of your hard-earned cash (or your kid’s pocket money).

product review

Chilly’s Monochrome Edition bottles

Product: Chilly’s bottle
Price: £17 (260ml), £20 (500ml), £27 (750ml)
Supplier: Chilly’s
Rating: *****

I was first given a Chilly’s bottle for my birthday last year by my sister who kindly bought me a 500ml version, the taller of the two bottles shown at the top of this post. Since that I day, I can honestly say that I have used the bottle every single day, several times a day at work and at home. It has certainly helped me consume more water and keep myself hydrated. It has also reduced my single use of plastic bottles (which I never really used once if I’m honest) to zero, as I always have these bottles with me now.

It is just such a simple joy to be able to drink water at any time of the day without that plastic taste and knowing that the bottle will keep the water chilled for up to 12 hours at a time. I have enjoyed using the bottle so much I bought a slightly smaller 260ml version that can be used much easier on the move (eg doesn’t get in the way of the central armrest when I am stationary in traffic) and also at night when I want to restrict the quantity I am drinking so that I am not constantly running to the bathroom!

They are beautifully crafted and the packaging that comes with each bottle looks very smart. I particularly like the understated iconic chilly logo found at the base of each bottle. You may feel it is a little overpriced for what you get, as there are many cheaper bottles out there that are being sold in coffee shops and discount shops but do they look as nice and do they do as good a job at keeping your drink cold (or hot for that matter)!?

However, I am very happy to be using these bottles as not only will it help me with my health it will also help protect the environment in the long term, which I can only hope is a good thing.

product review

Save on gaming service subscriptions

Product: 12 month Nintendo online service
Price: £14.79 (reduced from £17.99)
Supplier: CDKeys
Rating: *****

Both my sons utilise their Xbox and Switch consoles throughout the year but as most of you are all too aware, to get full use of their online experience (eg challenging people to games, saving game progress and talking with their friends etc) we have to buy some kind of subscription which appears to be a frustrating necessity these days.

In order to save money on these subscriptions rather than going to their respective online shops within the console menus and without going to the default alternative, Amazon (which is usually marginally cheaper, if at all), we have as a family repeatedly visited CDKeys.com to get our subscriptions via a digital code. These codes can then be redeemed on the appropriate online shop platform (eg Nintendo eshop, Xbox shop).

Once you have purchased your digital code from CDKeys they will provide you with a link via email. Once you have clicked on that link they will need a confirmation of your mobile phone number. They will then send a separate 4 digit code via text to verify it is you before they send you the code to use on whichever platform you have paid for. Very easy to use and the whole process typically takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Result is happy boys and a slightly happier dad who has managed to save a few pennies along the way. If you need to save even more pennies don’t forget to use the TopCashback site and click through to CDKeys from there!

product review

The best engineered in-car phone holder

Price: £7.99
Supplier: Beautiful Bud
Rating: *****

I first noticed these car phone holders on a Facebook page and was immediately drawn into how simple and effective the design was.

It was a little time after that I searched for and came across this product on Amazon by a company called Beautiful Bud.

The holder can be attached to any car air vent so long as it has vertical or horizontal slats and can be adjusted virtually to any angle to suit the driver.

The only drawback I can see is that when passengers are in the car, they are immediately tempted to play with the mechanism to see how it works! So far it has survived all those inquisitive moments.

When there is no phone in place, the holder collapses automatically into a very small form factor. To get the holder to work you just need to place your phone onto the bottom two arms. With the weight of your phone, the bottom two arms lower which activate the other four arms in to grip the phone securely. That is all there is to it!

Easy to place phone in the holder and out again with one hand.

I have had mine for several weeks now and it is so easy to drop in and out of the holder and I have had absolutely no issues with my phone slipping or dropping out of the holder whilst driving on the pot-holed UK roads.

I really think this is the best car phone holder on the market currently and to be honest I cannot see anyone bettering this design for a while. It is elegant in function and virtually silent in execution.

As a bit of a footnote – the item came fully assembled in a small plain white cardboard box, unbranded and without any unnecessary packaging.

product review

Fortress black satin drainpipe gutter paint

Price: £17.00 (750ml can)
Supplier: B&Q
Rating: ****

Bought this from B&Q to spruce up some old and weathered grey drainpipes at the back of the house.

I prepared the drainpipes by removing any flakey old paint (as it had been previously painted black a few years ago) and applied the paint.

As instructed on the tin it only required a single coat of paint to do a fantastic job and it was water resistant in about an hour or so. Very quick and simple to do.

product review

Nilfisk Alto 8m Drain Pressure Washer Hose

Price: £17.24
Supplier: Groupe Dragon
Rating: ****

Took delivery of this item on Monday 15 July from Amazon and immediately put it to the test on a drain at the front of the house which had been blocked with moss and mud for some time.

Following the very basic instructions which came with the item I attached it to my existing Nilfisk Titan power washer, which was attached with a turn into the gun, I was ready to go. Armed with goggles and a towel to cover the drain and reduce blow back from the drain I got to work. Within 5 minutes the drain was clear and back to the way I remember it.

The items works by squirting two jets of water backwards so that it is propelled forward in the drain while trying to clear the blockage ahead. It is important to insert the item into the drain as far as you can before proceeding to start the power washer otherwise you are in for a soaking!

Needless to say, I’m very impressed with this item and its efficiency and whilst I can’t wait to use it again I don’t really want to experience a block drain to enable this – a catch-22 situation. Nonetheless, I am happy to know I have this in case such a situation should arise again and at £17 it is a lot cheaper than getting a professional in to do it.

health & fitness product review projects

Fit at fifty project – protein shakes

It is my aim, and has been for a while now, to be as fit and healthy as I can possibly be by the time I reach the age of 50 in 2020, hopefully without too many aches and pains.

One of the ways I have been planning to do this is by regularly taking protein shakes along with a healthier diet. From the beginning of 2019 I was drinking the ProMax Lean protein powder, which whilst it tasted great, it turned out to be really expensive just as soon as I added it on my regular subscription with Amazon. It also left me with a bloated stomach which I put down to a slight lactose intolerance.

So I went on the search for an alternative protein shake and lo and behold I came across The Protein Works. This manufacturer has regular discounts on their wide-ranging products which include lactose-free alternatives. In the end I chose the strawberries ‘n’ cream vegan protein powder which not only takes great (you might need to add a little more water and keep the water at a cooler temperature) it is made from pure protein from a variety of plants rather than from Whey which I think should be healthier for me in the long run.

I particularly like their bright orange and black packaging with no images of bulky muscular men or going to the other extreme of looking too clinical as if you were taking a drug from pharmaceutical company. The message which changes from bag to bag on either side of the packaging is also rather inspirational as is the outer packaging when the product is delivered.

colourful, clear and simple packaging without being too complicated, technical or confusing unlike other brands of protein powders

If you are interested in doing the same with regards to getting fit and healthy I couldn’t recommend The Protein Works highly enough. My referral code to use is MT1352733 when you place your first order with them. They are also on the TopCashBack site so you could save further by visiting them first…!