Televisions
Most families spend a lot of time together in front of the TV,
so it's so important that you make the right choice when purchasing a new screen.
Whether your a movie buff, a sports mad armchair supporter, have children who love
their animated cartoons, or a wife or girlfriend that loves her soaps, you should
always have a budget in mind when buying a new TV. You should also consider other
factors such as room size and the time you spend in that room (you don't want to
splash out a fortune on a
42 inch TV if its only for your kids room or spare room)
One of the first things you should consider for your new LCD or Plasma TV is the
size. This will determine the price range. Generally, you can find TVs as small
as 19 inch, and they go upwards to
22 inches, 24,
26, 32,
37, 40,
46 and as high as
52 inches!
Once you have decided on the size of the screen you need to keep set a budget -
obviously the bigger the screen, the more expensive the TV will cost. If you are
purchasing an LCD or Plasma TV for your main sitting room, you will probably want
to spend more than for your other rooms in your house, such as your kitchen or bedroom.
When you have decided on a size and budget for your new TV, most people will then
think about the colour. Try to choose a colour that will compliment your room, if
you have black and grey decor, a Silver or Black gloss TV will look perfect, or
if you want to make a statement with your new screen, why not opt for a white or
red one?
More useful information on buying a new TV can be found by reading our
LCD TV, LED TV or Plasma
TV buyers guides.
Below is a list of popular TV searches that our users have recently looked for
Digital Cameras
Most people don't really have a clue when it comes down to taking a decent picture.
We all have decent mobile phones that have an average megapixel camera with it,
but do you know which type of digital camera is the best for your
requirements?
Obviously there are quite a few brands to choose from, such as
Panasonic, Fuji,
Vivitar or Olympus just to name a few, but you also need to consider
things such as types of use e.g. do you need a
waterproof camera if you take pictures in all weathers, or maybe you are
a scuba diver and want to get a camera adapted for
underwater photography?
Some people also get confused with all the technology terms such as SLR cameras
or Compact cameras - if you are one of them, why not take a read of our buyers guide
to Digital Cameras.
MP3 Players
We all know what an MP3 player does, but how much do you really
know about them? An MP3 player is a digital
audio player that can store, organize, and play audio files. Some may also offer
the ability to view images or videos - it pretty much replaced the portable CD player
in the nineties and with the emergence of the iPod, millions of UK music lovers
carry theirs everywhere.
We have a great buyers guide which covers all
the MP3 player jargon, such as capacity sizes such as
4gb (you should make sure your consider how much storage you need to carry
your full list of songs and other data) and information on the types of MP3 player
you require, for instance does it need to be
waterproof, or whether you can purchase replaceable batteries should the
original fail.
Washing Machines
We all know what its like when you walk into Currys or Comet when trying to look
for a new Washing Machine - you see an overwhelming number of white,
silver and black washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers, making it impossible
to work out which one is suitable for your needs.
To be honest, whenever I have looked for a new machine, asking a staff member does
not usually help, as they simply don't have the knowledge that they are supposed
to have. Its useful to know a few basics before you go, such as:
1) Do you need an
integrated model so its hidden away in your new contemporary kitchen?
2) Are you looking for a
Slimline machine because of tight space?
3) Do you prefer a
Twin tub model due to the number of washes you perform each day?
4) Or maybe you need a
Top Loading washing machine for ease of use?
There are a few well known brands in the Home Appliance white goods market, including
Hotpoint,
Bosch,
Indesit, LG,
Zanussi,
Miele,
Beko, Whirlpool,
AEG and
Samsung to name a few. The likes of Miele and Samsung tend to be more expensive
than brands such as Hotpoint and Whirlpool.
Price Inspector have a
buyers guide to help you make the right decision for you. Generally speaking,
if you spend that little bit more than you budgeted, you will find that the washing
machine will be quieter, cheaper to run, have more wash settings, and will have
a longer life before its ready for being replaced.
Coffee Makers
Coffee Makers have become pride and place in many kitchens over
the last 5 years and have come a long way since the
Teasmaid hit the market. No longer do you have to pay over the odds for
a Skinny Latte
or Cappuccino at your local Starbucks or Costa Coffee. You can now find yourself
a cheap coffee maker for your home!
Before you decide on which coffee maker to purchase, you should ask yourself how
often you drink coffee - if you can't function without that caffeine boost first
thing in the morning, or you enjoy having three or four different types of coffee
whilst relaxing on the weekend or evenings, then you should invest that little bit
more in a good brand of coffee machine.
One of the most popular brands is
Dolce Gusto, which comes in various colours such as red, black, grey and
white. It has many different drink options including Latte, Cappuccino, Americano
and Hot Chocolate.
Another version of the Dolce range is the
Krups model. If you are looking for a cheaper option, you can find some
decent deals for a Tassimo Coffee Maker,
which is made by Bosch.
If you want to know a bit more about the different types of coffee makers have a
read of our buyers guide.
Audio equipment
Most people will admit that when it comes to buying a radio or sound system, they
don't pay too much attention to anything other than the price.
However, if you take your Audio seriously, whether you listen to music or radio
commentaries, then you should consider a few things before offloading your hard
earned cash such as:
1) Do you just need a simple radio to play the local radio station
tunes? If so, a standard clock radio may be enough to keep you happy.
2) If you want to enhance the quality of the sound, you should
invest in a DAB Radio (DAB stands for Digital
Audio Broadcasting) or DAB Clock Radio
if you need waking up in the morning. A good brand for DAB radios is
Roberts, but they don't come cheap. If you have a great collection of CD's
you might want to upgrade and buy a
DAB Radio and CD player and get an all-in-one model.
3) Bose are one of the biggest brands in the world of audio. If
you are on the hunt for a SoundDock,
new speakers or an
Ipod Dock, then your best best is to look at the range that Bose have available.
4) If you own an iPod (and many of you do these days), then you
can combine its use not only for portable, but for more traditional requirements,
such as using it as an
Alarm Clock or as a standard Clock Radio.
5) Finally, if you live in a house that doesn't like the noise
blasting out of your stereo or iPod, then you should invest in a good pair of Wireless headphones. Also, if
you regularly use headphones but live in a noisy household, you can now get some
Noise cancelling headphones which drown out any background interruptions.
If you want to swot up on some more reading, have a look at our guide to
Clock Radios, Portable Radios,
Hifi systems and other audio systems.
Food Processors
If cooking is your passion, or even if you like to rustle a meal up quickly at dinner,
you should invest in a decent Food Processor.
They are a great time saver, and replace many kitchen utensils as they can chop
like a knife, knead dough like a
mixer, blend like an electric blender
and extract juice as well.
Two very popular food processor brands are
Magimix and Kenwood.
Some things to consider that will impact the budget before buying a new food
processor are noise, size, capacity, speed and number of functions
or accessories.
All of this information can be found by reading our
Food Processor article.
Toys & Games
Buying toys is a hard task these days for parents, especially now
because there are just so many different types of toys and games to choose from,
such as a Snow Sledge for the winter, a
Tech Deck,
Smart Trike,
Baby Gyms, a
Bouncy Castle for the garden or even Lego.
Knowing this, PriceInspector has spent a lot of time and effort writing a great
selection of guides on the different brands and characters which will identify which
are your childrens favourites.
Have a quick read of our Toys and Games guide to
start with and you will find all the information you need such as Buzz Lightyear,
Duplo, Barbie,
Iggle Piggle,
Littlest Pet Shop,
Leapster, Lego City,
Fisher Price,
Sylvanian Families or Little Tikes.
Perfume
Women love to look good, but they also love to smell nice. These days, there are
literally hundreds if not thousands of perfume brands available,
and sometimes it can be difficult making that decision. Some go for the more traditional,
well known brands such as
Armani or
Calvin Klein, many younger girls are enticed by the celebrity fragrances
such as Katie Price or Britney Spears.
If you are daring, you may go for a striking smell from leading brand Thierry Mugler,
who offer expensive choices such as their
Alien or
Angel fragrance.
More often than not, women are attracted to the particular smell of a fragrance,
which makes it difficult to describe online. Most of our users already know what
they are looking for, but having a good sniff around (pardon the joke) could save
them up to 50% in some cases.
Sat Nav
Hands up to anyone who reckons they have never got totally lost on a car journey...thought
so. Does looking at an A-Z map make things worse? Then its probably time to invest
in a Sat Nav system to help you get to your destination.
When looking for a new sat nav system you should consider:
1) Size: Most systems come in 3 sizes; 3.5, 4.3 and 4.7 inches
- obviously you need to decide which size would be your preference - the larger
the screen, the easier and more of a map you will see, and it makes the touch screen
operations easier to manage.
2) Maps: If you don't travel abroad in your car, then you don't
need to spend more money than you need on a system that covers Europe. Most people
look for UK and ROI maps so it covers business and holiday makers across Britain.
3) Features: If you want to pay a bit more for your system, you
can benefit from getting additional features that can come in very handy whilst
on your journey. For example, if you are on the road for long periods, there are
speed camera detectors that will warn you when approaching, traffic alternative
routes should the system detect a traffic jam or road works. Other great features
include bluetooth, voice control and 3D maps to help users visualise their map more
easily.
4) Brands: The main Sat Nav brands to look out for include
TomTom, Navman and Garmin.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers have come a long way since they were introduced to
the white goods market. Major improvements to their energy efficiency, safety and
design have made them almost a compulsory item in most kitchens. Usually, when purchasing
a new dishwasher, most people
will need to consider its size. Slimline
dishwashers are very popular since they can squeeze into the smallest of
spaces, whether it be freestanding,
semi integrated, fully integrated
or even
Table Top.
A new dishwasher will set you back between £200 to over £600 for a decent
model, the price is totally depenedant on the quality of the machine - factors such
as size, noise, energy efficiency, programmes and temperature controls determine
the price. Some of the most popular dishwasher brands at the moment include
Bosch (these are one of the bigger
brands who do the best seller
Classixx version) Hotpoint,
Miele and
Indesit.
For more great advice on dishwashers, have a read of our
buyers guide. We also have an in-depth guide to
Slimline Dishwashers.
Game Consoles
The battle for supremacy in the Gaming world continues between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo in 2011. With Nintendo going 3D with the new Nintentdo 3DS and Playstation and Xbox 360 bringing out motion control gaming (Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect), it seems they are all trying to take the upper hand. The end result is that you now have the biggest choice ever, depending on what you want out of your console.
Luckily for you, we have some useful guides to the latest releases on Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move and Nintendo 3DS.
For you traditional gamers, we have some of the best prices on items such as 60GB Xbox 360's, headsets, PSP 3000's, or even the older Playstation 2 consoles.
DVD Recorders
Buying a new DVD Recorder can be baffling at the best of times,
mostly due to the fact that it requires quite a bit of technical know how. For example
the types of media that can be played on a DVD recorder include DVD-RAM,
DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, +R, +R DL, and +RW discs, MP3, MP4 music files
and JPG photo files (we said it was confusing!!)
Before you give up on the idea of buying a new DVD recorder, you should read our
great article which hopefully explains all the
different types and brands. For example some people look to upgrade from the old
style VHS to DVD, or you may be
looking for Hdd capabilities,
or a combination of
DVD Player / Recorder to simply play and record without the hassle.
As a starter for 10, the two most popular and less expensive branded DVD recorders
are Panasonic and
Toshiba. If on the other hand, you want to stick with a simple DVD player,
read our neat little guide here.
Digital TV
If you are new to freeview, then its likely that you are looking
to upgrade your existing TV that previously had SKY or Cable, or adding a 2nd TV
to a spare sitting room or bedroom. Terrestrial TV was replaced by Digital, which
now requires every TV to have either an in-built freeview receiver or a seperate
freeview or
freesat box.
Before you have a good read at our in-depth article on Freeview
and which one to buy, the main things to consider are brand; the best ones include
Freesat, Foxsat,
tvonics, and
Humax (a popular Humax model at the moment is the
PVR9300T).
In addition to buying a freeview receiver, you may also be looking for a
freeview recorder, which allows you to record programmes in the same way
that you can record via SKY. You may also be looking for a
TV or receiver that has HD capability, such as the models that
Freesat offer.
Vacuum Cleaners
Ask anyone to name a well know brand in the world of Vacuum Cleaners,
and most people will talk about Dyson. These quirky models not only look good (is
it possible for a cleaner to look good?!) but work much better than their competitors
from Electrolux, Hoover, Miele and Vax.
Dyson vacuum cleaners are at the top end in terms of expense, but they will last
much longer.
If you are on a tighter budget, you can pick up a cheaper model for around £30,
but as the old saying goes, "you pay for what you get".
PriceInspector would advise you pay a little bit more for a cleaner that will stand
the test of time, such as the
Dyson DC25, DC14, or
DC24 model.
If you need some more advice on the type of cleaner you need (such as upright, cylinder,
bagless, bagged, steam, handhelds) you should have a good read of our
Vacuum cleaner buyers guide.
Fridge Freezers
Most people will buy a replace their fridge freezer every 5 to
10 years or even longer, so its important you make the right decision. You may be
looking for a new one as your family grows, or if it reduces. Either way, there
are a few things to consider when making that purchase.
1) Size is one of the most important things to consider - if your
kitchen is tight you may need to opt for a
smaller model, but if you have a larger room, you may be considering a
large or American style fridge
freezer.
2) Type: Which type of fridge freezer do you need? Does it need
to be Frost free? Do you
need an integrated fridge freezer
as part of your new kitchen? Does it need to be
built in? Or maybe you want to stand your fridge on show with an overstated
Side by Side fridge freezer?
3) Colour: There are more colours than ever to choose from if you
are looking to complement your contemporary kitchen. As well as the traditional
white, you can now buy a fridge freezer in
Silver,
Black,
Red, Stainless Steel
or even Pink!
4) Brand: Some brands are more expensive than others. Smeg's retro fridge freezers can cost
in excess of £1000, but there are less expensive models available from around
£200. Starting with the cheapest brands,
Hotpoint, Whirlpool,
Electrolux and
Zanussi cater for the lower end of the market, whereas
LG, Beko,
Bosch, Maytag
and
Samsung (some of the black
and silver models by
Samsung are pretty special) offer more exclusive fridge freezers with a price tag
to match. Not all brands offer
American style fridges though, so your choice is more limited,
Samsung and
LG covering this market as well as other types such as
Integrated frost free and
Side by Side versions.
If you are still confused by all of this have a good read of our
Fridge freezers article, which goes into more detail regarding types. We
also have a great buyers guide on
American style fridge freezers if you are looking for that wow factor.
Cookers
A cooker is undoubtedly the most important piece of equipment in your kitchen. When
its time to invest in a new cooker, you should take your time to
research before hitting the "Buy" button.
We have all the information you need to consider when choosing a new cooker, such
as size, type of cooker (gas, electric, duel, range), brands such as
Cannon or AEG, style such as Freestanding
or integrated, colour such as white or stainless. Read our
complete article on Cookers.
We also have a great guide for anyone looking for a new
Dual Fuel Cooker, or even a new Cooker hood.
Footwear
Are you keeping up with today's trend when it comes to Footwear,
or are you a trend setter in your circle of friends and family? Most blokes are
usually happy with a decent pair of trainers, such as the traditional
Nike Air which have been going for years. If you are a regular to the pub,
you may opt for a pair of Black
or White trainers which look great with denim jeans. Another great type of "pub
shoe" for men is the Adidas Chile
style, which are great if you are looking for that casual look which can be mixed
with a smart shirt / jacket.
Summer time will always get people flocking to the shops for a pair of
Fitflops. These great new style of open style footwear are an alternative
to the old flip flop, which are aimed to keep you cool in the summer as well as
offering more support to your feet and ankles. They are a great accessory for both
men and women.
In the last five years, most fashion conscious young people have invested a lot
of money in Ugg Boots. Previously
only seen in the winter, you will now see many girls wearing a pair of uggs in all
weathers, and matched with any outfit. Not only that, you can now buy a pair of
Ugg boots in a selection of new styles including
Leather and even in different colours such as
black. Read our buyers article on Womens Boots
for more ideas.
Other types of footwear that our users
are looking for at the moment include Joules
Wellies,
Boots, Crocs,
Hush Puppies and
Snowjoggers to name just a few!
We have quite a few useful articles about footwear, including
Womens, Mens and
shoes in general. We also have some great advice for
women looking for sports footwear.
Just Browsing?
As you might know by now, PriceInspector has his nose into everything (or should I say Sherlock Bones does), so here are a bunch of items that have recently been investigated by our price detectives! View our Open Case files for a full list of searches currently being investigated.