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Revealed: Don't buy these 10 expensive, unimpressive products – get these instead
Lars is a bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out bargains, including on major sales events such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. He is also handy at unravelling tech jargon and anything related to gaming.
These 10 pricey products either failed to impress us, struggled in our tests, outright failed them or were way too expensive for what they offered.
This is precisely why we run our independent, unbiased testing – to make sure you don't sink your money into something that's lacklustre.
Armed with our expert reviews and advice, you can be certain to dodge duds and put your money towards products that are actually worth investing in.
Our round-up includes tech we wanted to toss, inadequate appliances and (most importantly) the cheaper alternatives you should buy instead.
On this page, Which? members will have exclusive access to:
- our full list of Best Buy and Great Value products to buy instead
- the full reviews of each product
If you're not yet a member, you can get instant access by joining Which? – you'll also be supporting our mission to help protect UK consumers.
1. Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker
Our score and verdict: 51%, Style over substance
We like: Acceptable sound from something so portable
We don't like: It's still a hard pill to swallow compared with similarly priced speakers
What makes this speaker a letdown? It's not quite a Don't Buy, as it sounds OK – but it's just OK. Its sound is flat, and there isn't any 'wow' factor.
Beats claims that the Pill has a 24-hour battery life, but our tests found it to be significantly less. That said, it's still higher than average.
How long does the battery really last? Log in or join Which? to read our full Beats Pill speaker review.
Buy instead: A similarly priced portable speaker with better bass (Best Buy, 68%)
This speaker costs roughly the same, is a similar size, is lighter and is one of the best small speakers you can get.
It's very easy to use and has decent battery life, although it is shorter than that of the Beats Pill.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy product.
2. JBL Live Flex 4 earbuds
Our score and verdict: 53%, Poor sound quality and noise cancelling
We like: Sleek design with some handy high-tech features
We don't like: Sound leaks out due to a loose fit
While these aren't our most egregious or expensive offenders, for £180 we would expect better – especially given how well similarly priced models perform.
It's got some neat features like the touch display on the charging case, but it blunders at the basics. The sound quality is poor and the noise cancelling hardly makes a difference.
We didn't rate these newer earbuds a Don't Buy, but by now you should start to notice a trend within this round-up: products that look good could be prioritising style over substance.
Log in or join Which? to read our full JBL Live Flex 4 review.
Buy instead: Older, better and cheaper earbuds (Best Buy, Great Value, 73%)
In our tests, we've found that newer products aren't always better. Sometimes the same brand can hit with Best Buy models, but then slide in quality later on.
JBL isn't by any means a bad brand – it also makes this great pair of similarly specced budget earbuds. They're older, but sound better, have good noise-cancelling and are a fraction of the price of the Live Flex 4s.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy.
3. HP Color LaserJet Pro 3202dn printer
Our score and verdict: 59%, not quite good enough
We like: Pretty speedy printing
We don't like: Lacks features like wi-fi connectivity and USB ports
This printer makes short work of black-and-white text printing that looks crisp, but that's about it. It missed the mark in several other key areas during our testing, including expensive running costs and inconsistent image printing. Did we really expect better from something that forgot to include the 'u' in 'colour'?
Speaking of, it seems that HP also forgot to include some features we would've liked to see: apart from lacking USB or SD card slots, there isn't wi-fi connectivity, meaning you need to hook it up directly to a home network with an ethernet cable.
For a printer at this price point released in 2024 to not have wi-fi connectivity is non-sensical.
Log in or join Which? to read our full HP Color LaserJet Pro 3202dn printer review.
Buy instead: A Best Buy printer that has a smaller upfront cost and is cheaper to run (Best Buy, 73%)
As a rule of thumb, ink tank printers are cheaper to run than their (often frustrating and expensive) cartridge cousins. Instead of spending a lot of money on printer cartridges, you can refill the built-in ink tanks.
Being cheap to run is fine, but which ink tank models actually print well? This Best Buy printer certainly does. It's fast, too.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy.
4. Don't Buy: Kenwood KDWD16T25 dishwasher
Our score and verdict: 45%, Let down by dirty dishes
Compare prices from retailers such as Currys (£269)
We like: It won't use much water...
We don't like: ... which is made clear by your dishes still being dirty after a cycle
This dishwasher doesn't have a main wash program. Even if it did, we're not sure we'd want to see it, given how disappointing its other programs were.
In our tests, we found that it splattered coffee grounds and other trace amounts of food onto our dishes and glassware. It's an economical model since it uses little water or electricity, but the trade-off is that it won't clean your dishes properly and manages to be incredibly noisy.
You're likely better off washing your dishes by hand instead of buying this appliance.
What else makes this a Don't Buy? Log in or join Which? to read our full Kenwood KDWD16T25 review.
Buy instead: A dishwasher that offers great cleaning on a budget (Great Value, 74%)
It's uncommon to see cheap full-sized dishwashers that perform well, but this one is a rare exception. It blasts through grime and grease, leaving your dishes sparkling.
There are a few niggles keeping it just out of reach of being a Best Buy, but it's still a great model at a very attractive price.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Great Value product.
5. Gtech AirRAM Platinum cordless vacuum
Our score and verdict: 54%, Good and bad points
We like: powerful suction
We don't like: blows dust and allergens back into the air
We'll start with the good: it does a solid job at cleaning up dirt, sand and large debris from all floor types. It gets the stubborn bits stuck between the floorboards and clears away dust easily. It also has a good battery life.
The filter struggles to hold small particles in, though, so pollen, dander and dust are recirculated back into the room through its exhaust. Emptying what isn't sprayed back into the air is a faff to get out of the internal dustbin. It struggles to collect pet hair, and there are no attachments for cleaning high spots or furniture, making this a very pricey floor-only cleaner.
Log in or join Which? to read our full Gtech AirRAM Platinum vacuum review.
Buy instead: A far more affordable vac that offers a commendable clean (Great Value, 70%)
You don't need to spend hundreds of pounds on a good cordless vacuum. This model did a great job at cleaning floors, both hard and carpeted. It tackles pet hair with ease and stays strong even on low power or despite a full dustbin.
For that, and a slim price tag, we've named it a Great Value.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal our Great Value recommendation.
6. HP 15" Laptop (Intel)
Our score and verdict: 53%, Weak screen and limited battery life
You can compare prices from HP (£529) or Argos (£539).
We like: Keyboard isn't unpleasant to type on
We don't like: laggy touchpad
There's a special place in our testers' hearts for budget-friendly products that punch well above their weight, but there is a line between 'cost-effective' and 'cheaply made' – guess which side this HP laptop errs on?
It has a plastic base that flexes a lot. So much so that sometimes the touchpad clicks without your input. Despite this weird flex, the keyboard still feels OK to type on.
It starts up quickly but struggles with tasks more complex than web browsing and word processing. Even then, it slows down when you have several browser tabs open at once.
There are better models out there for similar prices.
Is the battery life really that bad? Log in or join Which? to read our full HP 15" Laptop (Intel) review.
Buy instead: A similar laptop that performs better (Score: 77%)
For a similar price, you can get this speedy, slim and all-around decent model. It's not perfect, as its screen and webcam could be better. However, you'll get better battery life, a better processor and double the SSD storage for a similar price.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal our recommendation.
7. DeLonghi Pinguino PAC EL112CST Smart Air Conditioner
Our score and verdict: 64%, OK but unremarkable
We like: Quieter than most, keeps rooms cool
We don't like: Heavy and difficult to move around
While this air con was the lowest-scoring in our tests, it's by no means a 'bad' product. It's staunch, difficult to get moving, has an uneven temperature distribution, and certainly stays stagnant but it will keep you cool.
It does, however, have a tear-inducing price tag. For around the same price, you could pick up our Best Buy air conditioner instead.
Which air conditioners did best? Log in or join Which? to read our guide on the best portable air conditioners.
Buy instead: The best budget-friendly model from our tests (Best Buy and Great Value, 78%)
It's not just inexpensive. This air conditioner spreads cold air evenly, cools rooms quickly (though not as fast as others) and keeps them cool.
Models that perform this well and cost this little are a rare find – much like retailers' stocks of air conditioners after our most recent sweltering summer.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy product.
8. Marshall Heston 60 + Heston Sub 200 soundbar
Our score and verdict: 54%, the Heston 60 is a poor soundbar
Compare prices on each part of this sound system below:
We like: Works better for music
We don't like: Even with an added subwoofer, film audio still sounds flat
The Heston 60 was a poor performer on its own, but even when we tested it with its bassy brother in tow, they still failed to impress us. They're a handsome pair, but behind their retro style, they're missing modern substance (and a remote).
It's not all bad. The subwoofer adds much-needed bass to the Heston 60, which helps – even if it lacks precision. Listening to music on these is a richer, bouncier experience when compared to the artificial, harsh sound you'll get from TV and films.
This disappointing duo might've dodged a Don't Buy rating from us, but for a combined total of, goodness, £829 – you can get way better.
Log in or join Which? to read our full Marshall Heston 60 + Heston Sub 200 soundbar review.
Buy instead: An outstanding-sounding surround system (Best Buy 74%)
Despite being more than £300 cheaper than the Hestons above, this Best Buy soundbar set comes with more speakers and sounds significantly better.
For TV and film, the sound is big and of the best quality. It's excellent for music, too – outperforming the Marshall Hestons in their only somewhat strong area.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy product.
9. iRobot Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Our score and verdict: 58%, Our lowest-scoring robot vac
Available from iRobot (£899)
We like: Fairly easy to use
We don't like: Temperamental and tends to trap itself
Robot vacuums as a whole have come a long way since iRobot released the first Roomba in 2002. These days, they're generally much cheaper and better at navigating obstacles.
Unfortunately, iRobot seems to have fallen behind in the race they popularised. iRobot was 'awarded' a Which? shoddy in 2025 for making the worst-scoring models we tested.
The Roomba j7+ got tangled in a rug and trapped itself between chair legs. It wouldn't follow app instructions, and wasn't even particularly good at the vacuuming it did.
Not only did every other robot vacuum we tested perform better, but the overwhelming majority of them were also cheaper.
Log in or join Which? to read our reviews on the best robot vacuum cleaners.
Buy instead: A great-performing robot vac for a fraction of the cost (Best Buy, 82%)
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, this robot vacuum was so good at dealing with pet hair that we struggled to find a single cat hair left in the carpet it cleaned.
It struggled slightly in navigating our test living room, but was still able to right itself.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy product.
10. Don't Buy: Hisense RQ5P640SYSD fridge freezer
Our score and verdict: 39%, Avoid
We like: Runs quietly
We don't like: We rarely encounter models this poor
For £1,000 – often more – you'd expect this American-style fridge freezer to cool your groceries down quickly and keep them cold. This isn't the case.
Despite its size, this fridge lacks chilling power. It struggles to cool down food quickly, which can affect the freshness and longevity of your weekly shop. The freezer struggles, too – performing worse than the fridge.
Furthermore, it's not very energy-efficient, making this already expensive model even pricier over time. Dodge this dud.
What else makes this a Don't Buy? Log in or join Which? to read our full Hisense RQ5P640SYSD review.
Buy instead: A top-scoring fridge freezer that's nearly 1/3rd of the price (Best Buy and Great Value, 78%)
This fridge keeps food cold, won't falter when it's feverish outside, and keeps fresh produce crunchy. It keeps frozen foods well, too. For this outstanding performance, we've given it our highest accolades: it's a Best Buy.
It also costs around £400, which is less than many models. For that, we've also named it a Great Value product.
Log in now or join Which? to reveal this Best Buy product.
