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10 things we love – for less than £10
Yasmine specialises in shopping advice and finding the best deals during sales events like Black Friday, helping readers get great value for their money.
Think high quality always comes at a high price? Think again.
Every year, Which? puts more than 3,600 products through rigorous lab tests, user trials and taste tests. While we spend a lot of time testing big-ticket items like cars and washing machines, we’re just as passionate about everyday essentials.
From washing-up liquid to crisps, here are our favourite budget-friendly finds that cost £10 or less.
Fairy Max Power Eucalyptus Antibacterial Washing Up Liquid (84%, Best Buy)
We like: Good with tough baked-on grease
We don’t like: Contains substances harmful to aquatic life and the environment
Get squeaky-clean dishes by picking up this Best Buy washing-up liquid from Fairy. It’s the top performer in Which? tests and has been for three years in a row.
Removing fat and grease is easy work for it, and the foam lasted longer than any other brand. The downside is that it’s a little more expensive than others we’ve tested, at 48p per 100ml, whereas some competitors cost only 12p per 100ml.
Read our Fairy Max Power Eucalyptus Antibacterial Washing Up Liquid review.
Ecover Mint & Cucumber Bathroom Cleaner Spray (77%, Best Buy, Eco Buy)
We like: Excellent at cleaning bathroom grime
We don’t like: Struggles with limescale on vertical surfaces
Tackle bathroom dirt with this recommended cleaning spray by Ecover. It does a great job of cleaning grime and it’s also not bad on limescale, but it did better on flat surfaces than on walls.
It's not only a Best Buy but also an Eco Buy because it scored full marks in our sustainability, packaging and recycling assessments.
Read our Ecover Mint & Cucumber Bathroom Cleaner Spray review.
Andrex Ultimate Quilts toilet roll (96%, Best Buy)
We like: Comfortable and absorbent
We don’t like: Fewer sheets than most rolls
A clear favourite for softness and comfort, Andrex’s Ultimate Quilts is our top-scoring toilet roll. It’s the most absorbent we’ve tested, it resists punctures fairly well and it needed almost twice the force to rip than the weakest roll.
Despite its excellent performance, it's worth noting that you don't get loads of sheets per roll. You can buy larger versions, but they cost a little more.
Read our Andrex Ultimate Quilts toilet roll review.
Jennychem Sodium Hypochlorite patio cleaner (96%, Best Buy)
Available from Jennychem (£15)
We like: Fantastic and fast
We don’t like: Requires diluting
If you own a pressure washer, this patio cleaner will leave your garden looking pristine. You can use it with a broom instead, but our tests showed much less impressive results.
Setup is a bit of a faff because you’ll need to dilute the formula, but the payoff is worth it. Cleaning was fast and only left behind a few small stubborn black spots.
Read our Jennychem Sodium Hypochlorite review.
Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover (97%, Best Buy, Great Value)
We like: Works well on fresh and dry stains
We don’t like: Tricky to control the amount of solution used
Of all the carpet cleaners we’ve tested, this Dr Beckmann one works the fastest.
It impressed us with its cleaning power on all the stains we tried it on, and it even managed to clean curry stains. It doesn't require too much elbow grease either, as the bristles on the built-in brush do most of the hard work for you.
Read our Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover review.
Yosh Magnetic Car Phone Mount Holder (82%, Best Buy, Great Value)
We like: Straightforward installation
We don’t like: Requires a magnet stuck to your phone or case
Safely and securely mount your phone to your car’s dashboard using an affordable holder like this one from Yosh.
You'll need to attach a magnet to your phone or case, which isn’t for everyone, but it does ensure it stays attached. The car phone mount is small, discreet and very easy to set up. You simply push it onto your car vent and it’s ready to go.
Unlike other air vent holders we tested, it doesn’t block the entire vent or cause the slats to angle downwards.
Read our Yosh Magnetic Car Phone Mount Holder review.
Amazon Basics AA Rechargeable Batteries 2,000mAh Pre-charged (77%, Great Value)
We like: Decent duration on a single charge
We don’t like: Smaller capacity compared with other rechargeable AAs on test
Our Just Buy This pick, Amazon Basics AA rechargeable batteries combine affordability and performance exceptionally well.
They’re among the best we’ve tested, lasting around six and a half hours when fresh and barely deteriorating over 200 charge cycles. However, they have a smaller capacity than most AA rechargeables, which is why they just miss out on being a Best Buy. But even so, at their price, we think they’re still well worth your money.
Read our Amazon Basics AA Rechargeable Batteries review.
TurtleWax Zip Wax Car Wash & Wax (91%, Best Buy, Great Value)
We like: Excellent at cleaning
We don’t like: Not as widely available as others
Time to give your car a clean? TurtleWax’s Zip Wax car wash will leave it looking noticeably shiny and spotless for less than £10.
It’s easy enough to apply, but like most car shampoos it requires a little elbow grease. It's also a time-saver as there's no need to use separate products to wash and wax your car. And it costs less than other shampoo and wax combos.
Read our TurtleWax Zip Wax Car Wash & Wax review.
Lindt Excellence Robust Dark 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (71%)
We like: Our experts’ favourite
We don’t like: Perhaps a little on the sweet side
Lindt's 85% cocoa extra dark chocolate was our experts' favourite out of the three supermarket bars on test. The chocolate has a smooth and creamy texture, a satisfying snap and an intense taste.
One expert commented on 'the tropical fruit notes akin to mango', while another noted 'a hint of something a little like cloves'. It had a slight aroma of pineapple, too.
The chocolate wasn't very bitter and was thought to be a little on the sweet side for a bar with 85% cocoa.
Read about this and more of the best extra dark chocolates we’ve tested.
Co-op Irresistible Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps (75%, Best Buy, Great Value)
Available from Co-op (£1.70)
We like: Crunchy and thick
We don’t like: Some might find them too vinegary
If you enjoy a tangy salt and vinegar crisp, you'll find Co-op’s version particularly vinegary, which many people love. Most testers agreed that the crisps had a tempting aroma and appearance, with just the right thickness and a satisfying crunch.
Most tasters thought the saltiness was just right too, although it's good to keep in mind that Co-op's crisps had the highest salt levels among all tested varieties.
Read about this and more of the best salt and vinegar crisps we’ve tested.