From plastic-free lunchboxes to foolproof coffee makers: 14 things you loved this month | Life and style
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After five brutal heatwaves we’d expect you to be sick of summer by now, but judging by your August hitlist, many of you can’t get enough of it. An ice-cream maker, packing cubes and travel wardrobe heroes suggest you’re determined to embrace every last drop of sunshine before summer 2026 gives way to rain and the school bell.
You’ve been thinking ahead too, though. A plastic-free lunchbox and a foolproof coffee maker will help ease you back to work and school, and there’s always undereye concealer when all the coffee in the world can’t hide your post-holiday blues.
The best filter coffee machine
Fellow Aiden filter coffee machine
A steaming brew of black and/or milky stuff remains your favourite way to get through the day, even when it’s 30C in the shade. Named best filter machine in Sasha Muller’s recently updated mission to find the best coffee machines, the Aiden makes “glorious brews with everything from light to dark roast coffees – and with minimal effort”. It’s pricey given its lack of integrated water filter, but you didn’t seem to mind.
The best ice-cream maker
Caso Design IceCreamer 5-in-1 ice-cream and yoghurt maker
For the millions of us who couldn’t get an air conditioner for love nor money, ice-cream was a summer 2026 life-saver, especially if you could rustle up your own supply at home. Danielle Amato called the IceCreamer a “real surprise standout” and crowned it her overall best ice-cream maker because of its “fantastic” tasting ice-cream that stayed frozen in the machine for up to an hour, even in a heatwave.
Expensive-looking towels
Egyptian cotton stripe towels
Holiday must-haves dominated your August favourites, but a reassuring number of you can’t wait to feather your nest for autumn. These chic cotton towels will “elevate your bathroom”, wrote Ellie Violet Bramley in 22 cheap ways to make your home look more expensive. Ellie is particularly fond of the dove grey stripe hand towel, but these towels come in brighter colours and larger sizes, too.
The skirt you can wear as a dress
Haley skirt
“Multifunctional clothing is the holy grail of holiday packing,” wrote Charlotte Gornall in her guide to creating the perfect women’s holiday capsule wardrobe. This pillar-box red maxi skirt with a stretchy smocked waist works just as well as a dress, plus there’s the bonus of it taking up hardly any space or weight in your luggage. Its 100% cotton fabric won’t trap heat or sweat on a balmy day, either.
The plastic-free lunchbox
Moonmoon stainless steel lunchbox, 1.4l
You were so inspired by Rose Stokes’ mission to rid her kitchen of plastic that no fewer than three products she mentioned made it on to your August hitlist. These lightweight bento-style boxes from Moonmoon were your favourite. They’re BPA-free, safe to put in the dishwasher and leakproof as long as you’re not tempted to remove the silicone seal.
The Dior concealer
Dior Forever Skin Correct, 11ml
Good undereye concealer is a makeup holy grail, says beauty columnist Sali Hughes. Of all her recommendations in best undereye concealers for over-35s, this was your favourite. Sali’s a fan, too. “I’ve used this for years and it’s a rare beast: a concealer offering full, lasting coverage without exacerbating dryness.” And it comes in a great range of shades.
The best budget meat thermometer
Heston Blumenthal/Salter meat thermometer
Sunday roast in a heatwave? If you insist. Barbecue in a heatwave? Now you’re talking. This brilliant buy from Rachel Ogden’s test to find the best meat thermometers has a digital display and an 18cm probe that lets you “check bangers on the barbecue without reaching for the oven gloves”. With many similar devices costing £100 or more, we weren’t surprised to see this bargain gadget proving such a hit.
The best budget packing cubes
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M&S packing cubes, set of 5
If, like me, you’re a childfree traveller who’s waited for schools to go back before you head off on your cut-price jollies, packing cubes are a smart last-minute buy. Marks & Spencer’s simple fabric zipped bags keep things secure and organised inside your luggage, so even if your suitcase pops open on the carousel, your fellow travellers won’t get an eyeful of your smalls. “Functional and affordable,” said Pete Wise, our luggage guru.
The plastic-free food storage boxes
Pyrex zero plastic food storage dishes, set of 3
“I’ve accumulated a huge amount of Tupperware over the years,” admitted Rose Stokes in her kitchen plastic detox, and she’s now replacing it with Pyrex. Keen to follow her lead, you’ve snapped up these multi-purpose dishes that are thermal shock resistant up to 240C and are claimed to withstand temperatures from -40C to 350C. Treat them kindly and they should last well past their 10-year guarantee.
The best smoothing hair oil
Arkive the Good Habit hair oil, 50ml
Tame even the thickest frizz without weighing down your locks. Sarah Matthews chose this affordable serum-oil hybrid as the best smoothing product after testing the 11 best hair oils on her own long hair. “I loved this oil’s delicate scent, with slightly fruity top notes, a light floral heart and a musky vanilla base,” wrote Sarah.
The best high-street men’s white T-shirt
M&S Autograph Supima cotton crew neck T-shirt
M&S remains the place to go for bargain wardrobe staples that won’t fall apart after a few washes. This “lightweight, but still substantial” Supima cotton crew shirt is “the best argument you’ll find for skipping the designer brands,” wrote Peter Bevan in best white T-shirts for men. It comes in 20 other colours, too, in case you’d prefer one that doesn’t show the dirt.
The colour-pop glass kettle
Ascot glass kettle
This glass kettle looks gorgeous on a worktop but is “very unforgiving on limescale”, admitted Rose Stokes in her kitchen plastic detox. This didn’t put you off, but if you’re in a hard-water area you may want to look at the less exposing models in our best kettles roundup.
A versatile silk scarf
John Lewis abstract spot-print square silk scarf
“Tied around your hair, looped through a bag, worn as a belt or even styled as a top, a silk scarf is one of the most versatile accessories there is,” wrote Charlotte Gornall in her guide to creating the perfect women’s holiday capsule wardrobe. Even a large scarf like this (1m square) takes up little room in your luggage.
The scented ‘candle’ for summer
Droplet orange blossom reed diffuser
“Reed diffusers work brilliantly for home fragrance, but most of them look hideous,” wrote Jess Cartner-Morley in her August style essentials. “I don’t want my bathroom to look like a cheap Airbnb.” She was delighted, then, to discover this beautiful hand-blown glass piece with a single reed diffuser, which “looks as good in your hallway as a Diptyque candle”.
Don’t buy anything until you’ve read the Filter, the Guardian’s home for truly independent product reviews and recommendations. Whether you’re after rigorous tests or shopping inspiration, affordable gifts or advice on how to make your belongings last longer, we’re here to help you make smarter, more sustainable choices.
The Filter is packed with trustworthy buying advice on everything from coffee machines to hiking boots, mascara to secateurs. So visit us today and start buying better and smarter, and wasting less.
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