Tech your halls

Fancy some smart new tech but not sure what to buy? Allow us to tempt you with our pick of the best

THE NEXT-GEN TV

While your room size isn’t getting any bigger, your TV screen seems to be. With the fastest-growing category size-wise currently a whopping 65 inches, manufacturers are coming up with clever ways to fit them into our regular-sized living rooms. Take the rollable LG Signature OLED R which, on voice command, uncurls out of its base. Or Bang & Olufsen’s Beovision Harmony, whose stylish aluminium and oak front speaker panels rotate like wings to lift the 65/77/88-inch screen from a lower, less intrusive position. Way more affordable and mimicking an art gallery when not turned on, Samsung’s The Frame TV is now available in screen sizes up to 75 inches. That’s a lot of TV.

currys.co.uk

THE BOILING WATER TAP

Make that boiled, chilled or even sparkling water... on tap. Plumbed in along with – or even instead of – a standard kitchen tap, installing a Quooker Fusion tap means you’ve got instant filtered hot water and no need for a clunky kettle. It comes with a scale control function plus a childproof handle.

quooker.co.uk

THE HOME BREW KIT

Something that may not have been on your wish-list pre lockdown was the MiniBrew Craft, a hi-tech beer brewing machine that works via an app. An all-in-one piece of kit, you choose your recipe and follow the in-app instructions to guide you through the entire process, including fermenting and eventual pouring from the chic copper keg. Cheers.

minibrew.io

THE FITNESS TRACKER

Now that we’ve taken to exercising largely under our own steam, you may wish to slip on the Fitbit Charge 4, £129 (right). With in-built GPS, it means you can leave your phone at home, and a new feature, Active Zone Minutes (AZM), clearly displays the benefits you’re reaping whether walking or running. Add in Fitpay, sleep tracking and controls to Spotify and you’ve got yourself one smart bit of fitness kit.

johnlewis.com

THE WATER CONTROLLER

If you are getting away, courtesy of the Eve Aqua Smart Water Controller, £99.99, your garden won’t shrivel should there be a sudden heatwave.

You can set up a schedule to water your grass and patio plants automatically or turn on the sprinkler via an app. With a two-channel water distributor, it connects to your outdoor tap but still leaves you able to access running water when required.

evehome.com

THE SECURITY SYSTEM

Speaking of getting away, how safe are you leaving your home? Starting outside, fixing a motion sensor spotlight like the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera, £259.99, will drench the front of your house in bright light and send a phone alert should anyone approach.

Back inside, why not upgrade your lock armoury to include a Patlock Internal French and Double Doors Lock, £70, which bolts the handles of your French windows firmly together.

Consider a sophisticated wireless alarm set-up, too. Yale offer smart systems with prices ranging from £269 up to £400. Smoke detectors, motion sensors, door/window connectors, a siren and even automatic light connectors can be operated and monitored via your phone. According to Yale, homes without alarms are 300 times more likely to be targeted. Makes for a really smart investment then.

johnlewis.com argos.co.uk yalestore.co.uk