This post was written in collaboration with Very.co.uk
Look, I love the idea of summer. Sun, long evenings, drinks in the garden, maybe even brushing off the BBQ if I can remember how to light it.
But in reality? British summer is a weird little beast. One minute you’re suffering through a heatwave and everyone’s miserable because no one can sleep even with all the windows open, the next it’s raining sideways and you’re telling yourself ‘the garden needed it’ like that makes it all better.
So this year, I’m leaning into tech that makes summer at home actually bearable; dare I say, enjoyable. Thanks to a very well-timed bundle from Very.co.uk, I’ve levelled up in the comfort stakes, and I’m not going back.
Here’s what I’ve been trying out and how it’s actually helped.
The Shark FlexBreeze Fan: My new emotional support appliance
My favourite part of going through perimenopause is definitely the fact that you can overheat on a winter’s day wearing just a vest. For sure. Love it. Summer – although my favourite season – can be absolutely brutal even for those of us not battling hormonal chaos, so chuck in a few hot flushes and you’ve basically got your own internal climate crisis.
This fan has genuinely saved me from dissolving into a puddle of rage and regret on multiple occasions.
This fan is no joke. It’s not one of those sad little whirring ones that sort of wave warm air at you. No, this is a high-velocity hybrid – which sounds like something you’d find in a sci-fi film but actually just means it works. It’s portable, powerful, and can be used with or without a cord for up to 24 hours on a single charge! Perfect when you’re trying to keep cool in the garden while also pretending to be productive. It even comes with a misting attachment so you can actually cool yourself down in the garden and it’s so quiet compared to the huge desk fans we’ve been using, it’s sometimes easy to forget it’s there.
The flex feature is ideal too: you can stand it tall or take the legs off and plonk it on a table, depending on how dramatic the heatwave (or your mood) is. It even has a remote control. 10/10 for breeze. 12/10 for not melting while cooking dinner.
Full price it’s £199, and it’s currently on sale at £170. Find all the fans here.
The Russell Hobbs Compact Dehumidifier & Air Purifier: The unsung hero
I didn’t think I needed a dehumidifier. That was until I started using this one and realised that my house had been quietly stewing in its own dampness, particularly the office where the fish tank resides.
It’s compact, sleek, and weirdly satisfying; there’s something very smug about emptying the little water tray and knowing your walls are now 5% less spongey.
And with hay fever season in full swing, the air purifier has been a bit of a game changer. Less sneezing and red eyes all round.
It costs £94 from Very.co.uk.
The JBL GO 4 Portable Speaker: Bringing vibes to hanging out the washing
Much to my children’s horror, I have absolutely no shame in singing along to my music in the garden while I’m hanging out the washing. This is made a lot easier by the JBL GO 4 Portable Speaker, a little device with big sound.
What can I say about it? It connects effortlessly via Bluetooth to my phone and can play music really loudly without sounding tinny – so loud in fact that my daughter actually cried when I put it in her face (won’t do that again). It’s IP67 waterproof; I wouldn’t take it swimming, but I don’t have to panic if I left it outside and it starts to rain. It has survived being knocked on to the concrete at least twice, which tells you everything you need to know about how rugged it is.
With an RRP of £39, it is perfect for indoor or outdoor living, just don’t annoy the neighbours.
The Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150 Wake-Up Light: Waking up like I live in a yoga retreat (almost)
I’m not a morning person. I’m barely a person before 9am, to be honest. But this sunrise simulator has helped take the edge off.
I reviewed a previous iteration of the Lumie Bodyclock seven whole years ago and used it until my daughter commandeered it for her dark bedroom in our last house. I had forgotten how much I missed having it to be honest.
Instead of being jolted awake by the terrifying phone alarm, this one gradually wakes you up with light; like a nice sunrise, not the blinding reality of a toddler opening the curtains at 5:47am. It’s especially great for groggy, grey mornings. Highly recommend if your goal in life is to wake up feeling vaguely human. This one costs £99.99.
The Philips Sonicare 5300 Toothbrush: The adulting I didn’t know I needed
I never thought I’d be excited about a toothbrush but here we are. This one doesn’t just rotate, it has sonic vibrations which remove up to 7x the plaque of a normal toothbrush. It’s proper fancy; it has pressure sensors (turns out I was brushing like a maniac) and gives you a timer so you actually brush for the full two minutes.
It also charges via USB and and looks chic on my windowsill – probably because it’s not caked in old toothpaste yet. Is it possible for a toothbrush to make you feel like you’ve got your life together? Apparently yes.
And it is currently £59.99; over £100 saved on the RRP. Find your next electric toothbrush on Very.co.uk.
So, between the fan that’s saving my sanity, the wake-up light that’s tricking me into mornings, and the dehumidifier that’s literally drying out the chaos, I’m finally starting to feel a bit more together. Not all the way, obviously; I’m still me. But closer.
If you’re looking to make your home more comfortable, cool, and vaguely manageable this summer, I can honestly recommend these gadgets. You can find them all now at Very.co.uk.
Just don’t expect them to stop the rain.