Products & equipment

Save money by not using the tumble dryer with Lakeland's Dry Soon Heated Tower Dryer. Anne Coates put it to the test.

Harriet Coates has her mother's problem – light wakes her up easily – so Olivia was keen to try out the Sunbuster Blackout Blinds to help with the bedtime routine in the summer.

Olivia Coates has had great fun using the Enrapture Encode Totem Styler and the Amplify Jumbo Waver – two exciting new hair styling products.

Have child, will travel. Olivia Coates has been trying out the BRITAX Jockey Comfort child bike seat and as you can imagine from a company which prides itself on safety and comfort, this seat rates highly on both scores.

The Mini UV Protector from the Australian company Shelta offers great protection from the sun – and the wind! – and is great for small children to play in, as Anne Coates discovered.

According to recent research carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation, two thirds of us risk potentially serious health problems by not replacing our toothbrushes every three months and this includes the brushes we take away with us. Arm & Hammer have made teeth cleaning while on holiday or at festivals easy with their latest product, the Sonic Spinbrush, tried out by Anne Coates.

Mopping floors is not Anne Coates' favourite task but with the Black & Decker Steam Mop, cleaning became rather less arduous and the floors looked a lot better too!

One of the most difficult things is to keep toddlers safe in the sun, so a poncho with an SPF factor of 50+ from Cuddledry was a perfect solution for little Harriet on a recent trip to Altomincio Parc in Italy.

Are you sitting comfortably or are you slouching? Do you suffer from lower back pain? If the answer is yes you could consider investing in the Sit Right back rest to bring relief and comfort, writes Anne Coates.

The transition between wet and dry nights can be a tough time for even the most patient of parents! Changing sheets – again – in the middle of the night has, Alex Bell admits, certainly tested her patience which makes this new bed protector by QuackQuackMoo ideal for potty training and beyond.

Two new accessories from Oxo Tot are designed to make bathtime more fun – a whail pail to collect toys and a kneeling mat. Anne Coates put them to the test.

What do you do when you don't have a car but need a child seat that is safe in most modern cars? Or if you are going on holiday and have a seat too large to take with you? Anne Coates discussed this with Mark Bennett, Britax's Safety Expert, and then tried out the Britax King Plus for Harriet.

Nicole Burroughs tried out a new concept in cot protection – Bumpsters – designed to protect babies and toddlers from getting hurt in their sleep or when they wake up.

The Hippychick Hipseat is a unique concept which offers parents a safe, fun and ultra convenient way of carrying their baby from when they can first sit up right into their late toddler years. Anne Coates tried one out with Harriet and is a complete convert.

When Christine Mayle joined the panel at Parenting Without Tears, she admitted to being a little apprehensive. This all changed when she heard that she would be reviewing the Reebok Easytone Go Outside II training shoe.

Starting a baby on solid foods is exciting, as Olivia Coates found when she started weaning Harriet. Preparing your own foods for baby is rewarding but what do you do when you are out and about (apart from taking little containers with you)? Olivia has been using the Wean Machine which is perfect for a baby who likes to eat out!

Award-winning Totseat is fantastic for holidays and visiting friends and family who don't have a highchair to hand plus it's compact, washable and easy to use, writes Olivia Coates.

Already a convert to shopping via the Ocado delivery service, Anne Coates was asked to try out some of the Ocado own label products and was impressed with the quality.