Can you buy anything useful and good quality for £20 or under? Yes, as it turns out. To prove it, we asked 14 experts in their fields, from a former Olympic athlete to a makeup guru, for their recommendations for the best thing to spend that money on.
So, whether you want affordable ideas for how to make wine last longer or have a happier dog, or are looking for better home storage, the best cake tin or the nattiest men’s socks, these brilliant buys will enhance your daily life, and won’t blow a hole in the budget.
Bioderma micellar water
Bioderma Sensibio H2O is the only cleanser I use backstage and on set because it’s made for the most sensitive skin and yet removes every trace of makeup, even waterproof. I have bottles and bottles of it in my kit and all around the office. I wish they sold it by the litre!
Pat McGrath, makeup artist and founder of Pat McGrath Labs
Buy: £10.40
Silverwood cake tin
I use round cake tins from Silverwood several times a week. I love the edges – they’re perfectly straight. They’re so much better than springform tins, because you don’t get cake stuck in the edge, and you get a nice flat bottom and insides. (With some spring form pans, you can get a little dip, because of the way the tin is designed.) These have almost seamless edges, which I just can’t get enough of.
Benjamina Ebuehi, former Great British Bake-Off contestant and author of three cookbooks, including I’ll Bring Dessert
Buy: 7-inch tin £18.64
cooksmill.co.uk
or boroughkitchen.com
Corength suspension straps
Suspension straps are so versatile: they’re really for building strength and muscle, but are also a good way for me to increase and maintain flexibility and do the types of bodyweight exercises that get your heart rate up. The indoor/outdoor trainer from Corength, with handles and 1.7-metre straps, is easy and light to pack for trips away; you just hook it to any door. I like that the kids see me working out and know that keeping fit is important. My favourite exercises with the straps are pikes (with my feet in the handles), and jumping squats or single-leg squats, holding the straps in my hands.
Kelly Holmes, double Olympic champion and author of new memoir, Kelly Holmes: Unique
Buy: £19.99
decathlon.co.uk
Scrub Daddy dish wand
The Dish Daddy – a sponge on a refillable wand – is brilliant. You can fill it with washing-up liquid or any other cleaning product. I love to use it to clean my bathroom, shower screen, sink and tiles. It makes the job faster, and the wand means there’s no need to wear gloves.
Laura Mountford, cleaning expert and author of Live, Laugh, Laundry: A Calming Guide to Keeping Your Clothes Clean – and You Happy
Buy: £8.99
scrubdaddy.co.uk
Mason Cash dog bowl
My favourite dog bowl is from Mason Cash. I have lots of them, for water and for food. They’re ceramic, which is great because we can be sure there are no worries around microplastics from plastic bowls. They go in the dishwasher, so they are easy to keep clean. And I love that it is a British company, still making a classic product that has stood the test of time.
Louise Glazebrook, dog behaviourist and author of The Book Your Dog Wishes You Would Read
Buy: £10.50
petsathome.com
This Works sleep spray
Sleeping familiarisation sensory triggers can play a key role in being able to enter, and remain in, a sleep state at home – and even more so when travelling. Some of these triggers we can create ourselves with smells we like; but it’s even better when clinicians combine ingredients that are proven to stimulate our brains to promote a sleep state. This Works has a proven clinical study and clinical trials background, which for me sets its Super Sleep Pillow Spray apart from many other products.
Nick Littlehales, sport sleep coach and author of Sleep
Buy: £20
thisworks.com
Cos ribbed tank top
There are a few holy grail fashion items, and the perfect white tank (or vest) top is definitely up there. A colleague recommended a ribbed one from Cos a couple of summers ago. She had been working on a story about finding the perfect vest top, so I knew how exhaustive her search had been. I don’t obsesses over basics since my style isn’t exactly minimalist, but I was impressed with this one. It has a flattering cut and nice heft, one that stands up well against more expensive designer takes on this classic style.
Chioma Nnadi, head of editorial content, British Vogue
Buy: £17
cos.com
Apple wired earphones
I always have a pair of wired Apple earphones on me. The mic is much more reliable than the Bluetooth version, especially when I’m on the go, and the ability to hold it close when I speak gives me more control. This is where the wireless options fall short. I like that I can see the thread between my ears and the device, and that I can touch and play with the wire. They also look cool and a bit awkward. Ingenious, timeless design.
Ana Kirova, CEO of dating app Feeld
Buy: £19
apple.com
Danvers men’s socks
My daily outfit feels incomplete unless I have long, ribbed dress socks on. It’s just for me, as they’re rarely seen, but ribbed socks elevate things a little more than plains. Also, because they cover the calf, I never unexpectedly have any skin on show.
Charlie Casely-Hayford, menswear designer
Buy: £18
pantherella.com
Nailberry nail varnish
Nailberry polishes are fantastic and bold, and the finish is so glossy. I wear them all year round. Joyful and Harmony are my two favourites from the range, but I love all the orange and red shades.
Charlotte Mensah, hairstylist and founder of Hair Lounge
Buy: £16.50
nailberry.co.uk
Forclaz thermal mat
Thermal sitting mats are really handy things to have in your rucksack – they mean you can enjoy a sit-down on most terrains. I love the Forclaz foam seat pad because it’s so affordable – and exploring the outdoors should not be expensive. It’s also lightweight and folds up neatly to fit in your pocket, which is perfect as when hiking you want everything to be as light and flexible as possible.
Rhiane Fatinikun MBE, adventurer, author, presenter and founder of Black Girls Hike
Buy: £5.99
decathlon.co.uk
Preservintage wine preserver
To keep wine in good nick for a week or two after opening a bottle, there’s a deeply unsexy sounding method I use all the time. A squirt of inert argon gas locks freshness into the wine by displacing oxygen with a colourless, odourless and tasteless blanket. Winesave UK is my go-to – fab but pricey. More affordable is the Preservintage wine preserver. It’s a simple way to preserve the aromas and flavours and extend enjoyment of your favourite bottle.
Olly Smith, wine expert, TV presenter and author
Buy: £14.99
amazon.co.uk
Niwaki gardening snips
Niwaki is my go-to brand for garden tools and its Okatsune snips are brilliant value. They are perfect for the precision of deadheading ornamentals, or for harvesting salads, edible flowers, kales and other tasty bits. The two-coloured handles make them very visible, so almost impossible to lose.
Charlotte Harris, co-founder of garden design studio, Harris-Bugg
Buy: £15
niwaki.com
Lakeland under-bed storage
Folding cotton organisers from Lakeland are perfect for stashing bulky or seasonal items in unused areas of your home. They are great for small spaces, not just under a bed but under a sofa, too. They could be a wonderful storage solution for toys in your living room, for example. They will be easy to access, but also out of sight. And the organisers are just the right length for storing rolls of wrapping paper.
Rachel Burditt, decluttering expert aka the Declutter Darling
Buy: £16.99
lakeland.co.uk
Crazy Color hair dye
My hair has been pink since the 1980s and I can’t imagine it any other way. With £20 I would buy three bottles of hair dye from Crazy Color, as when you buy three you get 15% off, which I always do. Daniel Galvin, who worked with [hair stylist] Leonard, introduced me to the perfect shade: Pinkissimo by Crazy Color.
Zandra Rhodes, fashion designer and author of Iconic: My Life in Fashion in 50 Objects
Buy: £6.25
crazycolor.co.uk
Whichford ceramics
I always end up buying something when I visit Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire – a mug, a plate, a brooch. I like the way its pieces, which are available in the shop or online as sets, are made by local craftspeople. The ceramics have that wonderful handmade quality – I love all the imperfections and wobbles.
Luke Edward Hall, designer and co-founder of fashion and homewares brand Chateau Orlando
Buy: Adam Keeling cereal bowl, £20 for one in the shop, or available in a set of four online.
whichfordpottery.com
