0:00:03 > 0:00:05Take a look around your home.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:12 > 0:00:17Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24With the help of the country's top experts,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27we're going to see what it takes to test the household products
0:00:27 > 0:00:28we use every day.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We'll put the makers' claims on trial.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And show you how to make your money go further.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47You'll find these products in any ordinary house.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But this is no ordinary house
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and no ordinary street.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is the...
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Hello, we're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Here at the Building Research Establishment,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12some of the products and materials that we use every day
0:01:12 > 0:01:15are put to the test, to make sure that they're safe,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19environmentally-friendly and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Coming up on today's programme...
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Mobile phones, they all need charging.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29There was white smoke and a strong smell coming from the area
0:01:29 > 0:01:31where the charger had been plugged in.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35The latest crackdown on illegal chargers coming onto the market.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38I'm going to issue you something called a suspension notice for them,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40which means you're not allowed to sell
0:01:40 > 0:01:42that particular style of charger any more.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Is it worth paying nearly £300 for a juicer?
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Or will one for less than £25 perform just as well?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53And from salmonella in eggs to the horse meat scandal,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55will food testing ever go far enough
0:01:55 > 0:01:58to ensure that we know exactly what's in our food?
0:02:05 > 0:02:08More than two million people receive an electric shock
0:02:08 > 0:02:10from an appliance every year
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and thousands of them are seriously injured.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16That's why making sure all electrical products on sale
0:02:16 > 0:02:20are safe is a vital part of the job for Trading Standards.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22We've been out with officers in Newcastle,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25to see how they're tackling, head-on,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28the problem of dodgy mobile phone chargers.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Mobile phones, we've all got one.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34In fact, there are currently over 80 million of them
0:02:34 > 0:02:36in use across the UK.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39All of which need charging.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Chris Cliff went online to buy a charger for his Samsung phone.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45It came, it looked genuine,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49it had all the genuine Samsung details on it.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And I plugged it downstairs in the living room.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54But within ten minutes,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57all the electricity had switched off in the house.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58A fault with the charger
0:02:58 > 0:03:01had caused the safety switch on his fuse box to trip.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05There was white smoke and a strong smell coming
0:03:05 > 0:03:08from the area where the charger had been plugged in.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10You could see the burn marks round the adaptor,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14so I opened it up and you could see where it had all melted inside.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17The charger may have looked genuine,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21but Samsung later confirmed it was, in fact, a fake.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Luckily, Chris had got to the charger quickly
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and unplugged it before it could cause any serious damage
0:03:27 > 0:03:30to his home or his family.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35But cheap and counterfeit chargers have been known to start fires
0:03:35 > 0:03:37and, even, electrocute people.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41It, sort of, took me back a little bit to think, potentially,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44what could have happened and how dangerous it could have been.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50For Trading Standards, removing products like this from the market
0:03:50 > 0:03:51is a top priority.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56They seized more than 10,000 mobile phone accessories last year.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Mobile phone chargers have been an issue for a long time now
0:04:00 > 0:04:02and there seems to be an increase.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05We seem to have a spate of sub-standard chargers
0:04:05 > 0:04:07floating around the market at the moment.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Today, Paul is carrying out spot checks on a number of traders
0:04:11 > 0:04:15thought to be selling suspect chargers in the Newcastle area.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Paul goes into the shop, undercover, to buy the goods.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Just an iPhone 5 charger, please.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Nice one, thank you very much. Cheers. See you later.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34He also buys a second charger from a different shop
0:04:34 > 0:04:35and already has concerns.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Both of them fairly non-descript, but there are some key markings
0:04:41 > 0:04:44that are missing off this one, in particular.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49There is a requirement for plugs to have certain markings on them
0:04:49 > 0:04:50and if the markings aren't there,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53you can guarantee that the way they've manufactured them
0:04:53 > 0:04:57on the inside is probably going to have some bits missing, as well.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59So the chargers are taken to the lab for testing
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and we'll be bringing you the results later.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03If they're found to be unsafe,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06it'll be up to Paul to get them removed from the market.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15A nice glass of freshly-squeezed apple juice.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17If you buy one of these in a cafe or restaurant,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19it'll set you back a few pounds,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23which is why you may have thought about investing
0:05:23 > 0:05:24in one of these - a juicer.
0:05:24 > 0:05:30Now, you can spend less than £25 or you can buy one for almost £300.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33So, how do they compare?
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Guess what, Sophie? We're going to find out the answer to that question
0:05:37 > 0:05:39by putting some of these juicers to the test.
0:05:40 > 0:05:46The cheapest we could find - the Cookworks KP400 Juicer for £24.99.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Yes, that's just £24.99.
0:05:49 > 0:05:55A mid-range product - the Philips Viva Collection HR1863 Juicer
0:05:55 > 0:05:56at £99.99.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00And, at the top end of the market,
0:06:00 > 0:06:08the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Nutri Juicer Pro, clocking in at £299.95.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12First up, we're going to test them for taste and texture.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Well, when I say "we", I mean, them -
0:06:15 > 0:06:18some yoga volunteers, in tune with a healthy lifestyle.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25We've made three glasses of apple juice
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and three glasses of carrot juice, using our three products,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31according to the manufacturers' instructions.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33When it comes to taste and texture,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37which apple juice will our nine volunteers like the best?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40For flavour, I think, A.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43I think C has the best texture and B is the best taste.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47I definitely pick A. Easy to drink and it's not stressful.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49I hate a stressful juice.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53The Sage Heston Blumenthal juicer, our most expensive product,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56was the clear winner, with seven of our nine volunteers voting it
0:06:56 > 0:07:00the best for both flavour and texture.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02The juice tasted sweeter.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04There was a lot less bits in there.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06It was just easier to drink.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10But in second place for flavour was the Cookworks juicer,
0:07:10 > 0:07:11our cheapest product,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14with the mid-range Philips coming last.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19And it was a similar result for the carrots.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25I don't know. I think they're, kind of, equal.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27But A is definitely the favourite.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30I think I like B better.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33I like the flavour of A best.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Once again, the most expensive Sage machine came top,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39with six out of nine voting it the best for flavour
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and seven out of nine the best texture.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45And it's another second-place finish for our cheapest product,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48the Cookworks juicer, with three volunteers
0:07:48 > 0:07:51voting it the best for flavour and two for texture.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Philips, once again, came last.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So, overall, Sage was the clear winner in this one-off test.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Oh, I knew I had expensive taste.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04£300 is quite a lot, but it did a very good job.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07But at a fifth of the price of the Philips
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and under a tenth of the price of the Sage,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13it's not a bad result for the Cookworks juicer in second place.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15No way. Unbelievable.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20£30 versus £300 is quite a big difference.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Well, I guess, you know, price doesn't define the quality.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So our yoga class has spoken about taste and consistency.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30But, as this is just a snapshot,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34we're heading to the lab, to test the machines in three categories...
0:08:35 > 0:08:36..to see which one of our products
0:08:36 > 0:08:40produces the most juice per kilogram of fruit or veg,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42which one works the quickest
0:08:42 > 0:08:45and which is easiest to clean and put away.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Find out the answers to these questions later on in the programme.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Now, last year, it was horse meat in our burgers.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59In the '90s, it was BSE in beef.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02And, before that, it was salmonella in eggs.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05We've had our fair share of food scandals over the years
0:09:05 > 0:09:07and you may wonder when will we ever be sure
0:09:07 > 0:09:11about exactly what's in our food? Here's Lynn Faulds Wood.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- 'Welcome to Watchdog.' - On tonight's programme.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19'All these people have written to us.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:24'Now time to say hello again to these delightful little creatures.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27'Hard to imagine, isn't it, that they could cause us any harm?
0:09:27 > 0:09:29'But one day, they could. For, amongst poultry like this,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32'there's now a disease which is reaching epidemic proportions.'
0:09:34 > 0:09:39The year was 1988 and my husband John was talking about salmonella -
0:09:39 > 0:09:44a bacterium found in eggs that can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Health Minister Edwina Currie had just announced
0:09:47 > 0:09:51most of the eggs produced in this country were affected.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The egg industry was in turmoil.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59Four million hens and 400 million eggs were destroyed.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02But it wasn't the last food scare that we'd see on Watchdog.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07And it certainly wasn't the first scare we'd seen in this country.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12In the mid-19th century, people were pouring into the cities.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16They lived in small rooms, with few cooking facilities,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and relied on pre-packaged food and an army of street vendors.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24With fierce competition and no controls on quality,
0:10:24 > 0:10:29unscrupulous traders tried to boost profits by bulking out food
0:10:29 > 0:10:31with things nobody should be eating.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Lead was added to cheese, wine and cider.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Bread was made whiter and heavier by adding plaster of Paris,
0:10:39 > 0:10:43chalk or alum - a compound used in detergents.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Although alum was not poisonous in and of itself,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49it's widely believed that it made digestion less effective
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and so, people weren't getting the nutrients and, obviously,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54that's particularly injurious to children.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56A lot of colourings, in particular,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00were made from metal salts and they were actually poisonous.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05Scary. But chemical research and legislation was evolving
0:11:05 > 0:11:10and, eventually, in 1875, came the Sale of Food and Drugs Act.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13For the first time, local authorities were required
0:11:13 > 0:11:17to appoint food inspectors called public analysts.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20They could go into grocers, take samples to analyse,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22go back to their laboratories and look at them.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25They'd do this through looking at it in a microscope,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28through chemical tests. So that meant that traders
0:11:28 > 0:11:31were threatened with the prospect of random sampling
0:11:31 > 0:11:33and the prospect of prosecution
0:11:33 > 0:11:36if their goods were found to be not as described.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40The Act would form the basis of food law for the next 70 years.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45At the turn of the century, brands began to dominate the grocery market.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47And, to protect these brands,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50companies did their own extensive testing.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Meanwhile, legislation developed bit by bit,
0:11:54 > 0:11:59until, in 1955, the Food and Drugs Act brought all the rules
0:11:59 > 0:12:03about composition, labelling and the sale of food together.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Food markets were evolving,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07food was becoming, gradually, a little more complex.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Technology was advancing, both in terms of food
0:12:10 > 0:12:12and in terms of analysis, so legislation is always
0:12:12 > 0:12:15behind technology, so, every now and again, there had to be a really
0:12:15 > 0:12:19big catch-up, just to consolidate everything and make it relevant.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26In the '70s, frozen foods started to appear on the supermarket shelves
0:12:26 > 0:12:32and, in 1979, Marks & Spencer was pioneering the chilled ready meal.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34By the 1980s,
0:12:34 > 0:12:39other retailers were adopting the standards they'd developed.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42In just over 100 years, we'd made giant strides
0:12:42 > 0:12:45in food technology and safety.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47But any complacency we might have been feeling about
0:12:47 > 0:12:51the safety of our food was soon to be shattered.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55The farming industry was about to face decades of problems
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and it all started with these.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03'Some experts are now seriously questioning
0:13:03 > 0:13:05'whether we should eat eggs at all.'
0:13:05 > 0:13:11It took ten years before the industry really got its act together.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14In 1998, the British Lion mark had arrived
0:13:14 > 0:13:17showing hens had been vaccinated against salmonella.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22This dramatically reduced the number of cases in the UK.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29But there was a worse crisis to come.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32'Next, mad cow disease - BSE.'
0:13:32 > 0:13:36'Every week, up to 300 suspected new cases in British cattle.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39'The question, is it crossing from cattle to humans
0:13:39 > 0:13:43and causing the notorious Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45known as CJD, which destroys the brain?
0:13:47 > 0:13:49The short answer was yes.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52But it was a year before the government admitted the link.
0:13:52 > 0:13:57The EU banned British beef exports and millions of cows were destroyed.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02BSE spread because farmers had been giving cows feed containing
0:14:02 > 0:14:05ground-up animal parts.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10It was a crisis too many and the government took action.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12There was a perception, during the BSE crisis,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food
0:14:14 > 0:14:18couldn't represent the interests of British agriculture,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20British farmers and the consumer.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24So, in 2001, the Food Standards Agency was set up.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28The Food Standards Agency - its sole purpose
0:14:28 > 0:14:30is to protect consumers' interests in relation to food.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But if the hope was the FSA would end all problems,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37there was no such luck.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Hello, good afternoon.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42The Environment Minister says he is absolutely determined
0:14:42 > 0:14:45to get answers about food testing in the UK
0:14:45 > 0:14:48at a summit examining the horse meat scandal.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53In January 2013, stores across the country had to remove products
0:14:53 > 0:14:57labelled "beef", after tests revealed they contained horse meat.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I think there's been a realisation across the whole EU
0:15:00 > 0:15:03that the focus has been on food safety issues,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06which, obviously, are clearly very important,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10but at the expense of other things to do with the standard of food -
0:15:10 > 0:15:14its authenticity, whether it is fraudulent or not.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Distasteful as many found the horse meat affair,
0:15:17 > 0:15:19nobody's health was put at risk.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23What it showed was how difficult it can be to monitor food
0:15:23 > 0:15:26that's been processed through several countries.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Today, manufacturers up and down the country have improved their processes
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and many now do now test our food for horse meat.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37But is it only a matter of time before Watchdog's investigating
0:15:37 > 0:15:40the next scare? Let's hope not.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Now, teeth. How do you look after yours?
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Do you use an electric toothbrush or the cheapest one you can find?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Do you floss or use mouthwash?
0:15:53 > 0:15:55With hundreds of products on sale,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58what should we be looking out for to make sure our teeth are sparkling?
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Well, with me now
0:16:01 > 0:16:04is Professor Walmsley, from the British Dental Association.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Now, you can spend a lot on a toothbrush,
0:16:06 > 0:16:07you can spend virtually nothing,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10these are some relatively cheap ones, but you could get one
0:16:10 > 0:16:13for £200, if it was electric. Does it matter how much you spend?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It's not necessarily how much you spend,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17it's how you use the toothbrushes.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Most people say two minutes as a time,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24so you put a timer on for two minutes and you've got to go systematically.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Getting the back molar teeth is really important,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30so working from the back to the front, parts next to your cheek,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33parts next your palate and your tongue and the lips.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36So, these ones, they're very cheap,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- they could do the same job as an electric one.- They could.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41They're a little bit on the large side. You want a small head,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43so you can get into the back of the mouth
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and brush those hard-to-reach places.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49And you need the bristles to be about soft to medium.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52And that's really what you need to be looking for in a toothbrush.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55There is some evidence to show that, if people spend the money,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57they are more motivated - and that's a good thing -
0:16:57 > 0:17:00but it's always a good idea to get checked with your dentist
0:17:00 > 0:17:02that you're brushing your teeth in a proper way.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05What about the toothpaste that you choose to use with your brush?
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Again, there are so many to choose from.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10What is the important thing to go for?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12It's really important to have a toothpaste that's got fluoride in.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Cos we just know that fluoride works and it helps to strengthen teeth,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17so that's the most important thing to look for.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21There are toothpastes that help to stop sensitive teeth,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24there's whitening toothpastes, too,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27but, if you're going to use any of those, check with your dentist first.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28It's really important.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32But there's also flossing, there's mouthwash, is that as important?
0:17:32 > 0:17:33They have their place,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36but you've still got to get the brushing done first.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- Professor Walmsley, thank you. - Thank you.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44Back now to juicers.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Earlier, we put three of them to the test.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50When it comes to taste and texture,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52the most expensive one came out on top
0:17:52 > 0:17:57and the cheapest one beat the mid-range product into second place.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59But the testing is not over yet.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05It's certainly not, Sophie. It's time to get technical.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Dr Nazanin Zand has helped us devise some tough tests for our machines.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Today, we are going to conduct a comparison between three different
0:18:15 > 0:18:20juicers which are currently available on the market.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23These three juicers are - our cheapest product,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26the Cookworks KP400 Juicer at £24.99,
0:18:26 > 0:18:31a mid-range product, the Philips Viva Collection HR1863 Juicer,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34costing £99.99,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and, at the top end of the market,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Nutri Juicer Pro,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42which sets you back £299.95.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48First, we'll be looking at how much liquid is produced from a kilogram
0:18:48 > 0:18:51of apples and a kilogram of carrots.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54The juicers will also be juicing against the clock,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56to see which is quickest.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Turn on the juicer.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Let's start with the amount of juice produced from the apples.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10We're measuring in weight, because it's the most accurate way
0:19:10 > 0:19:13of calculating exactly how much juice has been produced.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And, as you can see, we have quite a lot of foam on the top,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18which carries no weight.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Taking first place was the most expensive product, the Sage,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24which produces 722g of juice.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27In second place, the mid-range product, the Philips,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29with a very healthy 681g.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Some way back in third place was the cheapest juicer,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36the Cookworks, weighing in at just 561g.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Now, on to the carrots.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44I need to measure another kilogram now.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48In first place was the Sage, with 570g.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But, when it came to carrots, our cheapest product,
0:19:50 > 0:19:55the Cookworks, came second, producing 554g of juice.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59The mid-range Philips was third, with 522g.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02But add up the totals for both apples and carrots
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and it's clear that, the more you spend, the more juice you get.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07At least, in our test.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Overall, the Sage came top, our mid-range product, the Philips,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14came second and our cheapest product, the Cookworks, came third.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19But what if you're the type that relies on speed?
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Combining the times for both apples and carrots,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25the Sage once again took first place overall.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Clocking in at 51 seconds to blitz the apples
0:20:27 > 0:20:31and 36 seconds for the carrots, giving it a total time of...
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Our mid-range juicer, the Philips,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37was actually the quickest to make apple juice.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40However, its slower carrot juice time gave it a total of...
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Just three seconds slower, overall, than the Sage.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51But, in this test, our cheapest product, the Cookworks, struggled.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54I just needed to cut this in half.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57We had to cut up both the apples and carrots and clear the basket
0:20:57 > 0:21:01that catches the shredded pulp, making for a total time of...
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Over four minutes behind the total times of our other two products.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11But will we see a change in results
0:21:11 > 0:21:13when it comes to the clean-up operation?
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Dr Zand's PHD student Emma is here to help.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21This is now convenience testing, which means Emma dismantling it,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24washing it, drying it and assembling it back together
0:21:24 > 0:21:25while I'm timing her.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36After much scrubbing at the sink, the Sage was victorious yet again,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38when combining the times for cleaning away both
0:21:38 > 0:21:40the apple juice and carrot juice, clocking in at...
0:21:43 > 0:21:44Our mid-range product, the Philips,
0:21:44 > 0:21:49was a close second, with a total time of...
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Once more, the Cookworks ended up in third place,
0:21:52 > 0:21:56with a combined time of...
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Argos told us the Cookworks KP400 juicer
0:21:59 > 0:22:03represents excellent value for money, with customers rating it
0:22:03 > 0:22:07an average of four out of five stars in online reviews.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10They say they offer a wide range of juicers, to suit all budgets,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14and have a rigorous quality control process in place.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Philips, whose product has a two-year warranty, has told us
0:22:17 > 0:22:20they were pleased to see how well their juicer performed
0:22:20 > 0:22:22against a much more expensive model,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24especially in how quickly it makes the juice.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29They add they have many positive customer reviews from their juicers.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31And BRG Appliances LTD told us
0:22:31 > 0:22:34that the Sage By Heston Blumenthal Nutri Juicer Pro
0:22:34 > 0:22:37was designed with long-term durability in mind
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and subject to rigorous life cycle testing.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42It comes with a five-year warranty.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44They add they also have a cheaper product on the market,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47which they would expect to perform very well in our test.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Overall, our most expensive product, the Sage juicer,
0:22:52 > 0:22:53was the clear winner.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And although the mid-range Phillips did perform well
0:22:55 > 0:22:59in our technical challenge, it was beaten by our cheapest product,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01the Cookworks, in our one-off taste test.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06So, although this is just a snapshot, perhaps it IS possible
0:23:06 > 0:23:09to get a healthy hit of juice at a bargain price.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Back to the crackdown on the sale of illegal mobile phone chargers
0:23:18 > 0:23:19in Newcastle.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Earlier, we saw Trading Standards officers seize two products
0:23:22 > 0:23:24suspected of being unsafe.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28It's now over to the lab to find out exactly how dangerous they are.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33All electrical products have to display the CE mark.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37This indicates that the manufacturer has verified that it complies
0:23:37 > 0:23:39with all relevant safety requirements.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43One of the chargers is already causing Dave concern.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47It should have the CE mark on it and it hasn't, which, straightaway,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51suggests that it hasn't been tested, doesn't meet European standards.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56There's only one way to find out for sure and that to test it.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59First, Dave is going to check whether the charger is safely
0:23:59 > 0:24:04converting the 230 volts that comes out of a UK socket into the five
0:24:04 > 0:24:08needed to charge a mobile phone, otherwise it could be dangerous.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Got my test meter, probe's in place, switch it on.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19And we get just over five volts, which is perfect,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23which is what we need to charge a mobile phone.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Both pass this test,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28but they also need to be able to handle excess voltage,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31in case there's a sudden surge in the electrical supply.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36OK, so what we've got now is a small test circuit, which allows us
0:24:36 > 0:24:40to apply a test voltage to the two input pins of the charger.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Dave's cranking the voltage up to 3,000 volts,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48that's more than ten times the normal supply.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52If insulation inside the charger is working correctly,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54it should remain operational.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59In this case, that failed at 1,700, so that's a failure.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Next, the second charger.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03That didn't even get near to 3,000.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08It got to 1,500 volts, which means the insulation between the input
0:25:08 > 0:25:12circuit and the output circuit isn't strong enough, so that's a failure.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16The final test is to inspect the wiring on the inside.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20One of the common faults with a lot of chargers, there's cables
0:25:20 > 0:25:23attached at the rear and those cables are soldered. When you use
0:25:23 > 0:25:28solder, should be a secondary means of security.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Something as simple as some glue should do it,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33just in case the solder becomes loose over time,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36but there's no such thing inside this charger.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41If either one of those cables becomes detached, there's a fair chance
0:25:41 > 0:25:46the 230 volts we have going in could come out of the output connector
0:25:46 > 0:25:48and go straight to your mobile phone
0:25:48 > 0:25:51or possibly, an electric shock to the user.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Both chargers fail this test, too.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59With Dave's confirmation that these chargers are potentially dangerous,
0:25:59 > 0:26:04it's up to Paul to make sure they are removed from sale immediately.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Paul heads to the first shop to issue suspension notice number one.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I'm from Trading Standards. I was in earlier today?
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I bought an iPhone charger from yourselves. The wires that
0:26:16 > 0:26:20are connected to the pins are barely connected and they're not safe.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23So what's going to happen is I'm going to issue something
0:26:23 > 0:26:24called a suspension notice for them,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27which means you're not allowed to sell that particular style
0:26:27 > 0:26:31of charger any more and you're going to tell me where you got them from.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Okey-dokey?
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- We normally buy stuff from Manchester, right?- Yeah.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Have you got any receipts or anything like that?
0:26:40 > 0:26:42The shopkeeper attempts to look for receipts,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45but eventually tells Paul he's unable to find any paperwork
0:26:45 > 0:26:50and he claims he doesn't even know the name of his supplier.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52There's a guy who comes all the time in his car.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54He just write the receipt on the normal paper, so...
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- He will definitely come next week, as well.- Right, OK.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Do you know this gentleman's name or number?
0:27:01 > 0:27:02Not really.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Paul leaves once the shop owner has agreed to try and identify
0:27:06 > 0:27:08his supplier.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Next, the shop that sold Paul the charger
0:27:10 > 0:27:13that didn't even display the CE mark.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Again, the shopkeeper seems uncertain of who he's bought
0:27:16 > 0:27:18the chargers from and doesn't have any paperwork.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21He claims they were just samples.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26We don't sell this, we have proper ones, which one we sell it.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Right, OK, well, the problem is that I was sold this this morning
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and if you're saying that it was just a sample,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36you shouldn't be selling samples.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39They're far from good, they're unsafe,
0:27:39 > 0:27:44so you're not allowed to sell those any more, OK?
0:27:44 > 0:27:46No problem. I know now, so it's OK.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51Paul issues the suspension notice and leaves after the shopkeeper
0:27:51 > 0:27:55agrees he won't buy anything from that supplier again.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57We were told a similar story,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59that he's bought it from a guy who's come in off the street.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02It's a bit of a concern because it's not really verifiable and we're
0:28:02 > 0:28:06trying to find out exactly where these bad chargers have come from.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07It's a different brand, as well,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10so I think we've got a bit of a serious issue here.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Both shops were eventually able to provide Paul
0:28:12 > 0:28:16with the supplier's details. This information was passed over
0:28:16 > 0:28:18to the relevant Trading Standards authority,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20so they could take further action.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22The shops say they are now purchasing their products
0:28:22 > 0:28:24from a more reputable supplier.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33If you want more information on the safety of products in your home,
0:28:33 > 0:28:38you can go to our website...
0:28:41 > 0:28:43That's all for today. Thanks for watching.