0:00:03 > 0:00:05Take a look around your home.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:18 > 0:00:20And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24With the help of the country's top experts,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28we're going to see what it takes to test the household products
0:00:28 > 0:00:30we use every day.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40We'll put the makers' claims on trial.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And show you how to make your money go further.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48You'll find these products in any ordinary house.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51But THIS is no ordinary house.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53And no ordinary street.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56This is the Watchdog Test House.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Hello. We're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Here at the Building Research Establishment, some of the products
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and materials that we use every day are put to the test
0:01:14 > 0:01:16to make sure that they are safe,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19environmentally friendly and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Coming up on today's programme:
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Safe as houses?
0:01:24 > 0:01:27What you need to know if you have one of these locks.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29As you can see, it looks like a really secure door,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33but what I'm going to demonstrate is a lock-snapping method.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Easy as that!
0:01:36 > 0:01:37Beating the burglars,
0:01:37 > 0:01:42the industry experts taking on the most determined housebreakers.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46These headphones claim to cancel out unwanted background noise.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48But how will they cope with this?
0:01:48 > 0:01:50LOUD DRILL
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Plus, quantum leaps in design, exhaustive testing,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and pressure from Watchdog.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59I'll let you know what happens to this story.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02How it all led to a safer microwave in your kitchen.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Let's start with the front door.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15There are more than 180,000 burglaries across the UK every year,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19so it's vital that all doors and locks are tested properly
0:02:19 > 0:02:20before they're sold.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22The tests are rigorous.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But the criminals are becoming ever-more cunning.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And one of the latest challenges for the security industry
0:02:28 > 0:02:30is lock-snapping.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33It's fast become a nationwide concern.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36A certain type of lock called a Euro cylinder
0:02:36 > 0:02:40fitted to millions of UPVC doors and windows up and down the country
0:02:40 > 0:02:43that can be broken by burglars in seconds.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46A phenomenon known as lock snapping.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Alan Boylan from Leeds was a recent victim.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Got up when the alarm went off.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54I assumed that I'd left my lights on and gone to bed leaving them on.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57It were only when I actually got to the kitchen window
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I realised that my conservatory door was wide open.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03As I've opened the inner door to go to the conservatory door
0:03:03 > 0:03:07to see why it was left open, handle fell off in my hand
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and I found that the lock had been damaged on the door.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15It was then that Alan realised intruders had been in his home.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17They'd managed to take his laptop, games console
0:03:17 > 0:03:21and even his car from the driveway, all without waking him.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24That's because the lock snapping technique is quiet, quick
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and all-too easy for burglars in the know.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Since the burglary, it's affected my family in a bad way,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33especially my wife.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34She can't sleep at night now.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38I have to come home on my break to make sure everything's all right,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40do a full check of the house then go back to work.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44I'd advise anyone who's going to buy a house or who's got these
0:03:44 > 0:03:49locks on the door to remove them and put high security ones in.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51So, what is lock snapping?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Neil Goldup works for Community Action and Support against Crime,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58or CASAC, a local charity dedicated to improving home security
0:03:58 > 0:03:59in West Yorkshire.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Today, his company is being paid to replace Alan's locks.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04This is a broken Euro cylinder,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08exactly the same type which would have been fitted to this property.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10The burglars have found a technique,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13it's very quick, quiet and very easy to get through these,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and these types of lock actually control the mechanism in the door.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Once they bypass this and get access to the locking mechanism,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21it's quite easy for them to do.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24To show just how vulnerable these locks can be,
0:04:24 > 0:04:25we'll put it to the test.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Neil's told us he can get through a locked door in a matter of seconds.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30And he's going to prove it.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33As you can see, it looks like a really secure door,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37but I'm going to demonstrate a lock- snapping method. So, here I go.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41We can't show you exactly what Neil's doing, but what we can say
0:04:41 > 0:04:45is that it takes him just eight seconds to break through the door.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46As easy as that!
0:04:46 > 0:04:50OK, so it does involve a certain level of skill and inside knowledge,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54but with the issue of lock-snapping becoming a nationwide problem,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56it was clear something needed to be done.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01So, in 2012, a new design of lock was released onto the market.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Because of all the hard work CASAC have done over the past seven years
0:05:05 > 0:05:08around this type of attack with police, and British Standards,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12new standards have come out and manufacturers have started to develop
0:05:12 > 0:05:16cylinders and products to withstand this type of attack.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20So, what is this new lock and how rigorously are some doors
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and their locks now tested before they come onto the market?
0:05:23 > 0:05:28Later, we head to the British Standards Institution to find out.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31And we'll also be telling you what YOU can do
0:05:31 > 0:05:33to make sure your home is SAFE.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Now, headphones, noise cancelling headphones.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45They promise to improve your entire listening experience.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46How?
0:05:46 > 0:05:49By actively drowning out external sounds,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52leaving you in your own private cocoon.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Nice promise, but how good are they?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Well, Sophie, let's find out.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04If they live up to their claim, you'll hear your favourite track...
0:06:05 > 0:06:08..and very little else.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13Some headphones simply work to block the noise coming in to our ears,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16but these headphones here go a step further and make use
0:06:16 > 0:06:21of some clever electronic systems to actively cancel that noise out.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Sounds good in theory,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I'm interested to see how they work in practice.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Time to put them to the test.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31We're going to look at three sets of headphones
0:06:31 > 0:06:34bought from the UK's three top online retailers.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39The cheapest we could find, the snappily-named JVC HA-NC80,
0:06:39 > 0:06:40for £30.
0:06:43 > 0:06:49A mid range set, the AKG K490 NC at £150.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54And top of the range set, the Sennheiser MM550-X
0:06:54 > 0:06:57costing a whopping £350.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02They all claim to be able to actively cut out background noise,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04but how well do they actually do the job?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08To find out, we've gathered together some expert ears
0:07:08 > 0:07:10to help put them through their paces.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Andrew is a music reviewer for Classic Music magazine.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Yeah, I like the idea of noise cancelling.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20In a city like London, there's so much noise around -
0:07:20 > 0:07:23the traffic and buses and sirens constantly.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Paul is a second year saxophone student
0:07:27 > 0:07:29at the London School of Contemporary Music.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I'm looking for a good set of noise cancelling headphones.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36And John is a lecturer in electronic musical composition,
0:07:36 > 0:07:37amongst other things.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I teach experimental music and sonic art.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44I'm concerned about everyday listening and sound quality a lot.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48For headphones, I look for a really good level of noise reduction.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49So, let's get started.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52We ask the experts to sit in a cafe near a busy street.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54So, how do the headphones perform
0:07:54 > 0:07:58when forced to compete with the incessant din of traffic?
0:07:58 > 0:08:00This is what the road sounds like
0:08:00 > 0:08:03without the noise cancelling feature turned on.
0:08:03 > 0:08:04HUM OF TRAFFIC
0:08:04 > 0:08:07But once it's activated, it sounds like this.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10QUIET PURR
0:08:10 > 0:08:13So, our volunteers will try each headphone in turn,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17listening to the same track at the same volume on the same device.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22It's Rachmaninov Piano concerto number 3 for our classical
0:08:22 > 0:08:24music reviewer, Andrew.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26MUSIC PLAYS
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Some Kraftwerk for our electronica don.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31ELECTRONICA MUSIC
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And a timeless bit of Kool and the Gang for our student.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36# Jungle boogie... #
0:08:36 > 0:08:40They'll mark each set of headphones out of five for sound quality
0:08:40 > 0:08:43and out of five for how well they cancel out the sound of the road.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46For each set, a total of 30 points up for grabs.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50I thought the JVC headphones were the most disappointing, definitely.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53JVCs were the worst for sound cancelling.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56By far the worst performer on this part of the test was indeed
0:08:56 > 0:08:58the cheapest product, the JVC HA-NC80.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03They scored just 11 out of 30.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Perhaps more of a surprise was the headphones in second place,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08top of the range Seinnheisers.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Although they did well on noise cancelling ability,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14poor performance on sound quality let them down,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17giving them a score of 20½ out of 30.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21The Seinnheisers have an extremely marked noise cancelling function.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25You really know when it's kicked in and when it's switched off.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28But for me that has a slightly detrimental effect to the
0:09:28 > 0:09:30actual sound of the music.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Which brings us to our winner in this part of the test,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34our mid-range product, the AKG.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39The AKG were by far the best, the most effective noise reduction.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Overall, a very impressive sound.
0:09:42 > 0:09:48At £150, they cost £200 less than the most expensive product in our test.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52And yet they scored 13 out of a possible 15 for sound quality
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and 12½ out of 15 for noise cancelling.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58A grand total of 25½ out of 30.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00So, that's part one of the test.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04How will they perform when we give them something else to deal with?
0:10:04 > 0:10:05DRILL ROARS
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Find out later.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15MICROWAVE BEEPS
0:10:15 > 0:10:19It's not often a product comes along that revolutionises the way we live.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23The first counter-top microwave was produced in 1967
0:10:23 > 0:10:27and, by the mid-'80s, one in four homes had one.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30But as demand grew, prices dropped and for some models,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35that led to a fall in standards and serious safety issues.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37A good thing Watchdog was around to expose them.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Here's Lynn Faulds Wood.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43Welcome to Watchdog.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48In tonight's programme, all these people have written to us.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50'It's microwave popcorn.'
0:10:50 > 0:10:52From small problems...
0:10:52 > 0:10:53'Steam!
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'That's scalding hot and could burn small hands
0:10:56 > 0:10:58'that try to take it out of the microwave.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:01..to serious health worries.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03'Nowhere do the standards tell manufacturers
0:11:03 > 0:11:05'they should take a thermometer
0:11:05 > 0:11:09'and check that they are actually killing the bugs in their ovens.'
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Over the years, the microwave oven has had plenty of reasons
0:11:12 > 0:11:15to feature on Watchdog.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17But that certainly hasn't put us off buying them.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Today, 95% of us have a microwave oven in our home.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27And for people with busy lives they are a great invention.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31So, it's amazing to think the ability to cook using microwaves
0:11:31 > 0:11:35was a discovery that happened completely by chance.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41In 1946, an American engineer, Percy Spencer of Raytheon,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45was testing radar technology when he noticed the microwave radiation
0:11:45 > 0:11:50coming from the device had melted the chocolate in his pocket.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53He'd discovered that low-density microwave energy
0:11:53 > 0:11:55could quickly cook food.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59The way microwaves cook food is as soon as it touches
0:11:59 > 0:12:02something organic such as food,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05it will start vibrating the molecules in that food,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09they cause friction and then cause heat
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and it's that process that cooks the food.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- ARCHIVE:- Hamburgers perfectly done in 15 seconds.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19By 1947, the Raytheon company had introduced the world
0:12:19 > 0:12:21to the first microwave oven.
0:12:21 > 0:12:27Although it did cost thousands of dollars and weigh 340 kilos.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34It wasn't until 1967, after 20 years of continued development,
0:12:34 > 0:12:39that the company eventually launched the first counter top microwave oven.
0:12:40 > 0:12:46And by the 1970s, they could be found on every high street in Britain.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50But despite their popularity, people didn't always understand
0:12:50 > 0:12:54how these amazing new machines actually worked.
0:12:54 > 0:13:00There were people who saw these 'microwaves' as alien waves.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05Or if a man stood in front of a microwave oven he'd become sterile,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09or if you stood in front of a microwave while it was cooking,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12some of the waves would actually come out through the oven door
0:13:12 > 0:13:14and cook your own insides.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16But they were all myths.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Some companies even tried to cash in on our worries,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26selling what Watchdog exposed to be questionable leakage detectors.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28We think these are trading on people's fears
0:13:28 > 0:13:32because leakage just isn't a problem with modern microwaves.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35But along with the myths, there were real dangers.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38We've had a number of letters from people whose microwaves
0:13:38 > 0:13:40have actually caught fire.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44What might not have realised is that lots of bits of the modern
0:13:44 > 0:13:46microwave are actually plastic.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49But the trouble is, the plastic they're using in many of these
0:13:49 > 0:13:54microwaves can be horribly burnt if food in the microwaves catches fire.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57To find out how much damage this could cause,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Watchdog put it to the test.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04We put a Christmas pudding, typical of the high fat, high sugar foods
0:14:04 > 0:14:08that could catch fire if overcooked, into a microwave oven.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13And then deliberately set the timer to its highest level. The result?
0:14:13 > 0:14:14Well, it was clear to see.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Those are toxic fumes coming into the kitchen
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and that's the burning plastic also coming down from the roof.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26I don't think there are enough warnings in the instructions
0:14:26 > 0:14:27that this can happen.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The industry knows some foods catch fire very easily,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32like Christmas puddings and mince pies.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I'll pass our dossier to the Department of Trade's
0:14:35 > 0:14:39consumer safety unit and I'll let you know what happens to this story.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41A year after that report,
0:14:41 > 0:14:46not only were we still getting reports of microwaves fires,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50but manufacturers were still refusing to take responsibility for them.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55So, we set out to prove it wasn't the fault of our Watchdog viewers and
0:14:55 > 0:15:01others using them, but it was actually down to bad product design.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Here's what we think is wrong and what we'd like done about it.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Complaint number one - the timer controls.
0:15:07 > 0:15:08MICROWAVE TIMER DINGS
0:15:08 > 0:15:11'We bought five of the cheaper microwaves on the market
0:15:11 > 0:15:15'and got normal people to try to set the manual timers accurately.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17'They couldn't.'
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Complaint number two - the instruction books.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Cooking times. The Asaki, for example, doesn't give any at all,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and the others give conflicting times.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Some say, if you're doubling the quantities of a recipe,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34double the cooking times. Others say much less than that.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Now, I think specific cooking times are essential.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41And you might agree after you've seen complaint number three.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Fire hazards.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46'We, again, showed what could happen if the setting was wrong
0:15:46 > 0:15:48'and overcooked some food.'
0:15:48 > 0:15:51On this one, not only did the food catch fire,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54but the door also blew open, and you can see here the flames
0:15:54 > 0:15:57shooting up between the door and the main body of the oven.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00'This time, the industry DID take notice.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02'And just a month later,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05'the programme was beginning to get results.'
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Since then, Rumbelows, whose brand name is Asaki,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12flew over two senior engineers from their factory in Korea
0:16:12 > 0:16:15to visit us to look at our Watchdog tests.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19As a result, all new Asaki microwave ovens are to have a thermal cut out,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22and they're still looking at the type of plastic they're using.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'A great result. And others soon followed.'
0:16:27 > 0:16:32Since the 1980s, the microwave industry has made massive strides,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36things like thermal cut outs, better materials, most ovens
0:16:36 > 0:16:40have a stainless steel interior, and all the instructions
0:16:40 > 0:16:44in the manuals are very clear these days, so they're easy to use.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48'So, it just goes to show how, through a series of leaps in design,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52'exhaustive testing and a fair amount of viewer pressure
0:16:52 > 0:16:56'the microwave has become the product we know and use today.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06What do you use to wash your hair? Is it worth spending more
0:17:06 > 0:17:09for a salon formulated shampoo,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13or will an own brand value product work just as well?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Well, to tell us all about it is hair specialist,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18or consultant trichologist, Iain Sallis.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Do you actually need to use a shampoo?
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Couldn't you just get away with using some sort of body wash?
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Well, I suppose, yes, you could just use a body wash
0:17:26 > 0:17:28but, for hair, it is better
0:17:28 > 0:17:33if we have more acidic properties to detergents,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37what we call shampoos, because it closes the cuticles down,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and it makes our hair nice and shiny.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42If you spend more, is it better for your hair?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's more to do with the ingredients that's in them.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50If you take the basic shampoos, they will have the basic detergents,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54a foaming agent, preservatives, and perfumes.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Then you go in to the second bracket,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59which is the mid-range shampoos and they will have
0:17:59 > 0:18:03all the proteins in it, they will have pearlisers
0:18:03 > 0:18:07to make it look nice, it'll have nicer perfumes to make it smell nice.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10The higher range high street brands and the salons
0:18:10 > 0:18:12sort of fall in to that bracket.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18But then you go into the super priced £20-£50 shampoos,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20which really is more to do with marketing.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24The amounts of things that are in there like white truffle oil,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and caviar, anything else that you can think of,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32they are in such small amounts, it really doesn't make a difference.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35But there are shampoos which are more expensive
0:18:35 > 0:18:40because of the specific ingredient for specific treatments to the scalp.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42So, is the bottom line, stick with what you know
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and go for a mid-range shampoo?
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I think if you avoid the really bargain basement ones,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51if you can, mid-range shampoos are good,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55but after you go up from the £15-£20 mark
0:18:55 > 0:18:59those are the type of shampoos that you start paying for the name,
0:18:59 > 0:19:05the brand. There is a psychosomatic element to this so people
0:19:05 > 0:19:08who pay more expensive shampoos will obviously feel more because
0:19:08 > 0:19:10they won't turn round and go, "That was rubbish,"
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- if they've paid 50 quid for it. - The feel good factor.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15- Iain Sallis, thank you very much. - You're welcome.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Back now to the headphones that claim to block out
0:19:23 > 0:19:26the irritating sounds of the outside world that might otherwise
0:19:26 > 0:19:28spoil your musical enjoyment.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Earlier, we asked three music buffs to rate the performance and
0:19:32 > 0:19:36quality of three different sets of headphones currently on the market.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Their first test took place amid the incessant din of busy traffic.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43This time, the headphones have something even louder
0:19:43 > 0:19:45to compete with - roadworks.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50First, a quick reminder of the products in our test.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55The cheapest set of headphones is the JVC HA-NC80.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57These cost just £30
0:19:57 > 0:20:00and, unsurprisingly, performed the worst in our first test.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04I thought the JVC headphones were the most disappointing, definitely.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06The sound was just a bit general, quite hazy.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Not much definition, not much clarity to it.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10In second place, however,
0:20:10 > 0:20:16were the top of the range product, the Sennheiser MM550-X costing £350.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19But by far the best performer
0:20:19 > 0:20:22when it came to both noise cancelling and sound quality on this test
0:20:22 > 0:20:28was in fact the mid-range headphones, the AKG K490 NC at £150.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The AKGs were by far the best, the most effective noise reduction.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Overall, a very impressive sound.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37But now it's time to give them something else to deal with.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43The dulcet tones of major road works.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Because these headphones are actively cancelling the sound,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49it'll be interesting to see how well they do with
0:20:49 > 0:20:52a sudden change in the outside sound levels.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54For this test we're going to need a workman...
0:20:56 > 0:20:57..and some roadwork sounds.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59PNEUMATIC DRILL ROARS
0:20:59 > 0:21:02We, once again, sit each of our volunteers next to a busy road
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and ask them to mark each set of headphones
0:21:05 > 0:21:09out of five, for sound quality and how well they cancel out the noise.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Again, a possible 30 points up for grabs.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Already it's looking like our drilling is proving
0:21:14 > 0:21:16a much tougher challenge.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18The roadworks test was interesting
0:21:18 > 0:21:21because there was an extreme difference in the three headphones.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Overall, once more, everyone agreed that the mid-range AKG coped
0:21:25 > 0:21:28the best with both noise cancelling and sound quality.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32The AKG headphones seemed to do the best job of
0:21:32 > 0:21:35separating the drill sound from the music.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Again, the most expensive product did a good job of cutting out
0:21:38 > 0:21:41the noise, but it was at the expense of sound quality,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43with the cheapest, the JVC,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46performing the worst in both categories.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50The JVC seemed to take the bass off but you got this pinging drill noise
0:21:50 > 0:21:53at the top which was, actually, even worse than
0:21:53 > 0:21:56the drill sound in its entirety.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01JVC told us that the headphones we tested, the HA-NC80,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03are their entry level product,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and they are confident the higher spec products in their range
0:22:05 > 0:22:09would perform better against the other headphones featured in Our test.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13But none of our three products managed to cut out the drilling sound completely.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15So, why did they struggle?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So sound is made up of waves. A simple sound wave might look...
0:22:19 > 0:22:21something like this.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28What these headphones are trying to do is to cancel that wave
0:22:28 > 0:22:32by generating the opposite wave within your ear.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36So the opposite wave would look just like this.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42And if the headphones get it right, and they generate the opposite wave
0:22:42 > 0:22:45to be perfectly opposite to the original one,
0:22:45 > 0:22:50then what we end up with is a nice, flat, silent sound level.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55When we get a sudden sharp noise, like a roadworks, or similar,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59what happens is, instead of this wave form being nice
0:22:59 > 0:23:01and predictable and steady, the wave form will be going up
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and down very quickly and expanding in and out very quickly.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08And that's much, much harder for the headphones to track
0:23:08 > 0:23:10and to generate the opposite sound.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13But, all in all, it's not a bad attempt
0:23:13 > 0:23:16when you consider all that the modern world has to throw at them.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19I think they're wonderful pieces of equipment.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It's staggering, in fact, that they can achieve what they do
0:23:22 > 0:23:24if used in the right environment,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26and, as we've seen, that's particularly good
0:23:26 > 0:23:28where there's a nice, constant source of noise.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34We return now to home security.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39and the problems caused by criminals lock snapping. The good news?
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Manufacturers and industry experts
0:23:41 > 0:23:45have been working hard to come up with a solution to reduce the risk
0:23:45 > 0:23:50and to bring greater security to our homes. We've been taking a look.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54The British Standards Institution.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Here, they test doors and locks on behalf of manufacturers
0:23:57 > 0:24:00to standards way above those that are required by law.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02In fact, they test them
0:24:02 > 0:24:06to their own Kitemark standard, something they call PAS 24.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10It actually takes two days to carry out the full tests.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14So, today Kevin, or Kitemark Kev as he's fondly known, is going
0:24:14 > 0:24:16to take us through some of the highlights,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19on a door we know already meets the all the requirements.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24One of the tests that we have in PAS 24 is the endurance test.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27The endurance test simulates somebody coming in
0:24:27 > 0:24:29and going out of their front door or back door.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Let me introduce Jeff.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Jeff is our robot.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Jeff does all the testing for us. Jeff does 50,000 cycles.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55That's the equivalent of you opening and closing your door
0:24:55 > 0:24:58ten times a day for 14 years.
0:24:58 > 0:25:05Jeff's on...oh, 49,000 cycles so we should probably leave him to it.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14In addition to the endurance test
0:25:14 > 0:25:18we also subject the door to an air test, a rain test,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20and to a wind gusting test.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23We've placed the door into our special weathering test rig
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and we're just about to do an air test on the product.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31In order to pass this test, the door needs to be able to
0:25:31 > 0:25:34withstand 300 pascals, a measure of air pressure,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38on the outside without too much leaking through to the inside.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41This one's passed with ease. So it's onto the rain test.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56We have simulated rain pouring on the outside of the door,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59and we're going to slowly increase the pressure in our test rig
0:25:59 > 0:26:03to simulate lighter winds, and then we're going to look for leakage.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06So far, so good.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11The door's already survived some pretty extreme weather conditions.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Meanwhile, Jeff's still doing his thing.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Now it's time for the security tests.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20What we're going to do is a number of different tests on the door
0:26:20 > 0:26:22to simulate an opportunist burglar attacking the door,
0:26:22 > 0:26:23attacking your home.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29The tests range from trying to lever the door open, to smashing it
0:26:29 > 0:26:31with a battering ram.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33All designed to simulate the pressure a burglar might
0:26:33 > 0:26:36put on your door when trying to break in.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Most of the tests we've done so far have been based on machines.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42The next test is a manual attack test. We're going to attack
0:26:42 > 0:26:44the door using another one of our members of the team.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46You've met Jeff, now meet Dave.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Dave, you have three minutes, do your best.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51Or your worst.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We can't show you exactly what Dave is up to,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58safe to say though, he's really going for it.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00But the door is up to the challenge.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03OK, so this test has now been completed,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and Dave is still on the outside of the door,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07so on the outside of the house,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09so this door has passed this particular test.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11The door is doing well so far.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15But, as we saw earlier, there is one way a burglar can get through
0:27:15 > 0:27:19some UPVC doors in just eight seconds - lock snapping.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22As easy as that.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25So after manufacturers developed a new type of lock designed
0:27:25 > 0:27:28to withstand this kind of attack, the police asked Kevin and his team
0:27:28 > 0:27:32to help devise a new standard in order to test it.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34We've written a standard called TS007,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38and what you're going to see in a few moments is one of our guys
0:27:38 > 0:27:41using those attack methods to demonstrate the product
0:27:41 > 0:27:45that meets those requirements actually will keep the burglar out.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Dave, have a go.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55And it's clear, this lock is more than up to the job.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57No way.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00There are locks that comply to this new standard currently
0:28:00 > 0:28:04on the market, but if you wish to keep your home safe in the meantime,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07make sure you put bolts down, if you've got them,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10double lock, if you can, and, when leaving the house,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13make sure it looks like someone's at home.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Security lights or a timer are a good way to do this.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23If you want more information on the safety of products
0:28:23 > 0:28:29in your home, you can go to our website:
0:28:31 > 0:28:34That's all for today. Thanks for watching.