Episode 6 What to Buy and Why

Hello and welcome to the Trafford Centre in Manchester

for the show that asks the top professionals what you should be

spending your money on.

I am Cherry Healey, and throughout this series,

I have been travelling the country asking the UK's leading experts

to help you shop like a pro.

So where better to end our retail odyssey than here -

one of the UK's largest shopping centres.

Tonight...

SHE WOLF-WHISTLES ..we are putting one of the biggest-selling

appliances of last year to the test.

We spent ?191 million on cordless vacuums.

But are they worth it?

There are lots of little biscuit particles still in the carpet.

Yeah, if anything, on some of it, it has actually broken

it up further.

Coffee machines have never been more popular,

but can the cheapest ones compete with those at the top of the range?

I would be gutted if I had to drink that every day.

Also on the programme, reporter Naga Munchetty channels

Top Gun to discover how robust modern luggage is.

Oh, dear!

And more industry insight with our tricks of the trade.

If you want the inside track on the latest products

from the people really in the know, then look no further.

This is What To Buy And Why.

MUSIC: The Talking Fish by Ibibio Sound Machine

With over 2 million square feet of retail,

dining and leisure space,

Manchester's intu Trafford Centre is the biggest of its kind

in the north-west.

Each year, more than 30 million people come here to spend

their hard-earned cash in more than 200 outlets.

And tonight, we are offering more top tips to ensure that you leave

places like this with stuff that's really worth having.

MUSIC: 1969 by The Stooges

First up, an appliance that has been

a must-have 'in every home for decades.' But long gone

are the days of lugging about a heavy beast like this.

Vacuum cleaners have gone space age.

The latest innovation is the cordless machine.

They are extremely popular, with sales going up

by 75% last year.

They may be selling by the bucket-load, but do they do

a good enough job to guarantee value for money?

To find out, I have enlisted the help of the Good Housekeeping

Institute.

Verity Mann is the deputy head of consumer testing.

So cordless vacuum cleaners.

They seem almost too good to be true.

They are extremely convenient, but there are some issues,

still, that people do talk about, such as the battery life not been

long enough, and also the suction - whether it is as good

as a full-size vacuum.

MUSIC: The Next Episode by Dr Dre Feat.

Snoop Dogg

So, to find out just how well they perform,

we are going to test three models from across the price range.

The Hoover Flexi Power, the Vax Air, and the most expensive we could find

- the Dyson V6 Total Clean.

Now I know what you're thinking - "It's a mall, there is no

carpet to hoover."

Don't worry, we are on it.

SHE WOLF-WHISTLES MUSIC: Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen

Carpet laid,

time to add a sprinkle of special ingredients.

Healthy amounts of cereal, crumbs, and that old vacuuming nemesis

- pet hair.

How will each of our three machines cope?

Let the suction commence.

I have got two kids, this is a regular occurrence

in my house.

So let's see how it does.

Let's go.

The cereal is quite big, so relatively quickly...

Is that full?

So it is already full.

It is true.

It has pushed a lot of it forward and backwards as opposed to actually

suctioning it up, which isn't good.

Shall we empty the cylinder?

Yeah, let's give it a go.

Lift it up, it does feel like the container is very small.

Yeah, that is the problem with a lot of stick vacuums.

Their capacities aren't brilliant.

I mean, it was very lightweight and easy to manoeuvre around,

but it really did push the debris out of the squares.

Next, the Vax.

This costs over ?100 more and is closer in design

to a regular-sized upright vacuum.

That is just so much better.

It has got a much, much bigger capacity.

The brush bar, you can tell it has really helped suction up,

but it is noticeably heavier than the previous model.

And, finally, the Dyson.

It too is a stick design, but has a much more powerful engine,

although, once again, a smaller capacity than the Vax.

That is full.

One easy empty, though, and Verity is back on track.

OK.

Power seems amazing.

I mean, you could just feel it - when it was on the carpet,

it had a really good suction onto it.

And how lightweight is it to use?

Oh, it feels far more lightweight than the others,

more flexible as well.

Crumbs.

It's round two.

MUSIC: Magic Carpet by High Fidelity

OK, so, there are lots of little biscuit

particles still in the carpet.

Yeah, if anything, on some of it, it has actually broken it up further

and made it a bit more embedded.

Will the Vax fare any better?

It has still ground some bits into the pile slightly, but...

Yeah, not too bad.

And, finally...

..the Dyson.

OK.

Again, the best out of the three without a shadow of a doubt.

That is a good result there, yes.

But, how will they cope with round three?

Pet hair.

Yes, it is a tough test.

I mean, I don't know what animal has been rolling around on this carpet,

but it had some fun.

Initially, the Hoover does seem to do well.

It is when you get to the closer inspection, you can see the strands

here and there.

I don't know about you, Verity, but I wouldn't be happy

with that result.

No.

How does the Vax get on?

That has done well, hasn't it?

It picked that up relatively quickly as well, from the start.

And, finally, the Dyson.

Very quick and painless.

Yeah, that has done well.

I am impressed there.

And totally hair-free.

Yeah, it felt very easy.

The suction, the grip that it had with the carpet was very impressive.

After three tests, is our cheapest machine, the ?95 Hoover,

a good deal?

Well, the power obviously wasn't brilliant.

It hasn't picked up anything perfectly.

It is the cheapest of the range, but it is still nearly ?100, so...

Still not cheap.

So, overall, how do you think our mid-priced vacuum cleaner did?

Well, I think seems to have gotten better the further it

has gone along.

The debris that it's picking up, like pet hair, it's done

really well on.

Is our most expensive vacuum, the Dyson at ?430, our top choice?

So, at this point, which do you think is in the lead?

The Dyson.

Yeah, it does feel a bit like it.

But will it still be the best value after we have put the three machines

through our shopping centre assault course?

Do the batteries last long enough to vacuum your entire house

without a recharge?

We will find out later.

More tricks of the trade now as top industry professionals

share their ingenious tips to make the stuff you buy last longer.

I'm Amanda.

About ten years ago, I decided to start my own cleaning business.

A brilliant way of making your whites whiter and your colours

brighter is to use half a cup of bicarbonate of soda

in your washing machine with your detergent.

It is a much cheaper option than any of the specialist colour powders

or stain removers that you can buy, and it works every bit as well.

I'm Glynn, kit manager for Leeds Rhinos.

If you want to keep the colours locked into the clothes,

as soon as you have bought them, simply add salt to cold water,

soak the garments overnight, wash as normal, and this will stop

the colours from running.

A simple way of getting grease marks out of your shirt collars is to use

a bit of shampoo.

Put a bit on the edge...

..rub it in, put it in the washing machine and it will come out looking

good as new.

Still to come...

We splashed out ?730 million on coffee last year,

but how much do you need to spend to recreate that unique barista

style at home?

But first, more people book holidays at this time of year than any other.

So which type of suitcase is the best value for money?

Naga Munchetty investigates.

You might be surprised to know that the contents of the average

British holiday-maker's luggage costs more than the cost

of the holiday itself.

And get this - we often take around ?2,500 worth of stuff every time

we go abroad!

So, if you're going to be packing precious cargo,

what kind of luggage offers the kind of protection you need?

Most domestic suitcases are made from one of four types of material.

So we've given ourselves a budget of ?130 to buy some medium-sized

cases made from each type.

We have...

ABS- our only soft case - good old-fashioned nylon.

To find out which is toughest, we're going to push them

to the extreme.

First, using the most fragile of all payloads,

we're going to recreate the worst possible scenario for your case

at the airport.

So, I'm roughly at the height of a Boeing 747's cargo hold.

So it's the perfect place to find out how these suitcases will fare

if they were dropped from here.

Oh, dear!

I'm shocked!

These cases are 130 quid!

'On this evidence, I wouldn't trust ANY of them 'to protect my precious

things in a major fall!' No, there is definitely not one...

Ahem!

..box of eggs undamaged in here at all!

None of them protected the eggs.

The lesson?

It seems obvious - carry your best stuff

with you when you fly.

So, soft or hard, modern cases aren't impact-proof,

but do they last?

On average, we don't replace our luggage for ten years,

which brings us to our next test.

I have this car, I have those cases.

It's time to put them through their paces.

We want to see how each material withstands a decade's worth

of wear and tear.

Now, I don't have a time machine, so this will have to do.

But we aren't done yet!

If the car hasn't pushed our cases to the limit, this certainly will.

ENGINE ROARS

So, what's the damage?

Our ABS case has severe dents, scuffing and cracks,

along with a big hole.

And although the nylon is structurally intact,

it has suffered heavily, with rips and tears.

But the polypropylene and the polycarbonate prove to be

equally durable, surviving with only minor scratches and scrapes.

So, in our view, if you want a case that will last,

go for the polycarbonate or choose polypropylene.

Back in Manchester, it's coffee time.

We Brits love it.

We drink more than 70 million cups a day and spend ?400 each

in cafes every year.

And this enthusiasm continues at home.

One in five households now own a coffee machine.

But making the perfect cup of coffee at home can be expensive.

Some machines can set you back over ?3,000!

But do you really have to spend that much to make your own

quality barista-style coffee?

Hello!

Hello.

To help me find out, I've enlisted Paul Meikle-Janney,

professional coffee consultant and roaster.

What are we going

to be testing today?

Primarily, espresso machines that can take your own coffee.

What do you need a coffee machine to do well?

It needs to have the power to push the water through the coffee.

A lot of the money that you're spending is on the pump that drives

that water to ooze out all the good stuff that you get from the beans.

So we can properly put these devices through their paces,

I've set up my own cafe right in the middle of the shopping

centre.

Coffee's a whole series of different flavours that

are dissolving into our water.

We'll be judging the machines based on how well each creates

We'll be judging the machines based on how well each creates

We'll be judging the machines based on how well each creates

that

professional diverse taste.' It's fruity, zesty flavours.

The sort of sugary, roast-like flavours.

And we get bitterness in coffee as well.

And we want a balance of all three of those.

And to make sure it's fair, we'll be using the same beans

and grinder that Paul has brought from his own roastery.' OK,

OK,

let's make some coffee.

We've got three devices to test...

We start with our most expensive, the Ascaso.

More switches

should be like that.

It's like the start of the Millennium Falcon.

It's a nice-looking machine.

And there, we've got our coffee sort of oozing out.

Let's see how this machine's offering goes down with the people

of Manchester.

There we go.

Ooh!

Hello!

Hello!

To ensure they're judging the coffee in its purest form,

they'll taste it without milk or sugar.

I normally

have black coffee.

So you're used to this kind of taste?

And they have no idea this was made by our most expensive machine.'

What do you think of that?

It's quite nice.

It's strong.

Slightly bitter.

I don't mind this as a shot first thing in the morning.

I do like that one.

OK.

So, what does Paul, our expert barista, think?

There's some sweetness in there,

but it's a little bit

under-extracted and I would look for a deeper texture and flavour out

of that coffee.

Not a bad start, so on to our next machine.

The mid-priced De'Longhi.

It doesn't seem to have the same power

in the pump to drive it through, it wasn't driving the water

through the coffee.

Will our coffee-loving Mancunians spot the difference?

That's better.

Very roasty.

That one's not good.

I think this one's a bit more subtle.

It's not the best, that.

Not your favourite?

Sour.

That's a sign of under-extraction, that we're not pulling as much

as we desire out of the coffee.

It's not got the sort of more complex, sort of,

sweeter sort of flavours.

Which one tastes more sour?

Definitely this one.

Uh-huh.

Our final option isn't like other coffee machines.

It's known as the AeroPress.

Essentially, it's like a big syringe.

And it pushes the water through the coffee.

I've never seen anything like it!

Let's see how good the coffee is.

Right!

That's really the test.

OK.

The pressure that is exerted by the electric pump is done

by our muscles with this one.

Slowly and steadily sort of squeeze down.

How will our volunteers rate it?

That's nice. I like that one.

It took a while for the taste to come in.

Much better.

It's very nice.

You don't like that one at all?

No.

What about you?

That's been my favourite one, that.

Yeah?

Tasty coffee.

A little bit more round, a little bit more sweet

in its sort of style there.

It's not as sharp as the other ones.

That's lovely.

The coffee machine that made A is ?450.

The coffee machine that made B is ?180.

The coffee machine that made C is ?25!

Wow!

See?

So which machine would you spend your money on?

C, definitely.

C, yeah.

I would be gutted if I had to drink THAT every day!

I would drink that.

I think mine would be the ?25 one.

I would still go for the expensive one.

I don't think I'd spend ?450 for it.

I would actually spend on the cheaper one.

Probably get the A one.

Have we converted you to coffee now?

If it was C, yes.

Really?!

Yeah, I think I would take C.

OK.

That was so interesting!

So, even though there's a massive price difference,

A and C were kind of neck and neck!

It doesn't really surprise me.

If you're going on flavour alone, C is a great-flavoured coffee.

I think you've got to spend even more than our top one here to get

something that's comparable to your high street espresso.

So, in Paul's opinion, none of our machines compete

with the high standards set in professional cafes.

However, for a high-quality caffeine fix, you may not need a traditional

coffee machine at all.

As the expert, what would you spend your money on?

I would spend ?25 on the AeroPress.

You are on a winner there.

Tasty coffee.

Yeah, go with that.

In response, both Ascaso and De'Longhi point out

the versatility of their machines, which both make lattes and

cappuccinos as well as espressos.

Ascaso defends the quality of the extraction, whilst De'Longhi

says the Dedica is designed as a first step into

home pump machines.

I have drunk so much coffee today that I'm just

going to fly back home.

It is a lot of coffee.

Throughout this series, we have brought you money-saving

insights from people who know their industries

inside out, and here is our final batch.

I am Naveen, I followed my mum into the business, so you could say

I'm a chip off the old block.

Roller trays are a pain to clean.

People end up leaving them and they end up like this.

To avoid that, get a black plastic bag, put it over your brand-new

roller tray, and then pour your paint in there.

Voila, your roller tray will stay clean.

I am Will, I am a furniture restorer.

Before you splash out on a professional cleaner,

open up your kitchen cupboard and get out a bottle

of white vinegar.

It is fantastic at getting out stubborn stains

without ruining your upholstery.

Apply the vinegar to the fabric with a cloth and work

it into the stain.

Then clean off with soapy liquid.

And when it dries, the stain will be gone.

I am Tim, I am a fourth-generation shoemaker, and I have been making

shoes for the last 30 years.

We all wear canvas shoes in the summer.

Rather than putting it in the washing machine,

which can lead to the soles eventually falling off,

I prefer to use a dilute solution of washing up liquid or detergent,

brush the dirt with an old toothbrush or a nailbrush.

Afterwards, wash with plain water, put newspaper

on the inside and leave it to dry overnight naturally.

I am Carlos.

My parents have run these stalls for as long as I can remember,

so I guess fruit and veg are in my blood.

If you've got some berries going a bit soft, it is really

tempting to throw them away.

Don't waste them.

Pop them in the freezer and take them out whenever you want to make

a delicious smoothie.

MUSIC: The Talking Fish by Ibibio Sound Machine

Back in Manchester, we're getting ready

for round two of our

cordless vacuum test.

Earlier we discovered that only our most expensive option,

the Dyson, could rival the suction power of ordinary plug-in machines.

But there is another factor to consider before you buy.

When you are plugged in to the wall, you're never going to run

out of juice.

But now the cables have gone, how much vacuuming can you actually

do before they conk out?

50% of us say it takes at least half an hour to fully vacuum our house,

so are the batteries on these cordless machines able

to last that long?

To find out, I have recruited three helpers from the Trafford Centre

customer service team to go head-to-head.

Joseph will be trying our cheapest, the Hoover Flexi Power.

Joe will be using the Vax.

And Danielle has the priciest option, the Dyson.

Casting her expert eye over proceedings is Verity Mann

from the Good Housekeeping Institute.

In front of you, you have a living room slalom.

You each have a vacuum.

Please start your engines!

Three...two...one...

Go!

Each is fully charged and will do laps until it can't vacuum no more.

This is going to be one clean carpet after this,

I would eat my dinner off this carpet.

I wouldn't.

Yeah, I don't blame you.

Yeah, me neither.

At first, all three machines suck away very happily,

each manoeuvring around our obstacles.

Nine minutes.

Crikey.

They are still going strong.

They all still sound quite powerful as well.

They really do.

I quite like the lights on the Vax.

Yeah, that's good for when you go under furniture and such.

You can see what is under there.

But, after a quarter of an hour, our first battery

casualty.

Done.

First one to go.

The Dyson died.

So that was 16 minutes.

First one out.

So, our most expensive vacuum is out first.

And it is swiftly followed by another.

Mine is dead.

So the Hoover's gone.

Aww.

17 minutes.

If most people take over 30 minutes to get round their home,

on this evidence, both these vacuums would die before the job is done.

What about how long they each take to recharge?

Well, the Hoover takes a whopping 16.5 hours to charge from empty.

Whoa.

Followed by the Dyson at three-and-a-half hours.

A long time to wait if you are only halfway through.

The Vax however, which is designed to be more like a conventional

upright vacuum, has no such issues.

The Vax takes three hours, and luckily comes with a spare

battery, which is quite good.

That is fantastic.

Yeah.

So as soon as one runs out, charge it and you have

still got a working vacuum.

When it does eventually die after 36 minutes...

Done.

..after a quick battery swap, we can carry on.

Will it ever end?

I don't know.

We could be here for a while.

We should set up camp.

Can we get some tea?

LOUDER: Can we get some tea?

After our assault course challenge, we have a very clear winner.

The Vax is our battery champ, and earlier on, the Dyson

was our suction king.

So, in the end, which should you buy?

Over to Verity for her verdict.

What did you think of these machines?

What about this one, the cheapest of the three, the Hoover?

The Hoover did struggle quite a bit on collecting the different food

that we had out, the different debris.

Very lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, however,

and you can fold the handle down as well, which makes it

compact for storage.

But are you really getting value for money?

I don't personally think so.

The main point of it is that it does suction up the dirt

that is on the floor, and I didn't feel that it did

that as best it could.

OK, so what about the mid-price vacuums?

The Vax, it did do slightly better at collecting debris

than the Hoover, but it was just noticeably very bulky, very heavy.

As big as a full-size vacuum, but the suction power isn't as good.

OK, so last but not least, the Dyson.

Great suction, it picked up straightaway, very quickly,

almost in its first sweep.

You could really feel the grip it had on the carpet as well,

and I like the fact that it had a trigger button, so you are only

actually using it when you need it, which preserves the battery.

So, after all our tests, which one should you buy and why?

Personally, for me, definitely the Dyson.

The whole point is they are light, they are convenient,

they are quick to push around.

It is a lot of money.

There are cheaper models in the Dyson range, which is worth

considering, but the suction for them wins hands down.

So even though it is more expensive, you still think

it is worth the money?

That is the thing, they are all not cheap products, but you might

as well spend your money on something that is actually

going to do its job and be worth the money in the long-term.

In response, Hoover says the Flexi Power is specifically

designed for quick pick-ups and for cleaning difficult-to-access places.

Vax pointed out that their machine also has a power boost mode designed

to improve suction.

And Dyson suggested the reason the V6 battery failed after 16

minutes was that our course was 100% carpet, which uses up more power

and isn't representative of a typical home.

I think in this case, you really get what you paid for,

and without a doubt, the Dyson really cleaned up.

Agreed.

That is it from Manchester and for the series.

SHE SCREAMS

Now you know what to buy and why, hopefully you will be

getting better value for money next time you hit the shops.

# Love, love will tear us apart again

# Love, love will tear us apart again...#