Six of the best gadgets and gizmos on a theme. This week: six of the best kitchen gadgets for your five-a-day.
By Peter Jenkinson
The message couldn't be any louder or clearer: the campaign to get Brits eating more fruit and veg is well known across the land, but are we all on board yet?
It's too easy to blame busy lifestyles for not getting enough portions, but by consuming these rich sources of vitamins you'll be better placed to face the daily grind.
Most experts also agree that this five-a-day guideline is really the minimum we should be eating - try adding fruit to your cereal in the morning, cut up a few carrots for snacks throughout the day and create some delicious recipes with the assistance of these kitchen contraptions.
Takeaway service - Kenwood Smoothie 2Go SB056 - £19.95 from www.amazon.co.uk
This compact smoothie-making system has a fantastic and unique feature: the goblets in which you blend your natural cocktail turn into a handy travel mug with the addition of the included non-spill lids.
This maker not only helps you fill up with your recommended fruit intake, but saves on washing up too.
Polished performance - Russell Hobbs 14500 Platinum Blender - £99.99 from www.russellhobbs.co.uk
The powerful motor inside this device makes it ideal for all your pulverising requirements from soups to smoothies. Select from one of several settings on the illuminated dial, then stand back to admire the stainless-steel finish while it makes light work of the task at hand.
The generous glass jug means you can make up bigger batches to keep in the fridge.
Juice factory - Philips HR1861 - £66.66 from www.comet.co.uk
A fine addition to any kitchen work surface, this industrial-style design juicer from Philips is much more than just a pretty face.
Load your fruit and veg into the tube on top and it'll squeeze out every last bit of juice, delivering the delicious results out of the spout and keeping the pulp in the internal container.
Colour co-ordinate - KitchenAid Ultra Power Blender - £119.00 from www.silvernutmeg.com
Available in a seven different shades, there's a KitchenAid blender that'll look right at home with your kitchen colour scheme - or you can, of course, choose an opposing shade to really stand out.
The machine uses a one-touch control pad at the base to select the speed you need from 10 different settings, to get perfect results whatever your ingredients.
Stay simple - Philips HR2737 Citrus Press £14.69 from www.argos.co.uk
The most complicated part about this Philips juicing gadget is probably the product code! Easy to use and receiving some rave reviews online, it's ideal for squeezing citrus fruits.
Just slice your vitamin C-rich victim and press down on the centre - each time you push it'll change direction and therefore get you the most from your fruit.
Winter warmer - Cuisinart Soup Maker - £149.99 available to pre-order from Lakeland.co.uk on 01539 488 100, product code 13356
An integrated heating element in this device lets you create delicious broths from scratch. Throw in your garlic or onions first to gently fry, add your raw vegetables and stock, then set the timer to 20 minutes and wait.
Once cooked, switch the blender on to reach your preferred consistency before filling your bowls. It's also ideal for making mulled wine at Christmas.
