The best home gadgets to make life easier
From a terrifically tactile white noise machine to a ceramic diffuser for calming scents, these are the most relaxing gadgets and gizmos for your home…
Words: Jonathan Wells
The home; it used to be a blissful place — somewhere we could unwind, kick back and loosen up. Now? Not so much. After almost two years of lockdowns, self-isolation and working-from-home, these once-welcoming havens have become as hectic and unbalanced as the rest of the weary world.
There’s clutter in our kitchens, our wardrobes overflow with online shopping and impromptu office spaces have sprung up and thrown off our feng shui. Our homes, sadly, are no longer the sanctuaries they once were.
But just a few more hand-picked purchases could change all that. From smart lamps and sleep aids to diffusers and massagers, we’ve rounded up the best gadgets and gizmos to help return the zen to your home. Take a look…
Philips ‘SmartSleep’ Sleep and Wake-Up Light
When it comes to relaxation, sleep reigns supreme. A healthy eight hours (yes, eight…) allows your body and mind to reboot, recharge and refresh itself for the morning — so we welcome any gadget that supports a good night of shut-eye.
Philips’ ‘SmartSleep’ lamp is one such product. With simulated sunrises and sunsets, in-built FM radio, nightlight function and ‘RelaxBreathe’ programs, it’ll both soothe you to sleep at night and gently ease you into the next day — and, thanks to its smart-touch display, it can be controlled by even the drowsiest of sleepers.
The White Company Electronic Diffuser
But it’s not all about sleep. A full forty winks may be imperative when it comes to balancing hormones and energising your body, but your body also needs some soothing during the daytime. Thankfully, aromatherapy can work wonders for wellness; reducing stress, high cortisol levels and everyday tensions.
There are many diffusers out there, but we favour this stripped-back ceramic design from The White Company. With four time settings, you can decide exactly how much scented vapour is delicately misted into your home. For utmost relaxation, we’d recommend using sandalwood, bergamot or clary sage essential oils.
IKEA 'STARKVIND' AIr Purifier
If you read our tech predictions for the year ahead, you’ll know that we’re backing air purifiers to be the appliances of 2022. And why shouldn’t we? With all the mask-wearing and incessant cleansing of the past two years, what better way to relax than to literally decontaminate and filter the air in our homes? Thankfully, everybody’s favourite Scandi brand, IKEA, is on minimalist hand to help.
The ‘STARKVIND’ combines high performing air purifying solutions with design and technology, using an innovative three-filter system. The first captures big particles such as hair and dust. The second extracts smaller particles, such as pollen. And the third absorbs airborne pollutants, from smoke to formaldehyde. Controllable through your smart home devices, it’s revolutionised our daily routines — and allayed any nagging issues about the safety or purity of the air in our home offices.
MZPA ‘The Planet’ Chair
This space-age chair from MZPA doesn’t just look futuristic — the ideas behind it are also forward-thinking. Crafted from high-quality plywood and coated with a protective layer of oil-wax, ‘The Planet’ is a home accessory that will bring both comfort and calm to your workspace.
It’s a personal relaxation zone; one that blocks out distractions, unwelcome sounds and lets you sit in a geometric, minimalist bubble of your own productive thoughts. 51 triangular segments make up that striking shell — and the colour of both the wood and fabric can be personalised.
Osim ‘Usqueez 2’ Leg Massager
Since the 1980s, Osim has sat snugly atop the massage chair market — vibrating and palpating its way to respected, relaxing status. And, while a fully-sized Osim chair may be overkill in the home, this ‘Usquuez 2’ leg massager is the perfect bit of tranquility-inducing kit to keep in your home office.
It delivers a strong sole massage that is capable of reducing and relieving your feet of pain, whilst simultaneously stimulating the reflex zones of your feet. Using rollers and nodes, it can improve blood flow, increasing lymphatic fluid to rid your body of toxins and even simulate professional hand massage techniques.
Morphée Sleep Aid
Another sleep aid, the ‘Morphée’ is a pleasingly tactile device that works much in the same way as a white noise machine. Cleverly, the design does away with any screens, and instead relies on a series of three golden keys — which allow users to decide on the theme, sound and duration of their sleep session.
And the selection of sounds will offer something for everyone. Whether it’s the gentle waves of the sea, ambient jungle sounds, the rhythmic thrum of rain or the crackling of a log fire, your body will soon tune into the ebbs and flows of your chosen sound session, and you’ll be lulled into a deep, restorative sleep.
Theragun Elite
Finally, something a little more dynamic. On the fast-moving face of it, there seems to be little relaxing about a Theragun — but the percussive therapy device works to pummel any stress or tension out of your muscles and leave you less tight and sore.
This, the mid-level ‘Elite’ model, strikes the perfect balance, offering a powerful deep muscle treatment — but doing so in an ultra-quiet manner. Whether you’re a sportsman, or just having a particularly stressful day at work, it’ll melt away tension and start you off strongly on a restorative wellness journey.
Want more new gear for your home? These are the desktop accessories every gentleman should have in his home office…
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