Every month, new products vie for our attention in the highly competitive lifestyle market. To make your purchase decision easier, we test exciting new products in advance and report on our experiences.
Food favourites, technology goodies or new fitness methods: the lifestyle world has new, exciting attractions in store every month. So that you can find your way through the thicket, we test exciting new releases for you and tell you openly and honestly whether the purchase is worthwhile.
smell taste!? ©PR
Product: air up
Price: Starter set costs 39.99 euros, including 2 pods
To use: Supposed to give water a simple taste with scent pods. Without consuming sugar or other harmful substances. Calorie Free!
Use: You can fill the plastic bottle with tap water or sparkling water. Then you put a flavor pod of your choice (there is lime, cola, cherry, peach, orange…) on the top of the bottle. When you suck on it, you take in the smell of the pod through your throat (“retronasal”), which the brain should interpret as a taste.
Conclusion: So I was skeptical at first. If it were so easy to trick the brain and save calories or sugar in the process, why are there still normal drinks at all? And you have to be clear: The water doesn’t taste like a real Cola, Fanta or cherry spritzer just because you smell the pod through your throat. Nevertheless, the water tastes better than without air up. It gets a light flavor that can definitely encourage you to drink more (at least that’s how it was with me). Of course, the environmental aspect should not be ignored either. Instead of possibly buying several liters in plastic bottles, according to the manufacturer, a scent pod is sufficient for at least five liters (costs per piece: approx. 2 euros). So, to get to the point again: If you expect your water to taste like a soda, you will be disappointed with the air up. If you like infused water (like me), you should definitely try it! A great thing to add pep to your water! By the way, also very practical as a drinking bottle for sports!
Coffee with a clear conscience ©PR
Product: Feel Good Coffee “Feel Tegernsee”
Price: 33 capsules 22.70 euros
To use: Compostable organic coffee capsules for Nespresso machines
The taste: Strong, intense taste that does not taste (too) bitter
Conclusion: Although I love the taste of the original Nespresso capsules more than anything, the garbage was always a thorn in my side. I’ve tried many sustainable alternatives, but the taste was always too bland for me. I like to drink espresso straight or with foamed milk as a cappuccino. The Feel Good Coffee capsules are very suitable for this. For me it is the first capsule alternative that tastes just as good as the original: strong, aromatic and not bitter. And the best thing is, of course, that the capsules are organic, 100% compostable and the manufacturer is climate-neutral.
Thickly kissed(c)helt! Editor Hannah has a new love: her Kushel bathrobe. ©PR
Product: Bathrobe by Kushel
Price: about 180 euros
Look: The cozy bathrobe is available in a total of eight colors. My choice fell on a noble gray tone. The different sizes ensure that everyone can find their dream coat. The XXL hood, which makes the coat even more comfortable, was particularly positive.
Conclusion: “How special can a bathrobe even be?“ This question went through my mind when I made mine Kushel Pack unpacked. However, the question was raised the second I got my bathrobe in hand held, answered. It just doesn’t get any cozier! The composition from 70% organic cotton and 30% Tencel promises the highest quality, which is adhered to. As if that wasn’t reason enough to love my bathrobe, the products from cuddle fair and environmentally friendly. What more do you want?
Quality Me Time ©PR
Product: Lelo “Soraya Wave”
Price: about 190 euros
To use: Rabbit vibrator for simultaneous clitoral and G-spot stimulation
Use: From a purely visual point of view, the Soraya Wave looks pretty clean and unassuming for a rabbit vibrator: a small, outer arm, a larger, inner arm, three buttons at the bottom to set the intensity and the mode, and that’s it. But when you switch it on, it quickly becomes clear what the special features of this toy are: the inner arm doesn’t just vibrate, but also performs gentle wave movements. For me personally, these have both a stimulating and an incredibly relaxing effect. With the different modes and intensities that the vibrator offers, you can play around and try out almost endlessly. One focuses on inner arm vibration, another focuses on outer arm vibration, another focuses on undulations, then there are modes in which the intensity of the vibration increases in bursts, and so on and so forth right away. I haven’t gone through all the variants yet, but I’m looking forward to further experimentation.
Conclusion: For me, the Soraya Wave is currently one of the best rabbit vibrators on the market and it’s definitely one of my favorite toys. The material alone (“ultra-smooth top-class silicone”) feels great and makes you want to make yourself comfortable as soon as possible. I think the size and shape of the inner arm is perfect, as is the outer arm anyway, but I’ve hardly had any problems with other products so far. Exploring the different modes is really fun and you can learn a thing or two about your own body and your own desire. In addition, the vibrator is extremely comfortable to hold and looks classy. Body and sexual preferences are very individual, but I can well imagine that the Soraya Wave can sweeten everyday life for many women.
Medicines in a hurry Medication by courier? Yes, that worked wonderfully with colleague Lara ©PR
Product: MAYD drug delivery service
Price: Depending on the product, delivery is free of charge
To use: MAYD delivers products from the pharmacy directly to your front door. A real game changer when you can’t go outside when you’re sick.
Use: You can use the app to put the products you want in your shopping cart and pay for them. Depending on the location, they are then put together by a local pharmacy, a courier driver collects the order and brings it to the person to be ordered.
Conclusion: The app is clearly structured according to categories and ailments. The order can be tracked live, so I could see straight away that my products were with me in less than 20 minutes instead of the announced 30-40 minutes. Great thing!