Home appliances I have tested, led by robot vacuums and the odd water heater.
After seeing a friend's Facebook recommendation, I bought the same InstamediQ Digital Forehead and Ear Thermometer from Amazon Singapore for S$48.91. Prices soon climbed near S$60 before selling out amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
My iRobot Roomba 980's side brush kept failing, its rubber heads turning brittle and snapping, even on the spare after a single clean. Frustratingly, replacements are only available from iRobot's official agent, with no cheaper alternative.
The Philips SpeedPro Max Aqua is a cordless vacuum with an integrated mop function, a market first. It retails for S$799 at most stores, with an online promotion. I kept the unit after this unpaid review.
I bought the Xiaomi Mi Standing Fan for S$109 from the Mi Home Store at Suntec City. The version sold here is the second generation, also called the Smartmi Fan 2, which uses a plastic standing pole.
I bought the Braun CoolTec CT 4S Shaver from Lazada for S$179, a strong deal against its S$289 retail price. I'd weighed it against the Braun Series 5 5140, also discounted, before settling on the CoolTec.
The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Electric Toothbrush launched on 28th September 2017, timed for World Heart Day, with Philips a World Heart Federation partner. The smart toothbrush retails for S$399 in Singapore.
On my first visit to South Korea, unsure what to buy, I followed my friend's lifehack of browsing Airfrov, a platform where travellers bring back requested overseas products. That's how I discovered the Onan Korea Lumena N9 portable fan.
Vornado air circulators had been on my list, recommended by a colleague. Pricier than ordinary fans but cheaper than a Dyson, an air circulator moves all the air in a room rather than blowing in one direction.
The iRobot Braava Jet 240 retails for S$469, dropping to S$399 during IT Show 2017, where distributor John Ackerman had a cash-or-NETS booth. Since the same discount applied online, I simply ordered mine from their website with fixed-price delivery.
My cousin Joanne gave me the iRobot Roomba 980 as a housewarming gift. The top-of-the-line Roomba retails for S$1,498, sitting above the Roomba 880 at S$1,298, the 650 at S$798, and the entry-level 630 at S$698.
The Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum is the successor to the popular V6, with more power and better battery life. Depending on the attachment, it runs up to 40 minutes on normal power or 7 minutes at maximum.
The Xiaomi USB Fan sells for S$6.99 in white or blue. During the Lunar New Year 2016 sale, it dropped a dollar to S$5.99, so I bought two, paying about S$16 with shipping. A small but handy desk fan.
The Oral-B Black 7000 SmartSeries Electric Toothbrush had a US$30 coupon during Amazon's Black Friday week, dropping it from US$155.68 to US$125.68. The discount applies automatically at checkout once you clip the coupon. It's considerably pricier in Singapore.
I bought the Nubee Temperature Gun from Amazon for US$13.59, alongside the Bosch GLM 35 Laser Measure. Since it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, I used a freight forwarder. It's a non-contact infrared thermometer for reading surfaces.
I first tried a laser measuring device at Tech in Asia, used by the events team. Amazed by how fast it reads a room, I never saw measuring tape the same way, so I got the Bosch GLM 35.
I bought the SoundTeoh Tower Socket With 9 Outlets from Home-Fix at Ion Orchard for S$69.90. Its tower design is a great space saver, and with nine sockets you'll no longer need multi-plug adapters. There's also an eight-outlet variant available.
I bought the Xiaomi LED Light for S$6.99 during Mi Fan Festival 2015, picking up both the blue and white at a reasonable price. A neat alternative to your phone's flashlight, it plugs into a power bank as a torch.
The Dyson AM06 Desk Fan 25cm (Iron/Blue) launched last May at S$399, one of four variants, the 25cm models at S$399 and the 30cm at S$499. My mom redeemed this one with her HSBC credit card points, which were expiring.
I attended the launch of the updated Dyson Cool fans at Gillman Barracks last week. The biggest gripe with the previous generation was noise, so I'm pleased to hear that the new fans are up to 75% quieter.
My home doorbell lasted 28 years, since 1985, so I bought a new SoundTeoh No. 77 Wireless Doorbell from Funan's Challenger for S$28.60, or S$25.74 with member's price. Twenty-eight years on, doorbell technology has moved on, with countless types available.
I sleep in an air-conditioned room almost every night, and since my LASIK I've grown wary of dryness, not wanting my vision to regress. My eyelids don't fully close in sleep, so I wake with severely dry eyes each morning.
The Koncept Z-Bar Slim LED Desk Lamp (AR3200) retails for S$318 at Challenger Funan and select stationery shops. I'd recommend Challenger Funan, where a 10% member's discount brings it down to S$286.20. Note it's stocked only at the Funan branch.