The Filter is one! 50 things we loved this year, from a sleep mask to the perfect pan

The Filter is turning one. Since we launched a year ago, we’ve run, hiked, camped and swum; we’ve drunk 455 cups of coffee; washed 34 loads of clothes; slept on mattresses for 2,240 hours, and much more, testing a total of 2,040 products – from coffee machines to gin – to bring you the most rigorous, informed and entertaining buying advice. We’ve even had a decent stab at identifying the preferred lipstick of a global icon. And we’ve helped you consume less – and look after your precious things, from your phone to your wooden kitchen utensils, to make them last longer. To celebrate our birthday, we’ve asked our contributors – and our readers – to tell us the one thing they’ve tested or bought from our 409 articles (and counting) that they’ve loved the most. We’ve included a few of our personal favourites here on the Filter, too. From a slow cooker to a sleep mask, a highchair food catcher to a hot brush, here are 50 tried, tested and genuinely loved recommendations. *** The Filter products we (and you) love the most *** A perfectly portable blender Ninja Blast cordless blender £49.99 at Ninja £44 at Amazon After reading the Filter’s best blenders article, I actually went out and bought the cordless Ninja Blast for making protein shakes. It’s fantastic, and I can stick it in my gym bag for a quick protein hit after a workout. Leon Poultney *** Go retro with an MP3 player Snowsky Echo Mini £49.99 at AMP3 £66.99 at eBay I’m a big fan of the Snowsky Echo Mini from my list of the best MP3 players. It’s a great (re)introduction to portable music players, and the fact that it’s shaped like a cassette tape gives it a whole extra layer of charm. Alan Martin *** Mix it up with cordless blending KitchenAid cordless hand blender £219 at KitchenAid £219 at Amazon I really liked the rechargeable battery concept of the KitchenAid Go cordless hand blender that I tested for best blenders – not being tied to a plug socket makes all those little jobs so much easier. Rachel Ogden *** Beach campfire, in a candle Smoky sea salt candle £28 at Cornish Sea Salt I hugely enjoyed testing scented candles and diffusers. But the one I’m obsessed with is the Smoky Sea Salt candle by Cornish Sea Salt: it makes you feel like you’re sitting around a campfire on the beach. I can’t get enough of it. Kate Jacobs *** Sleep aids for a blissful 40 winks Otty Original Hybrid mattress From £499.99 at Otty The Otty Original Hybrid mattress is my lone five-star review of the year, and the only one I subsequently bought for keeps. It continues to slay the competition. Jane Hoskyn For more, read our guide to the best mattresses *** MyHalos blackout sleep mask £9.99 at Amazon £12.99 at eBay The best thing I’ve tested is the MyHalos blackout sleep mask, which costs less than £15 and romped to victory in my roundup of the best sleep aids. I now have four, such is my fear of losing one to holiday baggage handlers or the eye mask fairy. JH *** Cosy socks Heattech cable socks £7.90 at Uniqlo We featured a pair of Heattech socks last Christmas that quickly became the most popular item ever on the Filter (since overtaken by the Otty mattress and a sub-£10 mascara, among other things). I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought myself a pair towards the end of winter, and they were just perfect for the shoulder season, keeping me warm even with bare legs. I’ve since developed a full-blown obsession with Uniqlo technical fabrics (Heattech scarves, Airism shorts …), but I don’t think I can hold the socks fully responsible. Monica Horridge *** Lovely booze-free bubbly L’Arjolle Zero sparkling equilibre £13.45 at Wine at Home I was surprised to discover there are some really good non-alcoholic wines out there that taste like the real deal. The L’Arjolle Zero sparkling equilibre was my favourite: with fine bubbles and depth of flavour, it’s a convincing alternative to real bubbly. I’m planning to get in a few bottles for Christmastime to moderate the intake a little and offer booze-free imbibers something tasty. Sophia Longhi *** A forever dress Reiss Atelier maxidress £428 at Reiss £428 at Next This Reiss Atelier dress was one of the most expensive things I’ve recommended, and I hesitated to include it, but it is a truly beautiful piece that I will wear for ever. Also – it’s on offer now! Jess Cartner-Morley *** A boot to hike for Sorel waterproof sneaker boot £139.49 at Sports Shoes £155 at Sorel And I never get tired of recommending my Sorel hiking boots. Sturdy but lightweight, ridiculously comfy, not stupidly expensive – and they actually look nice too. JCM *** Pitch-perfect camping MSR Hubba Hubba NX tent £474.99 at Cotswold Outdoor £560 at Go Outdoors I take my MSR Hubba Hubba tent wild camping all the time: it’s quick and intuitive to pitch and has two roomy porches, so it’s easy to share with another camper. And our Boutique Glamping bell tent comes to weddings, festivals and family camps with us; I love having headroom. Sian Lewis For more, read our guide to the best tents *** A knife made for gardens Niwaki hori hori knife £32 at Niwaki £32 at Burford My green-fingered aunt bought me a hori hori knife from Niwaki (as recommended in our piece on gifts so good we buy them on repeat) and I’m obsessed: it makes weeding really fast – and fun! SL *** Joggers to pep up the WFH wardrobe Adidas Originals Firebird track pants £60 at Adidas £60 at Asos I bought the Adidas Firebird joggers in green after Peter Bevan highlighted them in his 50 men’s summer wardrobe updates. I wanted to update my work-from-home attire, so I don’t feel like such a slob when I pop out on my lunch break. These fit the bill perfectly: they’re comfy to sit in all day, but they also look good – plus they add a nice pop of colour to my wardrobe. Lily Smith *** Steamed rice microwave-style Sistema rice steamer £7.99 at Currys £7.99 at Amazon I’ve always wanted a rice cooker, but I don’t have the counter space. So when I saw Joanne Gould recommend this affordable microwave version in her review of the best rice cookers, I gave it a go. It produced much more delicious and less starchy rice than I’d ever managed in a saucepan, and all for £7.99. LS *** The perfect hot brush GHD Duet Blowdry hairdryer brush £379 at GHD £379 at Lookfantastic I thought nothing would make me part with my well-tried and very trusted Revlon One Step hot brush, but the GHD Duet Blowdry I tested for best hot brushes really did blow me away. A new favourite. Lise Smith *** The great kickstart coffee machine De’Longhi Magnifica Evo bean-to-cup coffee machine £419.99 at Lakeland £580 at Argos My family loves our De’Longhi Magnifica Evo bean-to-cup coffee machine (a kind house-warming gift), which takes the sting out of waking up by brewing fresh barista-style coffee at the touch of a button. It’s quick, easy to clean, and has a handy milk steamer for lattes and cappuccinos. I can’t face the morning without it. LS For more, read our guide to the best coffee machines *** Brilliant slow cooking GreenPan stainless steel slow cooker £215 at Currys Ninja 8-in-1 slow cooker £149 at John Lewis £150 at Argos Two of the snazzy slow cookers I tested during my epic kleftiko saga were particularly brilliant (the GreenPan and Ninja Foodi Impossible 8-in-1). Joanne Gould *** Microwave toasties Morphy Richards Mico £19.99 at Morphy Richards £19.99 at Amazon In testing toastie makers, I came across a nifty microwaveable version from Morphy Richards that will have to be prised out of my cold, dead hands when the time comes to pass it on to the lovely people at Gratitude Upcycle in Barnet. However, shout out to the McGuigan Mid shiraz red wine – which I tested for my piece on the best mid-strength drinks – as it’s the most surprising thing I keep buying; at 7% it just about tastes like the stronger stuff and is a good Sunday option. It’s in loads of supermarkets, too. JG *** Smash the potato mashing Oxo Good Grips smooth potato masher £12 at Dunelm £12 at Amazon I included the Oxo Good Grips potato masher in my Father’s Day gift guide, and it has revolutionised my mashing game. Light, fluffy and sorting your mash in seconds, it beats a wire-based design hands down and its ergonomic hand position is much easier to use. It’s also a doddle to clean: you won’t find old bits of potato stuck in the curves next time you go to mash. Charlie Allenby *** Big props to no-drops food-catcher Highchair food catcher £39.95 at Amazon I’ve got a nine-month-old, and there are an awful lot of things you throw cash at in the pursuit of making your life easier. One thing I couldn’t live without, though, is the Catchy. It’s essentially a bit of plastic that you fit beneath a highchair, and it catches any food, cutlery, plates and cups tossed over the side. They can then be plonked back in front of your baby because they haven’t hit the deck. CA *** Hydrogen + hydration in a bottle Echo water flask £283.99 at Healf £299 at Amazon I was sceptical about the hydrogen-infused water bottle (the price, the price!) in my test of the best water bottles, but became a convert – chug a bottle of it and there’s no dehydration the morning after boozing. A gamechanger. Zoë Phillimore *** Juice on the go Anker Nano power bank £19.99 at Anker £19.99 at Amazon As someone who uses my phone for everything, from paying for things to unlocking my front door, it cannot be without battery. The Anker Nano – rated best for portability in Pete Wise’s test of the best power banks – gives me peace of mind that I won’t lock myself out of the house if my phone dies. ZP *** The rise-and-shine alarm clock Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100 sunrise alarm clock £99 at Argos £99 at Boots I had modest expectations when I started writing the Filter’s guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks, but the Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100 dazzled me with its natural-feeling sunrise simulation. It often woke me pleasantly before the alarm went off. Pete Wise *** Budget-but-still-the-best child’s bike seat Polisport Bubbly Maxi Plus child seat £45 at Halfords A dirt-cheap Halfords child bike seat. I tried frame-mounted bike seats from a number of leading brands, from £35 up to £140. In the end, it was the cheapest of the lot that caused the fewest headaches. Paddy Maddison *** Go-to cross-body bag … and refillable deodorant Round mini shoulder bag £14.90 at Uniqlo Fussy Tropic Tonic deodorant starter pack £15 at Fussy £8.71 at Holland & Barrett I discovered the brilliant Uniqlo cross-body bag. I also had the confidence to invest in Fussy deodorant: it’s expensive, and too much to spend when you aren’t sure if it works – but you were correct, it does! Pippa *** Nice ice, baby Lékué ice cube box £17.50 at John Lewis £8.93 at Amazon In a bid to become the adult I always wanted to be – someone who always has ice in the house – I bought the Lékué ice box from one of our gift guides last Christmas. The abstract-shaped cubes are sharp and stylish, and were small enough to fit in my daughter’s water bottle this heatwave summer. Hannah Booth *** Ultimate camping mattress for one Coleman Supercomfort single camping mat £124.95 at Outdoor Action My wife caught sight of Linda Geddes gamely testing camping mats and was taken by the write-up of the Coleman Supercomfort. She ordered a single mattress immediately, and tells me it’s excellent. I’m not allowed anywhere near it. Andy Shaw *** The anytime massage gun Bob & Brad Q2 Pro massage gun £89.99 at Amazon I tested dozens of massage guns and was impressed by the Bob & Brad Q2 Pro – a small-but-mighty pummeller that’s portable. I packed it in my 100-mile ultra drop bag and, with 17 miles to go, its soothing muscle mashing turned me from the Tin Man to skipping Dorothy. Well, almost. Kieran Alger *** Bye chub rub, hello comfy run shorts Light control thigh slimmers, two-pack £20 at M&S My Marks & Spencer chub rub shorts were featured in our guide to keeping cool in hot weather. They’ve saved me for many summers now. Rhiannon Evans *** A game for all ages Marble run £15 at Argos £20 at John Lewis I also bought my son the marble run he asked for last Christmas. Both my kids loved it, actually … as did I. RE *** Stylish twist on the waterproof coat Patent faux leather coat £36 at Sainsbury’s Inspired by the Filter’s feature on how to look good in wet weather, I upgraded my waterproof jacket. It hadn’t occurred to me that a faux patent leather jacket could work just as well as a traditional waterproof. Sabine Wiesel *** Open your eyes to the swim mask Defy Ultra swim mask £115 at Aquasphere £97.55 at Amazon The Aquasphere Defy Ultra swim mask – which I included in my roundup of cold-water swimming essentials – is the most expensive pair of goggles I’ve bought, but worth every penny. I’ve swum multiple long-distance events in them. I look a bit like I’m wearing ski goggles and often get comments, but for comfort and field of vision in open water, they’re excellent. Ella Foote *** Brilliant babygrows with two-way zips Two-way zip baby sleepsuits, four-pack From £19 at Next I was pregnant when Paddy Maddison’s article on baby gear parents wouldn’t go without came out, and soon discovered that it should be illegal to make newborn babygrows or sleepsuits without two-way zips. I love these ones from Next. If you have a pregnant friend, do them a favour and get them a pack. Laura Potter *** Shoes to climb high in Veloce climbing shoe £110 at Nevisport £140 at Go Outdoors After writing my climbing kit article, I bought some Scarpa Veloce climbing shoes that were recommended by the coach I spoke with. They’re now my favourite ever climbing shoes. Tom Bruce *** An actually leak-proof water bottle Ion8 water bottle £12.99 at Decathlon £13 at Argos The Ion8, voted top budget option in Zoë Philimore’s test of the best water bottles, is the only leak-proof bottle I’ve used. It’s managed to survive in both my daughters’ school bags without an incident. Rebecca Goodman *** Camping loveseat for outdoor comfort Kelty low loveseat £114.95 at Wildbounds £148.95 at Amazon The Kelty loveseat camping couch won me brownie points when I bought it for my other half’s birthday. Well made and robust, it comfortably sits two people in a slouchy, relaxed manner. Perfect for evening campsites with a glass of beer in hand. Deborah For more, read our guide to the best camping chairs *** The frying pan that’s chemical-free De Buyer steel round pancake pan, 30cm £59.98 at Nisbets £57 at Amazon I’m a convert to frying pans with no coating that you season with oil instead. Having researched Pfas-free pans, I decided that even if the health risks are uncertain, I want to try to minimise the number of products I buy that contain forever chemicals because of the potential environmental cost. So I’m gradually replacing our pans with stainless steel and carbon steel ones. I’ve also discovered the joys of cooking with a crepe pan: as well as turning out excellent pancakes, my De Buyer Mineral B crepe pan is great for toasting wraps, and making okonomiyaki (Japanese fritters). Linda Geddes *** The truly magic wand (vibrator!) Doxy die cast wand £131.55 at Secrets Shop £154.99 at Boots I named the Doxy Die Cast as my No 1 wand vibrator in my test of the best vibrators, and I stand by that decision. It’s unapologetically loud and hefty, and packs so much power that I’ve witnessed it make women climax through thick jeans. Alix Fox *** Must-have beauty gadget Ziip Halo £379.99 at Ziip Beauty There are so many beauty gadgets with high-ticket prices that it’s hard to know what’s worth investing in. The Ziip Halo microcurrent device, which I featured in my piece on at-home beauty treatments, is one of the unicorns. I’ve been using it for six months, a few times a week, and my skin looks more glowing, firmer and more snatched around the jaw. It’s so small that it fits in my makeup bag for holidays, too. Hayley Spencer *** Electric toothbrush with pearly service Suri 2.0 electric toothbrush £105 at Suri £105 at Boots I bought a Suri toothbrush and, while it’s definitely more of a pleasure to use than my previous one and is more sustainable, the thing I was most impressed with was the customer service. It stopped working, but I received a prompt response, and a replacement handle was posted to me straight away. Lisa Foreman *** The pregnancy pillow you always needed Dreamgenii pregnancy pillow £37.99 at Robert Dyas £53.99 at Debenhams A lot of pregnancy pillows are good at supporting your tummy while elevating the legs, but they’re less good at looking after your back. The Dreamgenii did both beautifully, keeping me in a stable position without waking at 3am to stuff cushions behind my lower back. The flat section joining it together also meant nothing moved about in the night – other than the baby, and me getting up to pee. It saw me through two pregnancies, as well as being a handy feeding pillow after each of my sons arrived. My husband tried (unsuccessfully) to pinch it for himself. Lucy Pavia *** Elevate your home dining Delouis mayonnaise £3.25 at Ocado £3.30 at Waitrose After testing so many delicious foods for the food filter, I’m slowly building a shopping list of my favourites. Here are a few standouts: Delouis mayonnaise (incredible, minimally processed dijon mustard), Ollie’s kimchi (a fiery, funky and lively local ferment), Cauldron authentic organic tofu (clean, complex and well priced) and M&S pitted green queen olives (delicious chunky gordal olives). Tom Hunt *** Secateurs that are a joy Niwaki GR Pro secateurs From £84 at Niwaki £99.99 at Crocus It was love at first snip with Niwaki’s GR Pro secateurs. I’d seen them about, but never before had the pleasure of taking a plant to task with them; the experience of testing a pair out for the Filter’s roundup of the best secateurs was a joy. The cut is more of a glide, and they sit so comfortably in the hand that it feels like being reunited with a favourite jumper. Matt Collins *** The gorgeous gunk-free cafetière Espro P7 French press £85.09 at Amazon Of the products I’ve tested, I’ve developed something of a soft spot for the Espro P7 French Press. The Espro has gone on a camping trip and a holiday to Scotland, and it’s been a godsend. It’s insulated so we could brew a litre of gorgeous-tasting coffee and work our way through it without it going stone cold, and the filter prevented 99% of the sludge from getting into our mugs. Spending almost three figures on a cafetiere may sound a bit bonkers, but when it makes great, gunk-free coffee and keeps it warm for an hour in the middle of a Welsh field, it almost seems like good value. Sasha Muller *** The ultimate office chair Herman Miller Aeron chair £1,385 at Herman Miller £1,399 at John Lewis The Herman Miller Aeron chair, from my test of the best office chairs. I loved it, my wife loved it, and the courier was mildly horrified when we sent it back, as he barely ever had to return one. Sadly, we can’t afford it. Stuart Andrews *** Hats off to the best cap Original Pirate Material cap £45 at Scrt I bought my husband the Original Pirate Material cap from Peter Bevan’s 50 men’s summer wardrobe updates just in time for Glastonbury. He loves the Streets and is never without a hat, so it was the perfect fit. Judging from the number of people we saw wearing the cap around Worthy Farm, I think a fair few Filter readers had the same idea. Ella Jinadu *** Hair care, honey pot style Gisou Honey Gloss ceramide therapy mask £19 for 75ml at Cult Beauty £19 for 75ml at SpaceNK The best thing I’ve tested this year, hands down, is the Gisou Honey Gloss ceramide therapy hair mask. I had tried the brand’s original mask before, and found it pretty average, but this new formulation somehow made my glossy hair dreams come true without weighing my hair down. It’s an investment, but if you have long, thick hair you want to look after, it’s a brilliant choice. Sarah Matthews *** Stirring stuff from a great fan Lume air circulator fan £149 at Lume The best product I tested for the Filter this year was the AirCraft Lume fan. It’s so well made that it’s practically silent, so the biggest challenge is forgetting it’s on. It has a cute backlight, too. Unsurprisingly, it’s been on preorder ever since we recommended it. Caramel Quin For more, read our guide to the best fans *** Do you have a favourite Filter buy? Let us know at thefilter@theguardian.com