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00:00Hello and welcome to a brand spanking new series of Shop Smart Save Money.
00:08We are back to help you keep costs down with the latest deals and some amazing money saving tips.
00:14It's good to be back.
00:16It is.
00:22First of all, sit tight because to kick things off on our first show,
00:25we are giving you some of the best deals you can get your hands on.
00:29Now, our top team here have been scouring the shops so you don't have to.
00:34And goodness me, they've come up with some fantastic gems.
00:37Gems which don't come much better than free stuff.
00:39That's right.
00:40This week at Pretzo, you can get a free three course kids meal with the purchase of an adult main.
00:46Just mention the offer when you order.
00:48Children get a starter main and dessert from the kids set menu,
00:51which would usually cost you £8.50.
00:54The offer is running until this Sunday, the 2nd of March.
00:58So if you fancy a family meal out this weekend, you know what to do.
01:02Next, the music streaming service Apple Music has access to over 100 million songs
01:08and it usually charges £10.99 per month to subscribe.
01:13But until tomorrow, the 27th of February, 11.59pm,
01:17you can get six months of Apple Music for just £2.99 for the whole six months.
01:22That is a 95% saving.
01:25That is incredible.
01:26That's the whole six months.
01:27But please just make a note that after the six month period,
01:31your membership will auto renew at the standard £10.99 a month unless you cancel it.
01:36Yes, set a reminder.
01:37Move fast on this one though, it'll be gone by tomorrow night.
01:40Here's one for the animal lovers.
01:42At B&M, you can currently pick up three boxes for £9 of selected branded pet food
01:49like this Whiskers cat food.
01:51It's part of B&M's pet event which started this week and is running until the 23rd of March.
01:57Now let's talk skincare if we may.
02:01So these are all from the Inkey list and they're all on sale at Home Bargains this week.
02:07This serum right here was £12.99 and is now just £3.49.
02:13And this moisturiser was £14.99 and is also down to £3.49.
02:18And so is this blemish treatment.
02:21And finally, if you're thinking of booking a nice getaway for 2025, check out DFDS Ferries.
02:27They're giving a 20% early bird discount on crossings from Newcastle to Amsterdam
02:32if you book a minimum of 90 days in advance.
02:35This deal could get you on your way from just £41 per person each way.
02:40But don't wait too long as you need to book by next Monday the 3rd of March to get this saving.
02:46Now please don't forget to check the retailers' websites for the full terms and conditions.
02:51And happy deal hunting.
02:54Still to come, Georgie Barrett on how to shop smart and save money
02:57with the latest buy now pay later services.
03:00Make sure you're going for that interest-free option.
03:04And John Bentley unpacks what makes the best value suitcase.
03:08Certainly sort of come apart at the seams.
03:11First it's time for our blind test.
03:14This is where a panel of guests test a product at three different prices before deciding on a winner.
03:20But we don't tell them the price or the brand.
03:23This is purely on performance alone.
03:26Today we are testing this kitchen staple, the paper towel.
03:30No, that's kitchen roll.
03:32It's paper towel.
03:33It's kitchen roll.
03:34It's towels made out of paper.
03:37Kitchen roll, or paper towel if you prefer, is an essential household item.
03:42Always on hand to clean up drips and spills.
03:45To help us find the best buy, we've enlisted a crack team of extreme cleaners.
03:51Welcome Becky, Dev and Chantel.
03:53You're not just mopping up like we do at home after the kids.
03:58What is an extreme cleaner?
04:00Crime scene cleaners, people that have mold in their properties, seriously hoarded properties.
04:05Okay, how important are kitchen rolls...
04:08Paper towels.
04:09...to your life?
04:10For me, extremely important.
04:11I use them both at home and at work.
04:13We don't want to use cloths all the time, so we've got to throw them away.
04:16So we've got three products here.
04:18What are your first impressions?
04:20Oh look, they're in already.
04:23Our guests don't know it yet, but roll one is our mid-range option from Tesco at £2.55.
04:29It does seem quite a durable and strong kitchen roll.
04:32Roll two is plenty at £5.
04:35Yeah, this is a lot softer.
04:37I feel like this one's thicker.
04:38It's got my sealant of approval on it, that's for sure.
04:42And roll three is our lowest-priced option at £1.89 from budget supermarket Aldi.
04:49This one isn't as durable. You can tell it tears very quickly.
04:52This feels really cheap.
04:53Okay, right, we've got some tests. Test number one is spillage.
04:58To test the absorbency of the kitchen roll,
05:00we've measured out three cups of coffee identical to the milliliter.
05:04Pour, please.
05:06When this is poured into our trays,
05:08one sheet from each roll will be left to absorb the mess.
05:12The sheet which absorbs the most wins.
05:15Sheets down.
05:18I mean that, that...
05:20That's gone full.
05:21Taking its time, look.
05:22Look at the...
05:24Becky, what's happening with number one?
05:25This is soaking up so quickly.
05:27Yeah.
05:28It's just going.
05:29It has gone.
05:30Number two has taken a little bit longer for it to soak up,
05:33which suggests it's a lot thicker as well.
05:35Number three is absorbing slower than number one,
05:37but it is slowly going through.
05:39All right.
05:41It's the moment of truth.
05:44Now, there was 150 mil.
05:46Yep, to start with.
05:48Roll one, the mid-priced roll from Tesco, absorbed 20 milliliters.
05:54Roll two, the most expensive from Plenty, absorbed 35 milliliters.
05:59And roll three, the cheapest from Aldi, absorbed 25 milliliters.
06:05Well done to Plenty.
06:08Wow.
06:08So round one to number two.
06:10Okay, time now for test number two.
06:13Puncture resistance.
06:15Okay, now this is important
06:17because when you're cleaning up really nasty spillages,
06:20what you don't want is for your fingers to go through the paper towel.
06:24Touch the nastiness.
06:25Into the mess, yeah.
06:26You don't want to touch nastiness, fam.
06:28You really don't.
06:30We're attaching one sheet from each roll to a tub.
06:34Dip.
06:35Immersing in water and placing 50 gram weights on them to compare.
06:40How much will this paper towel hold?
06:44There you go.
06:46In our admittedly not very scientific test,
06:49all three sheets can hold 400 grams without breaking.
06:53Can they take any more?
06:56Nine, it went on nine.
06:59Chantel's Aldi roll caves first at 450 grams.
07:05It's now a head-to-head between premium bounty and mid-priced Tesco.
07:12Hey, there it is.
07:14Becky's roll from Tesco goes next after 700 grams.
07:1915, 16, 17.
07:21Maybe put the kettle on because Plenty roll is still going.
07:25In fact, we've run out of weights.
07:2824 and an apple?
07:31No way.
07:32Banana.
07:34After 1.2 kilos.
07:39And whatever that is.
07:42All right, that's it.
07:44Wow.
07:45That was incredible.
07:49So the Plenty wins the strength test.
07:52And it's on to the third and final challenge.
07:57Getting dried on concrete, sorry Weetabix,
08:01off the kitchen table to see how durable the rolls are.
08:04How will your sheets stand up to really working these strains off the tabletop?
08:11A bit of welly.
08:12Yeah.
08:13OK, go.
08:17Chantel's gone straight in for the pumps.
08:20We have warm water on hand to help shift that sludge.
08:24OK, we're getting in for the water.
08:25Yes.
08:28It's a bit tough, but it's getting there.
08:30Dev's really putting those muscles to work now.
08:32I'm actually really surprised, to be honest with you.
08:34It seems to be completely useless.
08:35Look how much paper you've used as well.
08:37I know, you used loads.
08:38It's because it's got no rip.
08:42I'm ready to throw in the towel with this one.
08:46He's gone for the pun.
08:48Which one do you think is the winner of this test?
08:50I do think that it's kind of an equal tie between three and two.
08:55Becky, what do you think?
08:56I think number one, as I was mainly concentrating on these areas here.
09:03So a little inconclusive on test three,
09:05but our guests still don't know which brands they're testing.
09:12Which kitchen roll, in your opinion, please, comes out on top?
09:16I'm going to go with number two.
09:18Dev?
09:18It's going to have to be number two.
09:19OK, Becky?
09:21I'm close with this one.
09:22She's biased.
09:22OK.
09:22Yeah.
09:23OK, well, it's two out of three have said.
09:26Roll number two.
09:27That is plenty.
09:29It does come in at £5, though, for a twin pack.
09:33I think it's quite high for tissue, but it is a good roll.
09:38So in third place was Aldi's offering at £1.89.
09:42In at two was Tesco at £2.55,
09:46making the winner plenty, which will set you back a fiver.
09:50When it comes to kitchen roll,
09:52paying more really does seem to get you a better product.
09:56Time for a short break, and when we come back,
09:59we will have some unmissable deals for your shopping trolley this week.
10:11Hello there and welcome back to Shop Smart,
10:13save money and you are just in time for the big shop.
10:15Our team have been scouring the supermarkets to find some of the best savings around,
10:20so you don't have to, and you'll never guess what they found.
10:22Look at this, eh?
10:24That plenty kitchen roll that won our blind test earlier.
10:27It's only on offer this week at Asda.
10:30That's right, it was £5, but it's now just down to £3.24.
10:34How is that for good value?
10:36Very good, thank you very much.
10:38Next, we're off to Aldi to find some of these.
10:41Oh, blueberries, my fave.
10:44They're a superfood, they're great for breakfast with your cornflakes
10:46or some Greek yogurt, that's how I love it.
10:49But they don't come cheap, do they?
10:51Not usually, but this week at Aldi, they're on offer down from £1.79 to £1.19.
10:58Next, we're off to Co-op.
10:59They're running a freezer favourites mix and match deal
11:02with three items for just £4 for members or £5 for non-members.
11:08Now over to Lidl, who are knocking 30% off tropical fruits this week with the Lidl Plus app.
11:14You can pick up a pineapple for just 69 pence instead of 99 pence.
11:19I love pineapples.
11:20And also pomegranates, kiwis and mangoes, I love them too,
11:23are included to stick them with your blueberries.
11:26And you've got a fab fruit salad with a very tasty saving.
11:30And here is a deal to help you save money on a slap-up dinner this weekend.
11:34M&S have got a tempting pie and mash deal for a tenner.
11:38You choose two rather fancy pies and three sides,
11:41which would usually cost up to £17.45 result.
11:46Now we're handing over to our savvy shopper,
11:49Georgie Barrett, with smart ways to break up big bills into manageable bites.
11:54Now, pineapple, come on, fruit salad.
11:57Buy anything online these days and you're likely to see a variety of
12:02buy now, pay later options like these when you head through to checkout.
12:06These services have boomed in the last couple of years,
12:09and they can be a great way to shop smart
12:13by breaking those bigger purchases down into more manageable chunks.
12:16However, it's important to use them wisely
12:19and to make sure you do your homework before diving in.
12:26When you're at checkout and you select the buy now, pay later option,
12:30it's the service that pays for your goods there and then,
12:33and then you pay them back.
12:35It's essentially a short-term loan, which means it is a form of debt.
12:41So please only buy things that you can afford.
12:44Depending on the service you choose or the repayment option that you go for,
12:48you have anywhere between a couple of weeks or months to pay off the goods.
12:53These services are typically interest-free.
12:56However, some services also offer longer-term loans that do charge interest.
13:02So make sure you're going for that interest-free option.
13:05Also, read the terms and conditions
13:07and make sure you're not caught out by any unexpected late fees.
13:14Three common buy now, pay later services are Klarna, ClearPay and PayPal.
13:19They each come with their own repayment options.
13:23When you pay with Klarna, you can either choose to pay in full,
13:26pay in three installments at 30-day intervals,
13:29or pay nothing at all for the first 30 days and then pay the whole amount.
13:34Klarna now also offers a physical card that allows you to buy in real life
13:39and you manage those repayments through the app.
13:42ClearPay is another popular option.
13:44They let you make your repayments in four installments.
13:47The first when you make your purchase and then every two weeks from there.
13:51ClearPay also offers a virtual card that you can use in physical shops.
13:56Big name PayPal now offer their version of buy it now, pay later
14:01with their service pay in three.
14:04As the name suggests, this allows you to split the payment
14:07and pay in three installments at 30-day intervals.
14:10This allows you to split the cost in three installments.
14:13The first when you're at checkout and then once a month for two months.
14:22Buy now, pay later could help you save money if you're going to make that purchase
14:26using a credit card or overdraft that would charge you interest.
14:29So say your TV was broken and you need to buy a new one
14:33and that TV would cost you around £750.
14:36If you put that on your credit card, depending on your interest rates
14:40and you paid it off over about two months, it will cost you around £20 in interest.
14:45However, if you use something like PayPal's pay it in three,
14:48you wouldn't have to pay any interest at all.
14:56Now where I really love buy now, pay later is when I'm doing a really big online order
15:01and I know some of that stuff I'm going to return.
15:04That's a really big upfront payment.
15:06But if I use buy now, pay later and I manage to return my goods
15:11before that payment is due to the service,
15:14then I only have to pay for the items that I actually keep.
15:22I'll say it again, these services are a form of debt.
15:26So need to be used responsibly and only buy things you can afford.
15:30Missing payments can result in fees and services will recover the money that they're owed.
15:35Failing to pay on time will affect your credit score as well.
15:41Unlike a credit card, buy now, pay later services don't offer what's called section 75 protection.
15:48This is when a credit card company can recover the costs of goods that are over £100
15:55if they don't turn up or they're faulty.
15:58Use responsibly, buy now, pay later schemes can be a smart way of breaking up those bigger bills
16:04and managing your online purchases.
16:06Happy shopping.
16:08Georgie, thank you very much.
16:10Now we're talking about those products that have gone viral online.
16:14You know that thing, I see it, I want it, I want to try it.
16:18This section will determine whether or not those things are worth the money.
16:22Our social media feeds are inundated with apparently brilliant products at tempting prices.
16:28But are they really worth the hype and the money?
16:32This time we're promised a quick frozen dessert made entirely from fruit.
16:37This is a way to take frozen fruit and create sorbet.
16:42Okay, healthy meal times.
16:44It's the Yonanas soft serve dessert maker.
16:47This nifty gadget has been sending the socials bananas and it comes with some pretty bold claims.
16:55Indulge in dessert anytime and never feel guilty with Yonanas.
17:00But does reality match the hype?
17:03Are you ready to see this happen?
17:05Yes, I am.
17:05Okay, it's really simple.
17:07Yeah.
17:08We're going with bananas at first.
17:10Use pre-frozen fruit, which needs to sit out for 10 minutes before it goes in.
17:18It's pretty loud.
17:19It certainly demands attention.
17:25Greg, what's a mooring?
17:27A mooring!
17:28A powerful 200 watt motor drives a cone of blades inside the machine to smoosh the fruit.
17:34That could be quite strong.
17:36Right.
17:37That motor's noisier for us than it is in the ads.
17:43So, has a Yonanas delivered us a treat like soft serve without any milk or cream?
17:49That's incredible.
17:50That's, that's unexpectedly good.
17:53Okay, I'm going to put berries in.
17:55New bowl, please.
17:58Oh, it's like raspberry ripples.
18:03Banana was good, but can it give that soft serve scoop even with harder frozen berries?
18:11Do you know what?
18:12Banana's better.
18:13Banana's better.
18:15The consistency of the berries is still a bit...
18:17Icy.
18:18Yeah, it struggles with the berries.
18:21So, it's not perfect every time, but the team are impressed.
18:24It's just like ice cream.
18:26There we go, you see?
18:28It's time to talk money.
18:30Mike, on cameras, what do you think this costs?
18:34I'm going to go 45.
18:36Go for it, tell them.
18:37It is £59.95.
18:41Not as cheap as I thought it was going to be, but the outcome was quite fun.
18:46Ah, so is that, is that a deal breaker for you then?
18:49Is it price a little too high?
18:50I, for me, yes, I think it is.
18:52How about you, what do you think?
18:54At 60 quid or just under 60 quid, yeah, I think it's a bit too much.
18:58How much would you pay for it?
19:00I'd say 40 quid.
19:01Yeah, I'd say 35.
19:03Yeah.
19:03I think my kids will enjoy it the first handful of times
19:07and then it's going to find its way to the back of a cupboard.
19:09This time, the product didn't quite live up to the hype.
19:12Yonana's did produce some tasty desserts,
19:15but the £60 price tag leaves us a bit cold.
19:22We'll be back after a quick break
19:24when Jon Bentley and travel guru Nikki Kelvin test suitcases.
19:32Plus ways to shop smart and save money when buying or watching your TV.
19:38You don't have to pay for streaming services that you no longer need.
19:42Resolve.
19:42Welcome back to Shop Smart, Save Money,
19:53where we've already brought you some of this week's biggest deals
19:56and found the best kitchen roll to mop up your household spills.
20:01And now we're handing over to a brand new member of our team,
20:05our roving reporter Jordan Cox,
20:07who's made his name with his bargain hunting social media videos.
20:11Every week, he's going to be giving us exclusive tips
20:14on how to bag yourselves a cheeky deal.
20:17I hate to derail your plans, but train prices are increasing.
20:21From the 2nd of March, they're going up by 4.6%
20:25on standard tickets, season tickets, and even rail cards too.
20:28First of all, if you're buying a single ticket anywhere,
20:31places like Manchester to London at the moment,
20:33at the time of filming, was £76 for a one-way ticket.
20:37That's going up by about £3.50 after the second.
20:40So if you do need to get tickets for anywhere,
20:43it's a good idea to do it right now to make sure you beat that price rise.
20:47Also, with season tickets, if you need to get a new one, do it right now.
20:52A season ticket from Milton Keynes to London is going up by £350 after the second,
20:57so lock in the cheap fare now.
20:59And also, rail cards are going up by £5 each.
21:02So if you can renew them now, you'll get a cheaper price
21:05and you won't be steaming when the price goes up.
21:08Thanks, Jordan. He's clever, isn't he?
21:09He's very good.
21:11Now we're going to talk about something that we all indulge in.
21:13In fact, you're doing it right now.
21:15That's right. Watching TV.
21:19On average, we watch over three hours of telly a day
21:22and rack up over £78 a month on on-demand purchases,
21:27streaming subscriptions and pay TV bills.
21:32Never mind square eyes, what about empty pockets?
21:35Exactly.
21:36So let's start by talking about ways to watch TV at no extra subscription cost.
21:41Now, every year, about 10 million TV sets are sold in the UK.
21:44So if you're one of those many households in the market for a new one,
21:48it could be smart to choose one with Freelee,
21:51a built-in service with tons of stuff to watch at no extra cost.
21:57Freelee is a new free platform built into loads of affordable new TV sets.
22:02We'll go browse.
22:04Some TVs don't have all the catch-up apps or they can be buried in different menus,
22:10but Freelee groups them together.
22:12Unlike Freeview, look what you can do.
22:16Pause live TV.
22:17Pause that.
22:19The good news is Freelee TV starts cheaply.
22:22Oh, look at that.
22:23Check out the Freelee website for compatible models.
22:28But how about if you're not after a whole new telly?
22:32How about supercharging your existing model?
22:36The Manhattan TV Recorder lets you record live TV,
22:40which usually requires a subscription from Sky or Virgin for £169 and no monthly fee.
22:48Guess what? You can record two shows and watch a bird.
22:52And unlike catch-up apps, you can keep shows you've recorded forever.
22:56So I could keep every single episode of my favourite soap.
23:02If you're among the 81% of us who use a streaming service, there are ways to save there too.
23:08The big streamers cost around a tenner a month or more,
23:11but remember, putting up with ads can save you money.
23:15Netflix and Disney both offer a service with ads for £5.99, £4.99 a month.
23:21So if you don't mind sitting through the ads, you can cut your bills by nearly half.
23:25Or here's a deal worth looking at.
23:27Sky Essential TV is £15 a month on a 24-month contract.
23:32It includes your Netflix with ads and Discovery+, which is usually £3.99 a month,
23:38plus Sky Channels, including Sky Atlantic and Sky Arts.
23:42But here's a clever little tip.
23:44If you're getting a new phone contract,
23:46some mobile providers throw in streaming services for free.
23:50I thank you. All coins mine.
23:54Currently, EE, O2 and 3 are all offering streamer access with certain contracts.
24:00So do check with your providers before signing up.
24:04If you're not getting a new phone contract, you can still shop smart
24:08by checking where you can watch the shows you want before paying.
24:12This here is the Just Watch app.
24:15This shows which services have the programmes you want,
24:18saving you from paying for streamers you don't need.
24:21You can do this without having to go in and out of separate apps to do your search.
24:26So what are we actually watching now then?
24:28I don't know, because I can't find a remote.
24:31Oh, it's funny you should say that, because it's lucky I have one of these.
24:37The Tile Bluetooth Tracking Sticker has a 250-foot range.
24:41At around £19, these trackers could be well worth it
24:45if you're always on the hunt for your things.
24:48I have popped one of these on the remote control.
24:51Yeah.
24:51It will sing to you when you press Find.
24:56Can you hear it calling you?
24:57Signal strength is strong.
24:59Use the Tiles for car keys, phones, wallets.
25:02Warmer.
25:03Warmer.
25:04Anything that goes walkabout.
25:05Is it in your pocket?
25:07OK, here's the remote. Here's the Tile.
25:12You were about to take this home with you.
25:14Oh my goodness, caught red-handed.
25:17The depth these teleaddicts will sink to.
25:21The last of our TV tips is on sport.
25:23It is a national obsession,
25:25but also a national scramble by streaming services
25:29to snap up the big leagues and games.
25:31To watch all of the Premier League games this season, for example,
25:35you'll need Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video,
25:40plus a broadband connection,
25:42which will cost you around £80 to £90 per month.
25:45Now, if you're only interested in key events or specific games,
25:48you might be interested in a Now Sports Day Pass for £14.99,
25:52which gives you access to individual games on Sky Sports.
25:57Price comparison site uSwitch can also help you save money watching sport.
26:02You can look up all your sports that you want to watch as well,
26:05where they're going to be played out.
26:07This helps you choose which services are best value for the sports that you watch.
26:13There you go. There are no excuses.
26:14You don't have to pay for streaming services that you no longer need.
26:18Result.
26:20Quick, we need a referee.
26:22I know we have a consumer referee.
26:24John Bentley.
26:25Premium versus budget.
26:27Ref!
26:28Ref!
26:31Over three quarters of us Brits go on holiday at least once a year,
26:35and many of us rely on hard shell suitcases like these
26:39to keep our stuff safe on our travels.
26:42But how much do you need to spend?
26:44I want to find out whether a premium or budget model offers best value.
26:48So I'm in Brighton with two models from both ends of the price scale,
26:53and I'm going to test their capacity.
26:55Isn't that satisfyingly neat?
26:57Ease of wheeling.
26:58You do look like you're struggling.
27:00Yes.
27:01And durability.
27:04Before choosing whether a premium or budget model offers the best value for money.
27:11My premium pick is the Samsonite Restacked.
27:14It's available in four sizes.
27:17I've got the largest at 81 centimetres tall.
27:22It has a removable, washable lining.
27:24Yours for £269.
27:28The premium price buys you an expandable shell and shock-absorbing wheels.
27:33My budget pick is the Aerolite Large Hard Shell.
27:38This is 79 centimetres tall.
27:41It doesn't have a removable lining, but it's less than a quarter of the price.
27:45£59.99.
27:48It isn't expandable and doesn't have shock-absorbing wheels,
27:51but could the lower price make it a better buy?
27:57Helping me find out is Nicky Kelvin from travel advice site The Points Guy.
28:02His experience carting luggage around the globe will be invaluable.
28:07Nicky, great to meet you.
28:08Where were you last?
28:09I've just come in from California.
28:11Had bags with me as well,
28:12so I'm well experienced in dragging these kind of things around the world.
28:15Now, a few essential facts about these.
28:17First, weight.
28:18The Aerolite is 4.85 kilograms.
28:22The premium Samsonite, 4.3.
28:25What do you think of that weight-wise?
28:26Well, weight is more important than ever.
28:28Airlines are very strict these days on the weight that you can have your bags,
28:32and so you want something a little bit lighter because you can pack an extra bit in.
28:36That half a kilo between these bags could be the difference between having to pay out and not.
28:40First, we'll test how much luggage they can hold, starting with the Samsonite.
28:45The Restacked has a 126-litre capacity and comes with three free packing cubes,
28:52zippable bags that help you use space efficiently.
28:55I do love a packing cube.
28:56We're going to put those to good use.
28:58We've got a lot of stuff to get in here,
29:00but I think we're going to be all right,
29:01and I'm going to teach you a few tricks as we go.
29:03Shall we begin?
29:04Yes.
29:06This bulky party speaker is easily accommodated.
29:10Before we tackle footwear...
29:12You can actually take your socks,
29:14and some of them can go inside here because you can't collapse a shoe,
29:18but you can fill it up.
29:19Sunglasses, very delicate.
29:21Put them in a shoe as well.
29:24The Samsonite's free cubes are helping us use space efficiently
29:27and keep my trousers organised.
29:29That's an intriguing idea.
29:31They're getting in the cube, so you can have a trouser cube.
29:33Yes.
29:34Shirts and laptop next, with protection from clothing.
29:38Now we have the tablet.
29:39We're far enough away from the laptop.
29:41I think we're ready.
29:42So don't forget you've got that in there.
29:44The Samsonite is looking full,
29:46but its adjustable straps help everything squash down.
29:50This bag is nice for having this.
29:51It means we can keep things nice and secure.
29:56Before the big moment, does it fit?
29:58So let's open up the extender.
30:02The Samsonite's extender increases its capacity
30:04from 126 to 138 litres, which proves invaluable.
30:10Wow. Well, that was something I never thought possible.
30:14All that lot in the suitcase.
30:16So all in all, I'm really impressed with this bag.
30:18Yeah, I'm very impressed with your packing.
30:20Time to see how the budget Aerolite compares,
30:23other than being over £200 cheaper.
30:26This one already is looking not quite as premium.
30:30At 127 litres, the Aerolite is on par with the unextended Samsonite.
30:36But it isn't extendable and doesn't have any free packing cubes,
30:40though you could buy your own for less than a tenner.
30:43Without the cubes, rolling is also going to be important.
30:45So let's start rolling up our trousers.
30:49One thing I've noticed about this bag
30:51is that the handle runs down the middle of one side
30:54and it's not really built in or protected.
30:56And so actually it's causing these two ridges.
30:59So it could impact on the space that's available in the bag.
31:06The Aerolite's elastic strap isn't as useful
31:09as the Samsonite's adjustable version.
31:11It is that bit more flimsy.
31:13You've got heavy stuff.
31:14It's not really keeping in.
31:17But after some teamwork, we get there.
31:21Just.
31:23But there you go.
31:24Yes.
31:25It took a bit more effort with this one.
31:27I like the packing cubes.
31:28I like the more integrated design of the Samsonite.
31:30And the problem with this is, I fear,
31:33because the clothes are all pushing on this handle,
31:36it's hard to move this up and down.
31:38That's going to be a real problem
31:39because you're going to need to use this.
31:43Next, with each case weighing the typical airline limit of 23 kilos,
31:48we're testing handling.
31:50Now we need some cobbles.
31:51Here's some cobbles.
31:53Nicky has the premium Samsonite.
31:55This is the real test now.
31:56Here we go.
31:58Which has shock-absorbing wheels,
32:00while my budget aerolite doesn't.
32:02In four-wheel mode,
32:04I don't think my budget one is coping very well with cobbles.
32:08You do look like you're struggling, and I'm really not.
32:11Their side handles perform equally on a flight of stairs,
32:14but the premium Samsonite's top handle is sturdier.
32:19I think the budget handle doesn't feel very secure.
32:22I can see yours waggling around and moving around all over the place,
32:25whereas mine is much more sturdy, if you have a look.
32:32Finally, durability.
32:34These cases need to withstand being chucked about by luggage handlers,
32:38so I've designed a test to replicate that,
32:41with a very brightened twist.
32:46We're taking turns to pummel the full cases with dodgems.
32:51Identical speeds.
32:55With the cases in the same positions.
33:00As an extreme way
33:03of finding out how well they'll survive the rough and tumble of travel.
33:09So, which case has stood up best?
33:12From the top, they look all right, but what about yours at the bottom?
33:14Well, I think that the budget one at the bottom
33:16has certainly sort of come apart at the seams.
33:19The zip has not held.
33:21Mine's looking a little bit better from the top.
33:23The Samsonite at the bottom, though,
33:24is also having some trouble.
33:26We've got some broken seams.
33:27You can't quite see my pants coming out, so that's a benefit.
33:32The premium Samsonite has proved slightly tougher,
33:35along with being more spacious and nicer to wheel around.
33:39But at £269, compared to £59.99 for the budget Aerolite,
33:45does it offer better value?
33:47I travel heavily and I'm in it for the long haul, excuse the pun.
33:52But for me, I would spend the extra money
33:55in order to know that this bag was going to last.
33:58Also, the extender in here is invaluable to me.
34:00I'm going to be able to pack more stuff into here.
34:02And I think that is absolutely right for you.
34:04But on this occasion, I think I'd go for the cheaper case
34:08because I don't travel as much as you.
34:10I think I could live with the drawbacks
34:12and enjoy the extra money spent on something else.
34:15Fair enough.
34:17So, with hardshell suitcases,
34:19don't feel the need to pay extra if you rarely use them.
34:23Cheap ones like this are perfectly decent.
34:31Still to come, we help another household
34:34find the perfect product to solve their problem.
34:37So for today only, you've got special permission
34:40to tip up your cereal.
34:50Hello there, welcome back to Shop Smart, Save Money.
34:52Now, in this section of the show,
34:54we're going to look at the big must-have brands
34:57and their cheaper alternatives.
34:59And we're going to start with one of the biggest brands around.
35:04We're starting with Lego.
35:07The Lego Classic Box contains 790 pieces
35:11and will cost you £37.99.
35:15But we have something safer.
35:17But we have something similar.
35:19We do, we do.
35:21BlockTech's Mega Box of Blocks costs just £12 for 1,000 blocks
35:27and they're compatible with Lego.
35:29Okay.
35:29Give me a Lego piece, go on.
35:30Okay.
35:31Look!
35:32They work, look!
35:33Together!
35:34Do you know what?
35:34I'm really impressed with this.
35:36So am I.
35:37And the similarities don't stop there.
35:39Check this out, look.
35:41It's a flower.
35:42It's a flower.
35:43Now, this is Lego's version.
35:47It's all right.
35:50Lego's flower kit costs £19.99,
35:53while BlockTech's is just £6.99.
35:56Yeah.
35:56Sorry, this is mind-blowing.
35:58Do you build this?
35:59You build it from scratch.
36:01I thought you just showed...
36:02Oh, it really does come apart.
36:04You really do have destructive hands.
36:05No, I'm fixing it.
36:07So, I have to say, I didn't expect it.
36:10I'm very, very impressed with the value of BlockTech.
36:14Now, it's that part of the show
36:16where you ask for our help with a certain product.
36:21Hi, we're the Glovers.
36:22I'm Jodie.
36:23I'm Paul.
36:24I'm Austin.
36:25I'm Reba.
36:29Mornings are very, very busy for us.
36:31Yes.
36:33We're a normal family.
36:34We make a mess.
36:37You missed the bowl there.
36:38We always know where you've been sitting, don't we?
36:40But we do like a tidy house.
36:42So, our problem is, in the morning,
36:44making sure it's nice and tidy.
36:47You love your Henry, don't you?
36:49He does all of our jobs, but very clunky,
36:52very heavy, and lots of attachments.
36:55What we really need is something that's cordless,
36:59lightweight, something that we can move around the house easily,
37:02and just get those little messes that we make daily.
37:05So, we're looking to spend around about £250.
37:08No more than that, really.
37:10Henry's had their place.
37:11We're no Henry haters.
37:12So, instead of suggesting an entirely new vacuum
37:15that will blow most of their budget,
37:18this is the Black & Decker Wet & Dry Dust Buster.
37:21It's lighter, smaller, and easier to whip out quickly
37:25than a normal vacuum,
37:26and crucially, can suck up liquid too.
37:29So, should tick all the boxes on a busy morning.
37:33And it only costs £37.
37:34Now, we reckon the best solution is to keep Henry,
37:37because it works just fine,
37:39and have this too.
37:40Let's see if it's as good as we hope.
37:46Oh, look at that.
37:48What's that?
37:49Wow.
37:50Black & Decker Dust Buster.
37:52First impressions, I was a little bit shocked,
37:55because it seems a little very, very small.
37:57My first surprise was that it actually said wet and dry,
38:00because I don't think that I've seen many gadgets out there
38:04that actually do that.
38:06The Black & Decker weighs around 600 grams,
38:08and has a 400 milliliter capacity,
38:11meaning it should be able to suck up
38:13and contain a whole glass of spilled juice.
38:15But, will this lightweight vac be up to the job,
38:18or will Henry be called in to help?
38:20It's got a few different attachments with it.
38:23The Dust Buster comes with a brush tool
38:25for soft furnishings,
38:26a crevice tool for hard to reach areas,
38:29and a squeegee attachment for wet messes.
38:32Just two plastic parts.
38:33Wash them, dry them.
38:36No smell.
38:36Nothing's going to get left inside.
38:38The Black & Decker also comes with a wall-mounted charger,
38:42and a full charge will give the family
38:4410 minutes of running time.
38:47Nice and light as well.
38:49Can we have a go?
38:50Yeah, let's give it a test.
38:51Let's try it.
38:54Our first test was actually crisps on the sofa.
38:57Okay, here we go.
38:59Just like a normal movie night that we would have.
39:02We did get quite a few crisps on the sofa.
39:06So we're going to test it, isn't it?
39:12If it does that, then we know it's good.
39:17We used it without an attachment first,
39:20and it picked up all the larger crisps.
39:23Then you use the upholstery attachment.
39:27There we go.
39:28And that did a really good job
39:29of getting all the really small crumbs.
39:33Should we try this one now?
39:34Yep.
39:34Crevice tool to go down between the cushions.
39:38Henry was quite hard to push sometimes,
39:40but this one wasn't,
39:41and it just did all the job perfectly.
39:43We always hoover the sofa,
39:45but we don't always get those lines
39:47that shows a deeper clean
39:49than actually what we've been getting already.
39:52It's actually picked up an awful lot there, hasn't it?
39:56Yep.
39:57Should we see how easy it is to empty though?
39:58Yep.
39:59You were able to do it all by yourself, weren't you?
40:01Yeah.
40:02Yeah, it was easy.
40:05Putting it back together,
40:06that click on.
40:08Yep.
40:08Done.
40:12I was a little bit nervous about doing a wet test.
40:15I just wasn't sure how the product was going to manage it.
40:19So for today only,
40:20you've got special permission to tip up your cereal,
40:24and we'll see if it can pick it all up.
40:26You're all done.
40:27Yay!
40:28It's the best test.
40:31Then what?
40:32Is it going to do it?
40:36I think normally if that happened,
40:38it would be half a roll of kitchen towel.
40:42It would, and then I've got wet paper towels
40:46going from the table to the bin.
40:48Then I've got drops on the floor,
40:50so then I have to go and get them up out
40:52to then clean the floor,
40:53all because we had a little spillage on the table.
40:56They got blocked at one point, didn't they?
40:58But there was a couple of cornflakes
40:59just got stuck in the nozzle.
41:01I thought we were going to have to empty it
41:03and then come back at a second go,
41:05but actually once we moved those two cornflakes,
41:08it actually managed the whole bowl, didn't it?
41:10There's a lot in there.
41:12It's picked up all of it.
41:13Once it had cleaned up the mess,
41:15what I really liked was I tipped the mess away,
41:18but then under the tap, rinsed it out,
41:21and it was completely clean.
41:22Quick spray on the table and a quick wipe down
41:24with one sheet of kitchen roll.
41:25That was it, wasn't it?
41:26Yeah.
41:27Much quicker than usual.
41:32After impressing in the house,
41:34Paul and Austin wanted to test the Dustbuster in the car.
41:37I like cleaning my car with my dad.
41:40Right. Oh my word.
41:44My goodness.
41:45I think you've eaten a whole packet of biscuits.
41:47Yes.
41:53Do you think this is easier than Henry?
41:55Yeah.
41:56Yeah? Because you can certainly get across the seats better,
41:58can't you? Because you can hold it in your hand.
42:00I don't know why, yeah?
42:02Is that running out now, do you think?
42:04Yeah.
42:04I think I'll probably go back inside now,
42:06charge it, and then perhaps come out and just finish off.
42:08While it's easier to take outside than Henry,
42:11the Black & Decker's 10-minute battery life
42:13wasn't enough to finish this job.
42:15Its 10-hour charge time also means
42:17Henry would need to step in for longer jobs.
42:23I have to admit that I was skeptical.
42:25The dry bit fine, but the wet,
42:28I really wasn't sure about it,
42:30but it did surprise me and it did do a good job.
42:35It's so quick to clean itself as well.
42:37Yeah.
42:37It's a case of deal with the mess,
42:39clean it, leave it to dry and drain,
42:42and you can go out the door.
42:43You haven't left Henry across the floor still plunked in.
42:46That's a trip hazard.
42:49So if I had to guess the cost,
42:51I think because it does wet and dry,
42:54I think £69.99.
42:56I was going to go £70.
42:58£37.
43:00Wow.
43:01Wow.
43:02Didn't expect that.
43:02No, but it's really good value.
43:04Really good value.
43:06That is definitely a product that I would like to buy,
43:09to have in the house.
43:10Yeah.
43:10And that is money well spent, isn't it?
43:12Definitely.
43:15Yes!
43:16What a result.
43:16Oh, that was so good.
43:17And also when they were trying to guess the price,
43:19they were completely out.
43:21£37.
43:22And it really mopped up everything.
43:24It did.
43:24Oh, that was good.
43:25Yes, very good indeed.
43:26That's all for now, unfortunately,
43:28but do join us next week when we'll be bringing you more ways
43:31to make smart savings on your everyday living.
43:34Bye-bye.
43:35Bye.
43:36For details of our deals from today's show
43:38and a reminder of some of the products we've had on,
43:40head to our Instagram,
43:42shopsmartsavemoney__c5.
43:48And if you think your household could do with some help
43:51to shop smart and save money,
43:52then get in touch by emailing us on
43:55apply at shopsmartsavemoney.co.uk.
44:00Please join us next week for ways to save on spot cleaners,
44:03ready for a spring blitz.
44:06And we help a family find a great value steam cleaner.
44:10Oh wow, that was a bit of a buzz, wasn't it?
44:15We follow investigators as they close in
44:18on one of Britain's most prolific
44:19and sadistic online sex offenders.
44:21Prime suspect, hunting the predators brand new at nine.
44:24And keeping you safe in your own home next,
44:26Alexis Conran shows you how to spot a doorstep scammer.
44:30Don't get caught out, brand new.