Gifts for your brother

It holds 473 mL (16 oz) and keeps drinks hot for up to 11 hours, or cold for 24, by Contigo’s figures. One hand holds, sips and locks it. A hook inside the lid keeps a tea bag’s string tidy, the lid goes on the dishwasher’s top rack, and the steel body is washed by hand.

• Hot up to 11 hours
• Push-button lid that locks
• Tea-bag hook in the lid

What owners say: Coffee stays hot for a long time and nothing leaks or spills, owners say, and they like the lock button; it travels well and cleans easily.

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Under the ridges and knobs, which TriggerPoint designed to feel like a massage therapist’s hands, sits a rigid hollow core that takes users up to 227 kg (500 lb). It measures 33 cm (13 in) by 14 cm (5.5 in) and comes with free online how-to videos and a one-year warranty. Its short length suits one muscle at a time rather than both legs together.

• 33 cm (13 in) long
• Firm grid surface
• Fits in a gym bag

What owners say: Owners say it works on sore muscles without being too firm, has lasted them years and is easy to take along; no complaint stands out.

It brews about four mugs at a time. The filter has three layers of steel mesh, and two spare screens come in the box: stack one on for a cleaner cup when the grind is on the fine side. The handle and knob stay cool, and every part, filter included, goes in the dishwasher.

• Double-walled steel, 1 litre
• 3-layer filter, 2 spare screens
• Won’t crack like glass

What owners say: Owners say it keeps coffee hot well after pressing, looks smart on the counter and is easy to clean, and they find it sturdy.

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It’s 14.6 cm (5.7 in) long, weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) and runs quietly, with a 7 mm stroke and five heads; save the softer ones for tender spots. A 15 W USB-C phone charger fills it in about two hours, it switches itself off after 10 minutes, and a case comes with it.

• Weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb)
• 7 mm stroke
• Fits in a gym bag

What owners say: Owners are struck by how much power it has for its size, use it most on calves and thighs, and find a charge lasts a long time; no recurring complaint comes up.

Pressures up to 160 PSI are set on the digital gauge. The threaded chuck screws onto the valve so it can’t pop off, and the nozzles and 12V cord live on board, so it can stay in the trunk; swap the hose to the deflate port to empty a mattress. The battery and charger are sold separately.

• DEWALT 20V battery, sold separately
• Stops at the set pressure
• 12V car cord included

What owners say: It runs well on owners’ own DEWALT 20V batteries, they say, is easy to use and fills to the programmed pressure accurately, and it carries easily.

One reads 10 to 50 PSI and suits the glove box; the other reads 20 to 120 PSI. Each was calibrated by hand and has its own number printed on the side. Press the head squarely onto the valve and the bar slides out to the reading; slide it back in before the next tire. It can let a little air out if a tire has been over-filled, and there’s no battery or screen.

• 10–50 and 20–120 PSI
• Lets air out too
• Each calibrated by hand

What owners say: Accurate enough for checking tires at home, owners say, and easy to carry and use; the cases and the spare valve caps that come with them are a welcome extra, and no weak spot keeps coming up.

Coriander joins the lemon at first, with violet leaf and rosemary in the heart, and after a while the violet leaf and amber take over and give it a warmer, softer finish. Spray onto skin rather than clothes so the scent develops as it should: one at the neck and one at the chest is plenty for a working day. It’s made in France, in a 125 mL bottle.

• Woody amber scent
• Lemon, violet leaf, amber notes
• Fist-shaped glass bottle

What owners say: Owners like the scent from the first spray and plan to buy it again, and the big bottle’s price goes down well with them; how long it lasts on the skin is where they part company.

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It reads generic and maker-specific engine codes, pending ones included, and shows live sensor data and the freeze frame. The two-line screen is backlit with adjustable contrast for a dark dashboard, and it reads out the VIN and calibration IDs, a useful check that the engine computer matches the car when buying used. Menus come in eight languages, French among them, and it lives happily in the glove box.

• Shows what each code means
• 8 languages, including French
• Shows VIN for used-car checks

What owners say: It handles everything owners needed and more, and plugging it in is about all it takes: it tells them the code and finds it quickly. Several are surprised how much it does for a small reader.

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The trimmer has a zero-gapped T-blade for necklines, beards and nose hair, and the quiet mode runs at 70 dB. A fade comb, 2 mm at its base and 6 mm at the top, blends two lengths. The blade head lifts off for a thorough clean, and the display shows when the blade wants oil.

• Up to 240 min cordless
• Separate 3-in-1 T-blade trimmer
• Fade lever for blending

What owners say: Owners find it well made and sharp, with a battery that holds its charge and a case full of useful pieces. Its weight divides them: heavy in the hand to some, light to others.

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They switch to whichever one starts playing, the battery lasts 40 hours with noise cancelling on, and five minutes’ charge gives four hours. Flip to Transparency mode before crossing a street or listening for a station announcement. There’s no case in the box, just a 1.2 m (4 ft) audio cable and a short USB-C cable, so a soft pouch is worth adding for a backpack.

• 40 hours with noise cancelling
• 5 minutes gives 4 hours
• Four mics for noise cancelling

What owners say: Clear, full sound and noise cancelling that does its job win owners over, and one charge carries them a long way. Durability is the one thing they disagree on.