Gifts for Grandma

Hold the power button to start the 30-minute timer, which switches it off on nights you’re likely to nod off mid-chapter. Four colours run from 2000K amber to 6000K white, it remembers the last setting used, and the silicone band slips on over pyjamas or a sweater. Mending by hand gets the same benefit as reading, and a USB-C cable comes in the box.

• Worn around the neck
• Over 80 hours per charge
• Handy for knitting and mending

What owners say: Comfortable around the neck and a great light for reading at night, by owners’ accounts, with brightness and tone that change in a moment. The battery’s staying power impresses them most.

The soft cores are made to layer, blend and burnish, and each pencil is colour-coded as well. Open the case at the colour family you need rather than tipping everything out, since each shade has its own slot and there are a lot to put back. A fold-out tutorial walks through recreating the galleon on the sleeve, a good first project for practising layering.

• 120 colours
• Made for adults
• Zippered fabric case

What owners say: Rich colours, a handsome set and the way the pencils blend and feel on the page win owners over, though durability gets mixed reports.

A calendar linked in the Frameo app can fill the screen for the next four days, a week or a month, or sit beside the photos. 32GB holds the pictures, with a microSD slot for more, and it sits on its back stand or hangs on a wall. Videos of up to 15 seconds send free; Frameo’s optional plan allows two minutes.

• No account needed to send
• 32GB plus microSD slot
• Shows your calendar

What owners say: Owners report setup and everyday use go smoothly, and they’re satisfied with the frame overall.

The 2 L bottle is odourless PVC, and BICAREE says it holds its heat for up to eight hours; filled with cold water, it works as an ice pack. Press out the air, screw the stopper down tight and turn it over the sink to check for leaks before bed. It isn’t for the microwave.

• 2 L PVC bottle
• Soft cover included
• Wide mouth for easier filling

What owners say: Owners find it works better than a heating pad and holds its warmth, and they rate how well it lasts; the seal is the one point they disagree on.

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It measures 200 cm (79 in) square, with a polyester filling between a water-repellent top and a coated Oxford backing. A handle and an adjustable shoulder strap carry it, and it rolls down to about 35 × 15 × 15 cm (14 × 6 × 6 in) with a hook-and-loop strap. Sand shakes off the backing, and it goes in the washing machine on a gentle cycle.

• 200 cm (79 in) square
• Padded, water-repellent top
• Seats six to eight

What owners say: Owners find it big, soft and good-looking, with a pattern they like, and say it folds up small and travels easily; how well it keeps water out is where their reports differ.

The 623 g (22 oz) jar is a plant wax blend with a natural-fibre wick, and the scent has vanilla, amber and musk under the woods. Trim the wick before every lighting, as Yankee asks, and put it out for good once only a thin layer of wax is left, so the glass doesn’t overheat.

• Burns up to 150 hours
• 623 g (22 oz) jar
• No added phthalates or parabens

What owners say: Owners are very pleased with the scent and find a single jar keeps burning for a long time.

The 300ppi screen is glare-free and has a dark mode, and 16GB of storage comes as standard. Amazon’s figure of up to 12 weeks per charge assumes half an hour of reading a day with Wi-Fi off, so longer sessions mean charging sooner; the USB-C cable in the box fills it in under 2.5 hours. Audible books play through Bluetooth headphones or a speaker, though listening uses more battery than reading.

• Waterproof, with warm light
• Up to 12 weeks battery
• Glare-free screen

What owners say: Owners call it easy to use from the first day, and the battery can go a month between charges; it’s light and travels well, though what it works with and the screen draw mixed reviews.

It keeps drinks hot for up to 18 hours or cold for 24, and the stopper pours with a twist without coming out. At 475 mL (16 oz) it holds two good cups. Rinse the stopper’s thread after sugary drinks so the twist stays smooth. The name goes back to 1904, when Thermos was founded in Berlin to make Reinhold Burger’s vacuum bottles.

• Hot up to 18 hours
• 475 mL (16 oz) capacity
• Leak-proof when closed

What owners say: Compact and still hot hours later, owners say, and it does the job it’s bought for; the lid design and its lifespan are open to debate.

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The 230 mL (7.75 fl oz) bottle is made for a large room, and slender rattan reeds draw the oil up; flip them now and then to bring the scent back. Stand it on a coaster or tray, since Thymes advises keeping it off wood and lacquered, polished or painted surfaces, and the maker sells the oil and reeds as a refill.

• 230 mL (7.75 fl oz)
• Fir needles, cedarwood, sandalwood
• Pine-needle print glass bottle

What owners say: Owners love the scent and the quality, admire the bottle and find the fragrance lasts.

The upper is suede and the sole moulded rubber. They stay out of the washing machine: UGG’s way is a damp sponge with its cleaner and conditioner, a light brush to lift the suede and a day drying away from heaters and direct sun. Whole sizes only, from 5 to 12.

• Suede with sheepskin lining
• Moulded rubber sole
• Fluffy sheepskin collar

What owners say: Super comfortable and toasty without making feet sweat, by owners’ accounts, and the choice of colours goes down well. Fit, durability and value all divide them, and a few doubt their pair was genuine.

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