Gifts for your brother

The painted finish is there to keep rust off the iron, so wipe the handle dry after a sweaty session and store the bell indoors rather than in a damp shed. At 23cm tall and 18cm across it tucks under a desk or beside the sofa between workouts, and the same bell comes in weights from 6 to 20kg, so a second one is easy to add later.

What owners say: The build quality and the sturdy, easy-to-hold handle get praise, and owners find the weight well spread for different exercises.

It plays for up to 24 hours on a charge, with four more from Playtime Boost. It’s rated IP68, so a splash in the shower or a dusty campsite won’t stop it, and it copes with a drop of up to a metre too. The strap unclips to be swapped for another or used to hang keys from.

What owners say: Sound that stays balanced as the volume goes up, a connection that pairs first time, and battery life they call exceptional, in a size that still fits a rucksack.

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This pack adds a Swap Hands card and blank wild cards for writing your own house rules, and it plays with two to ten, so it suits a big family gathering. A full game is first to 500 points over several rounds, or play single rounds when time is short.

What owners say: Owners love it for hours of family fun and say children and adults pick it up easily. Durability is mixed: some find it lasts through endless game nights, others that the paper box wears out quickly.

The wave sensor means no fumbling for a button while holding a fuse box cover or a muddy lead. The narrow spot lights the path ahead and the soft flood suits close work like a plug socket, or run both together; a long press dims the beam down to 30%, handy when it bounces back off a white wall. Both are rated IPX5 for rain and snow, charge by USB-C and reach up to 150m.

What owners say: Owners find the white light very bright and the battery long-lasting, say it’s easy to switch on and off, and like it for dog walks in the dark, with a wide headband that stays comfortable.

It’s the mount only, so the case, or Quad Lock’s Universal Adaptor, is bought separately. Two small and two large O-rings come in the box, so it straps to a slim stem or a thicker bar from 25 to 40mm without tools, with two zip ties as an alternative. The system began in Australia in 2011 as a Kickstarter project for an iPhone bike mount.

What owners say: Owners say the phone stays firmly put even on rough tracks and that it goes on in minutes, though some find it dear for a mount on its own.

A PWRCORE centre with a compression under 50 means a gentle swing still gets good speed off the tee, and TaylorMade aims it at everyday golfers rather than tour players: moderate swing speeds get the most from the soft core. It’s a two-piece ball with an ionomer cover, and comes in plain white and yellow as well as the Ink colours.

What owners say: Owners love the soft feel, especially on the putting green, find the colours easy to spot and like how they play.

The set covers five slotted sizes from 1.5 to 3mm, PH00 and PH0, Torx T5 and T6 and three hex sizes. Hold the cap still with one finger and spin the handle with the other fingers, then move the grip down to the softer zone for the last firm turn. Colour coding on each handle shows the tip type, and all twelve live in a pouch.

What owners say: Owners say they’re built to last and fit small screws without damaging the heads, and find them comfortable for small jobs; some think them pricey.

There are 15 steps between the lightest and heaviest, each taking about a second, and the knurled handles give a firm hold. Each dumbbell rests in its own tray, but no stand comes in the box: lifting 24kg from floor level is hard on the back, so a sturdy low bench or BRAINGAIN’s stand, sold separately, helps. There’s a two-year warranty.

What owners say: Owners rate the quality and how smoothly the weight changes, in seconds, and find the pair versatile for home workouts and easy to fit into a small space; they say it holds up well, too.

Each bottle holds 828ml, with the scale stopping at 650ml to leave headroom for a hard shake. A steel whisk ball does the mixing and lifts straight out for washing, and the screw-on lid has a flip-top spout. Rinse each bottle once the shake is finished, then let it dry with the lid open, which VELOMIX suggests to keep smells away.

What owners say: Owners find them tough, leak-free and easy to clean, say they dissolve powder well, and like having two in the box.

A USB-C charge is good for more than 170 smokes by iljimae’s figure, so charge it before the first evening. Hold the button a few seconds until the ring glows, then press again to start. Go easy on the chips, as a small pinch burns clean and a heaped one chokes; the six run from pecan and beech to pear and cherry. It sits on tumblers, rocks glasses and mason jars.

What owners say: Owners find it quick to set up, enjoy the six wood flavours and say it does the job well, and they consider it fairly priced.