It’s been just over a month since we launched the Filter, and behind the scenes it’s been a whirlwind of activity. If we’re not weighing knickers to test how quickly heated airers dry clothes, we’re hiking hundreds of miles in pursuit of the very best walking boots, sampling Advent calendars or driving electric cars.
Passing on these hard-earned recommendations to you, our readers, has been such a thrill. And we’ve delighted in discovering which products you love the most. As winter starts to take its frosty hold, you’ve been wrapping up in our fashion team’s favourite coats and boots, and embracing the cosy indoors with stove-style electric heaters, stylish pyjamas and, er, not-so-stylish (but oh-so-comfy) knee pillows.
There’s been a few surprises, too: when our writers told you about the one thing that elevated an everyday task, among your favourites was a simple garlic plate that avoids the tedium of chopping the much-loved ingredient.
Here are the 11 items you’ve been loving – and buying – the most this month.
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The sanity-preserving reading light
Gritin clip-on light, £9.99
amazon.co.uk
This super-cheap reading light featured in that list of everyday items that could improve your life as a potential saviour for new parents. “Throughout the mayhem, my clip-on reading light has helped create as much restorative escapism as a bath infused with brandy,” says writer Matt Collins. “My partner and I have one each, and we can read using the disturbance-free glow at whatever time of night, in whatever room of the house we end up.”
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The earbuds to get you through Couch to 5K
JLab sport headphones, now reduced to £19.99
johnlewis.com
Guardian travel writer Rachel Dixon credits these budget earbuds with finally getting her into a regular running routine. “I am a slow but very sweaty jogger, and my old earbuds used to switch off or slip out of my ears when I ran,” she says. “Wearing these, I’ve finally completed Couch to 5K.” Hundreds of readers must be halfway to 5K by now.
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Traditional, stylish pyjamas
Seersucker pyjamas, £48
johnlewis.com
Our self-proclaimed pyjama obsessive Melanie Wilkinson loves these traditional seersucker PJs from John Lewis. “Seersucker says classy yet wholesome to me,” she says in her guide to the best women’s pyjamas. “The quality is wonderful and the covered buttons are a lovely detail. This set would be ideal for when guests are visiting.”
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The best budget heated clothes airer
Heated airer with wings, £40
dunelm.com
Although this wasn’t the outright winner in our thorough test of heated airers – that honour went to the Lakeland Dry:Soon Deluxe – this lightweight airer from Dunelm was our readers’ favourite. It probably helped that it’s considerably cheaper, at £40, and takes up very little space.
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The best boots for the commute
Wide-fit leather Chelsea boots, £69
marksandspencer.com
Our fashion team picked out autumn boots for every occasion, from parties to muddy walks in bad weather. But it was these sturdy Chelsea boots from M&S that our readers loved the most. “The affordable, wide-fit style in a subtle bordeaux colour will be invaluable this autumn,” says styling editor Melanie Wilkinson.
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The knee pillow that could save your sleep
Sports Medica ergonomic knee pillow, £15.95
amazon.co.uk
If, like Guardian reporter Simon Usborne, you’ve “reached the age when back niggles and snoring confine you to sleeping on your side, and you have slightly spindly legs and knobbly knees”, this memory foam pillow could be transformative. “It has a loose strap that means the pillow comes with me as I turn from side to side, all the while keeping my knees cosseted and comfortably separated,” he says. This struck a chord with sleepless readers, who have been buying hundreds of these knee-savers.
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The perfect peacoat
Double-breasted peacoat, £159
johnlewis.com
“I cannot do justice to how excellent this coat is, and the photo doesn’t either,” says fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley, in her November style edit. “Please take my word for it when I say it looks and feels delicious. Well-thought-out pockets and expensive-looking detailing (for instance, a concealed button to hold the collar in place).”
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The garlic crusher that will elevate your cooking
Handmade ceramic garlic grater, £14
etsy.com
This beautiful garlic plate has transformed Guardian contributor Kate Lloyd’s cooking. “It’s such a simple thing – a ceramic plate with little bumps on that you scrub cloves against to create a paste – but it’s genuinely been a gamechanger,” she says. “It’s so much quicker and more pleasant than the tedium of chopping garlic into tiny cubes.”
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Jess Cartner-Morley’s go-to sunglasses
Le Specs cat’s eye sunglasses, £65
johnlewis.com
You’ve been buying these in droves to protect your eyes from the glare of the winter sun. “I have never met anyone [these sunglasses] don’t suit,” says Jess Cartner-Morley. “They are cat’s eye but not retro, oversized but not overwhelming. And £65 is reasonable compared with the extortionate prices of most designer sunnies.”
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A picture Advent calendar for book lovers
Oxfam bookshelf Advent calendar, £3.99
oxfam.org.uk
Never mind fancy Advent calendars full of beer, biscuits and tools – our readers’ favourite has been this adorable picture calendar, with a brainteaser behind each door. All profits go to Oxfam.
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Thermals – but make them fashion
Heattech T-shirt, £19.90
uniqlo.com
Uniqlo has sold more than a billion of its new-gen thermals – they look and feel like fashion. “My favourite item is its extra warm cashmere blend high-neck T-shirt in six colours,” says Jess Cartner-Morley in her guide to autumn style. “I’ll be wearing it underneath lightweight shirt dresses or sleeveless shifts.”
Monica Horridge
Deputy editor, the Filter
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This week’s picks
The best Le Creuset alternatives, from cast-iron casserole dishes to skillets
The 20 best self-care gifts for Christmas, from slippers to essential oils to massagers
First-time cat owner? The essentials you need, from quality food to pet insurance
Editor’s pick
Lego, football, art sets, vinyl, roller skates and Harry Potter: there’s something timeless and reassuringly wholesome about the gifts that our large cross-section of kids told us they want for Christmas. Our aim? To take the guesswork out of present-buying for parents, and provide some genuine intel.
Our younger kids want toys, toys and more toys (and quite a few story-telling boxes); our older small children are after onesies and squishies. Our tweens have more expensive taste, requesting projectors and laptops (as well as the latest, must-read books); and our teens want everything from trainers to Xbox games, jewellery to skincare.
It’s a fascinating snapshot of kids today. And happily, most seem aware that we’re still keeping the purse strings tight: Fleur, aged six, concedes that, in lieu of an actual horse, she’ll settle for a Squishmallows one. So that’s nice.
Hannah Booth
Editor, the Filter
In case you missed it …
There’s a subscription for almost everything these days, from premium olive oil to charity underwear and craft beer. Not only do they save you from lugging more items back from the shops, but also you can often guarantee higher quality choices – and make sure you never run out.
Daisy Schofield spoke to some subscription devotees to find out what made them sign up. We loved the more ethical choices on the lineup – such as sustainable toilet roll –and SimplyCook has provided heaps of cooking inspiration. Read our guide to find out about all 16 great subscription services.
Get involved
We want to hear from you! Is there a gift you find yourself buying again and again? Let us know so that we can help other readers with the interminable festive shopping.
Get in touch by replying to this newsletter, or emailing us at thefilter@theguardian.com.
