Daily Star's top home tech from game-changing walking pad to 'happy' dash cam (2025)

The Daily Star's resident 'oooo, shiny new toys' expert Adam Cailler got his hands on some of the latest and greatest home tech to try out, and has given his views on some winners . . . and losers

Everyone loves new things, be it toys, tech or gadgets. And the Daily Star has been giving many of the newest and unique additions to the market a try.

From a Bluetooth vest that will change your gaming experience forever, to a walking pad that might just change your entire life, we've put together the ultimate guide to what you need to buy.

There's speakers galore, and even some kitchen tech, as well as some things you might never have expected to read about - and there are also a few items we sadly wouldn't quite recommend. So join us on this journey through the world of home technology and see where you can enhance your life.

Woojer Vest 3

I am a keen gamer, from WWE's 2K series to EA FC and even Assassin's Creed and Final Fantasy. But little did I know how much I needed the Woojer Vest 3 to really feel engrossed in my gaming.

While it might look like something a CIA agent would wear for protection, it actually makes you feel like you're in the game you're playing.

The vest contains six patented, powerful, polyphonic and silent Osci V2 TRX haptic transducers, which respond at a frequency of 1-250Hz. It has a stereo haptic transducers array, featuring two on the sides, front and back.

Basically, if you get shot, hit or just impacted in any way in a game, you feel it in the vest. And if you're not a gamer, listening to music with this is a WILD experience, as if vibrates your entire body to the beat.

4/5

70Mai 4K Omni

Who knew we all needed a car dash cam with personality? Well, the oddly-named 70Mai 4K Omni has that, because when you turn it on there's a face on the screen which smiles at you and says hello.

While that might not mean much to anyone, it's kind of cool that the makers have gone to some effort to make the device feel personalised.

The camera itself is crisp, clear and has wide-angle view to capture everything in front of you, with an easy-to-set-up rear camera so you're covered no matter where you are driving.

The app needs a little work, as it can be sluggish, but having used many dash cams over the years, this one takes the awards for best set up, best camera quality and ease of use.

5/5

Beats Pill

The hype is not quite real with the Beats Pill, sadly. I had wanted to try this for a long time, but having spent an afternoon listening to some tunes on this, I was left a little flat.

The sound is quite tinny, and adding more bass or using the EQ settings didn't help. The battery life didn't last very long, and no matter how many times I tried, I could not get the firmware to update. When you're charging £149 for a device with one of the most recognisable names in the music industry, I would have thought it would have performed much better, but sadly not.

2.5/5

TRIBIT Stormbox Lava

This brings me nicely onto the TRIBIT Stormbox Lava – this is a winner.The sound quality is excellent, the bass is very much there but not overpowering, and it's super simple to set up and customise via the app.

It costs £129.99 – £20.99 less than supposed-bigger names – is currently £20 off on Amazon, and it really is worth every penny. It has an IP67 rating, so you can take it swimming (to a point), has 24-hours worth of playtime on a single charge and comes with detachable shoulder strap.

If you want a Bluetooth speaker, this is the only one you'll ever need.

5/5

Pure Evoke Play

I love this. My daughter loves this – it's great, simply put. The Evoke Play from Pure is a high-quality speaker that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, digital radio and more.

You want to listen to it? This will play it, and play it with great quality. It has a powerful 40w of stereo sound, built-in Spotify Connect and 12 hours of portable listening.

It looks stylish and will fit into any space you want it to. It costs around £189, which might seem pricey to some, but the cost is worth it if you're in the market for something like this.

5/5

UREVO E4 Walking pad Treadmill

I hate the gym. You hate the gym. Nobody loves the gym, and the idea of going to one has always filled me with dread. Step forward the UREVO E4 walking pad treadmill, which has finally given me the reason and tools to get fit again but in the comfort of my own home.

Measuring 108.5cm long, 50cm wide and 11.5cm in height, it takes up barely any room, and comes with an app that lets you take a tour of some stunning places such as Lake Como, while changing the speeds of the pad automatically to keep your walk interesting.

The pad has double shock absorption, makes hardly any sound and comes with a built in LED Display as well. It also looks great with a dark wood stain colour on the sides – and it has wheels to help you move it to your ideal location.

It's far, far cheaper than most competitors at around £150 from various retailers. Buy it, and start your own fitness journey.

5/5.

Peugeot Saveurs Maestro mill

This is not just any pepper mill – it's a pepper mill set made by the people who make cars. Yes, that's right, Peugeot have their own cookware range that you have probably never heard of, and I got to try the Maestro pepper mill and some of their own speciality peppers.

There's not much to say about this other than it's well-built, stylish, easy to use and easy to clean. If you're a foodie and want to finish your dishes in a special to impress your mates, then this is a winner.

Mine came with separate pots of Kampot black pepper, Sikara white pepper and Voatsiperifery wild pepper – all of which have unique flavours.

Can't fault – 5/5

Bodum chocolate jug

In a world of Velvetisers, I'm not sure Bodum's chocolate jug is needed – although it is fun for kids.

The manual hot chocolate maker resembles a traditional milk jug, but its innovative plunger/spinner and sleek style are thoroughly modern.

It does what you'd expect, in that you put hot milk and chocolate in it and it blends it into a nice frothy consistency.

It's great fun for kids to get involved in making their own special treat drink, but as I said, when you've got devices like the Hotel Chocolate Velvetiser, I'm not sure this is something you'll need as the novelty wears off pretty quickly.

Although for £39.95, it is a much-more affordable option.

3.5/5

Logitech Pro X TKL

Logitech has a reputation for quality keyboards and mouse, and I was excited to try the new Pro X TKL keyboard – but I'm left a little confused by it. Yes, it has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from Logitech, and I can not fault the quality and build of it.

But where it falls down for me is that it feels like they've tried to chop off 1cm of key space all around to make it “compact”.

I have, on many occasions pressed two keys at once – an issue I've never had on any other keyboard – and it could be an issue for gamers who are planning to use this as their keyboard of choice. Fast typers like myself will also find it a bit frustrating for the same reason.

Don't get me wrong, it looks great and there is a market for it, but I am left feeling a bit disappointed by what feels like a design choice.

3.8/5

OpenRock X

The battle for headphone supremecy is never-ending, and the OpenRock X is the latest to challenge for the crown.

Comprising of silicone earhooks, rather than overeard casing or in-ear bud-style, the OpenRock X gives music-lovers something different to contend with. The sound quailty is what you'd expect for a product in the £168 price-range, and despite the unusual design, actually performs well compared to some competitors I've recently tried.

It claims to have superior bass, but I was left wanting slight more in that department, but its 12-hour battery life is a winner for sure. Taking calls on it is also a winner, with crystal-clear voices for bother caller and answerer (is that a word?).

Overall, a solid choice if you're looking for something different.

4/5

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