6 expensive products that disappointed us

1. Smeg Variable Temperature Kettle KLF04 ($429)

This Smeg kettle will look very nice on your kitchen bench, but it’s noisy and the water level is hard to see because it’s hidden by the handle. We also found it uncomfortable on the wrist when pouring out the last of the water because it needed to be tilted so much.

Out of the 44 kettles we have tested, there’s only one kettle that scores lower than this Smeg – a cheaper Zip model. A few other expensive kettles also linger at the bottom.

2. Russell Hobbs Freedom Cordless Iron RHC580 ($195)

Having a cordless iron might be the stuff of dreams, but this Russell Hobbs model could have you in an ironing nightmare, especially when tackling thick cotton and linen. Cordless irons aren’t as convenient as they seem because they don’t hold their heat, so you have to keep returning them to their base to reheat.

If you really need a cordless iron, there’s a Kmart one that’s a bit better and a quarter of the price. However, you’d be much better off with one of our recommended corded irons – a few cost less than $100.

3. Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni ($1,924)

Imagine spending $1,924 on a new vacuum only to find it’s terrible on carpet. We gave this robot vac a score of just 20 out of 100 for carpet cleaning. If you have medium to high pile carpet it’ll probably get damp, too, as this vac can’t raise its mop heads high enough to avoid it.

You don’t need to spend this much money – our favourite robot vacuum sometimes drops under $600.

4. iCandy Peach 7 ($2,889)

There’s only one other stroller that’s more expensive than the iCandy Peach 7 in our tests – but it scores 100 for safety and has an electric motor to help with pushing. Whereas the iCandy Peach 7 gets a safety score of 20. We also thought the front wheel lock was tricky to use and didn’t like that we had to remove the seat to fold it. Another iCandy stroller is also at the bottom of the results.

If you’re going to spend big bucks, make sure it’s to get one of our highly rated strollers that pass all our safety tests.

5. Saeco Royal OTC SUP060 ($2,650)

Out of the 58 coffee machines we’ve tested, there are 4 models we have labelled ‘don’t buy’. And while a couple of them are quite cheap, this pricey Saeco has also found itself on the list. There are machines from Kmart and The Warehouse that cost a fraction of its price and make a better cup of coffee.

6. Baccarat ID3 Hard Anodised Saucepan with Lid 20cm/3.7L ($190)

Despite costing nearly $200, this pot from Farmers earned our “Don’t Buy” label – and all our members who have reviewed have given it a 1-star rating. It doesn’t cook evenly, possibly because its induction area is small. We also found its handle uncomfortable and the glass lid difficult to clean. Save your money and head to Kmart for our top-rated pot instead.