Fall is officially here, and if you live out on the West Coast like I do, you’re probably more than a little happy to say goodbye to summer. It was hot, dry, and when rain and storms did come, they hit us with gale force winds that downed trees and knocked power out for days. Will our fall and winter be much of the same? I’m not sure, but I’m thrilled to pull out the fuzzy socks, footy pj’s, and extra blankets and say good-bye to the heat.
Cozying up at home isn’t the only thing to look forward to this October. There’s a ton of great new products on the shelves of Best Buy this month, so let’s take a look at what’s new.
What’s new in appliances
Dyson Hot+Cool AM09 Ceramic Fan Heater
A fan that doubles as a ceramic heater? I never would have believed it, but the Dyson Hot+Cool AM09 really does do it all. In the summer when you want to chill out, it will give you high-velocity airflow and 10 different fan speeds you can scroll through via remote until you find the right temperature. Come winter when there’s a chill in the air, all you have to do is turn the heat up and you’ll be able to snuggle up in the warmth. The fan is also cool to the touch, even when it’s warm, so you never have to worry about your kids burning their fingers.
Dyson Pure Cool Air
Your main focus in the winter might be getting warm, but when you turn on your furnace your entire house is going to be full of this summer’s dust, dander, and other particles that float through the air. The new Dyson Pure Cool Air removes these harmful particles including bacteria, pollen, and allergens, and it circulates the air around the entire room.
If you’re up on HEPA filters, you’ll love the 360-degree Glass HEPA filter that can even rid your space of toxic fumes. This is one Dyson product that’s going to be really helpful to allergy sufferers in the winter months.
iRobot Roomba 980 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
I predict more than a few people will be seeing an iRobot Roomba under the tree this year, and there’s a good reason for that. The all-new iRobot will clean an entire floor of your home, winding its way around cords and furniture, and it won’t stop until the job is done. Even if the battery dies mid-clean, the iRobot will head back to its charging station, recharge its battery, and go back out until the job is finished.
If you aren’t home to schedule a clean or you forget to push the button before you leave home, all you have to do is open the iRobot app and you can send your iRobot off to clean from your smartphone or tablet.
Nespresso Evoluo
After celebrating National Coffee Day with a few cups of my favourite blend, I was pretty thrilled to see that Nespresso is back with another amazing coffee maker. The Nespresso VertuoLine Evoluo Deluxe bundle brews everything from espresso to lattes, and you can enjoy your coffee with milk froth thanks to the frother that’s built in.
One of the coolest things about the Nespresso is that it has an advanced scanning system, so it knows exactly what type of pod you’ve put in it and brews your coffee to perfection.
Yonanas Dessert Maker
It doesn’t look like any dessert maker I’ve ever tried before, but that’s probably because it doesn’t make the same-old, same-old desserts. The Yonanas Classic dessert maker will take a piece of frozen fruit, from bananas to peaches, and turn it into soft serve. That means that every dessert you make for yourself or your kids has no extra sugar, dairy, or fat, and it’s even dishwasher friendly.
What’s new in toys
Star Wars toys
My boys are really, over the top, begging-me-for-some-every-day excited about the new Star Wars toys. Disney gave them a big build up and when they were finally launched recently, they exceeded the expectations of every Star Wars fan I know. From the Air Hogs Star Wars RC Ultimate Millennium Falcon to the BB-8: app-enabled Droid, there’s something for every Star Wars fan.
If you want to play with some of the toys yourself, take a look at Leo’s review of the Star Wars Force FX LightSaber. My son just got one of these, but I’ve caught my husband out in the yard having a battle with it. Proof positive that you never outgrow Star Wars toys.
What’s new in electronics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
After reading Ted’s review on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, you’re going to want to head out to the store and try one yourself. It’s thin, light, and powerful, with a 1.9GHz + 1.3GHz Exynos 5433 octa-core processor inside, and it can be everything from your favourite companion for watching HD video to a productivity tablet once you clip on a Bluetooth keyboard.
Logitech Harmony Elite Remote
We spent months renovating until we had a house to move into, and now I’m thrilled to finally have a smart home. Thanks to Withings Aura, I’m lulled to sleep by the sound of waves that kick in when my head hits the pillow, and it even lets me know what the air quality of my house is before I go to sleep. My Hue light bulbs turn down to relax mode when it’s passed the kids bedtime, and I’m installing the Sinope Smart Thermostat Starter Kit when my electric baseboard heaters are finally installed. Now that Logitech is about to release the new Harmony Elite Remote to control it all, everything will be even easier to use.
The Logitech Harmony Elite is coming to the shelves of Best Buy this month, and it promises to bring your connected home to life. Not only can it control your TV, it works with Philips Hue, August Smart Locks, Nest Thermostats, and even IFTTT. One remote can replace up to 15 remote controls in your home, and that means no more digging through the couch cushions for a tiny remote.
There’s so much to look forward to in October: Halloween, pumpkin spice everything, and all of the great gadgets and appliances hitting the shelves of Best Buy. October is also a great month to kick off your early holiday shopping, and you can definitely find a thing or two on this list to get you started.
Have a happy October!
Top photo taken at UBC Research Forest in British Columbia on Sept 26 2015
