The Housewares100 Best of the Best highlights the UK’s most innovative, desirable, and influential homeware products. This year’s winners reflect not just functional brilliance, but the wider trends shaping British homes and lifestyles. From versatile kitchen tools to cutting-edge appliances and heritage cookware, these products didn’t just earn votes for being “good” – they embody the qualities consumers, retailers, and industry insiders value most right now.

Understanding why these products resonated can help retailers, department stores, and buyers stock the items that align with modern consumer expectations – those that combine practicality, design, health, and a little bit of delight.

Doing more with less

One of the strongest trends in 2025 is the demand for multi-functional, space-saving products. Modern UK homes are smaller, kitchens are compact, and consumers expect items that can perform multiple roles. Products that consolidate functionality into a single, well-designed unit are highly prized, and voters clearly recognised this in their selections.

The OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester is a prime example. On the surface, it’s a grater — but OXO has elevated it into a complete food prep tool. With four ultra-sharp etched surfaces, a detachable zester, and a built-in measuring container with a lid, it combines zesting, grating, slicing, and storage in one compact design. For consumers, this eliminates the need for multiple gadgets; for retailers, it’s an easy sell as a “one-stop solution” for everyday cooking.

Similarly, the mySpike demonstrates versatility across multiple cooking methods. Designed to work in ovens, air fryers, and barbecues, it comes in three sizes and even includes serving boards that transform the tool into a presentation piece. Its adaptability means it appeals to households of all sizes, making it a product that feels essential rather than optional.

The Good Food in Partnership with Tower 10 Litre Oven and Basket Air Fryer goes a step further with dual-compartment cooking. The Sync and Match Cook feature allows simultaneous preparation of multiple dishes, saving time and energy. In a world where efficiency matters, voters rewarded products that make daily life easier without compromising performance.

For retailers, these products highlight a clear lesson: shoppers are increasingly looking for value through versatility, and items that combine multiple functions will always attract attention, votes, and repeat purchases.

Health and wellness at the forefront

Health-conscious living remains a central trend in UK homes. Consumers are looking for ways to eat better, reduce waste, and maintain hygiene without adding complexity to their routines. Products that directly support these objectives are highly appealing, and the Best of the Best list reflects that.

The Good Food Air Fryer epitomises this trend. Using just a spoonful of oil and advanced Vortx technology, it reduces fat content by up to 99% while cooking family-sized meals efficiently. Similarly, the AQUAPHOR 3.8L Lago Jug with Maxfor+ Filter promotes healthier hydration by removing chlorine, heavy metals, and microplastics from tap water. These products appeal to households seeking convenience with a health benefit, and that combination clearly resonated with voters.

Even the Scrub Daddy Disney Stitch fits into this broader wellness trend, albeit in a more playful way. By making cleaning fun and engaging, it encourages consistent home hygiene — a subtle but important aspect of wellbeing. This shows that wellness doesn’t just live in food and drink; it’s increasingly influencing homecare, cleaning, and lifestyle products.

Retailers can capitalise on this by curating dedicated “wellness in the home” zones, highlighting both the performance and the health benefits of these products.

Premium design meets accessibility

Another defining factor of the 2025 winners is the balance between premium design and practical accessibility. Consumers are increasingly design-conscious: a product that looks good on the countertop or table, tells a story, and performs reliably is more likely to earn a vote. But price matters, too — shoppers want these features without feeling they are paying exclusively for status.

The Le Creuset 24cm Round Casserole in Volcanic embodies this perfectly. Nearly a century of heritage, iconic colour, and superior cast iron construction make it a product people trust and admire. It’s a statement piece that performs beautifully, appealing to both professional cooks and aspirational home chefs.

The Viners Assure Knives combine safety-conscious design with high-quality stainless steel and soft-touch handles. Developed in partnership with the Let’s Be Blunt campaign, they address a real-world concern — knife safety — while maintaining everyday functionality. This mix of responsible design, performance, and storytelling clearly impressed voters.

AdHoc’s Impact French Press and Pour Over Coffee Makers similarly leverage design credibility. Made from mouth-blown, heat-resistant glass with aroma-preserving filters, they appeal to consumers who value craft, ritual, and sensory experience in their coffee-making routines. These aren’t just functional tools — they are lifestyle pieces, elevating the morning ritual.

For retailers, the takeaway is simple: design-driven products that solve problems while appealing visually create strong engagement, especially when paired with heritage or brand credibility.

Sustainability as a voting driver

In 2025, sustainability is no longer optional. Products that reduce waste, use less energy, or encourage long-term use resonate strongly with UK voters.

The Drinkmate OmniFizz perfectly captures this trend. Unlike traditional soda makers, it can carbonate any cold drink — juice, wine, cocktails — helping reduce single-use plastics and sugar-laden beverages. Its cordless design makes it versatile, portable, and environmentally conscious, ticking multiple sustainability boxes.

Similarly, the Good Food Air Fryer supports eco-conscious cooking by reducing oil usage and potentially cutting reliance on pre-packaged foods. Even small touches, like dishwasher-safe materials and durable construction, contribute to the perception of a product that lasts, reinforcing environmental value.

For retailers, products with sustainability credentials provide both a marketing hook and a practical reason for consumers to vote, buy, and return. Communicating this clearly in-store or online is a key driver of engagement.

Emotional connection and storytelling

Products that generate an emotional response consistently capture attention. This can be through nostalgia, playfulness, heritage, or lifestyle aspiration. Emotional engagement was evident across many of this year’s winners.

  • The Scrub Daddy Disney Stitch brings the joy of a beloved character into a daily chore. The voting public responded positively to the combination of function and fun.
  • Cole & Mason Kenton Mill Collection uses ingredient-themed colours like Turmeric and Blue Salt to create personality, story, and playfulness in the kitchen.
  • The AdHoc coffee makers appeal to ritual and sensory experience, allowing coffee lovers to craft the perfect brew in a beautiful, precise tool.

For retailers, this shows that products that deliver both performance and an emotional “hook” perform strongly with voters. Displays, packaging, and marketing should emphasise these elements — it’s not just a purchase, it’s an experience.

Aesthetic appeal and interior trends

UK consumers continue to value products that fit within modern interiors. This is especially important for kitchenware, tableware, and appliances that live on counters or dining tables. The Best of the Best products embrace this aesthetic.

  • Cole & Mason’s vibrant but curated palette fits contemporary kitchens seeking subtle pops of colour.
  • Le Creuset’s signature volcanic hue provides a bold accent without clashing with neutral interiors.
  • AQUAPHOR’s Lago Jug offers a sleek, elegant silhouette that looks stylish on the tabletop while remaining functional.

For retailers, merchandising with style in mind is essential. Showing products in a lifestyle context — not just in a shelf box — enhances their desirability and validates the design and functionality combined.

Why consumers voted the way they did

Looking across all ten winners, we can see the patterns that influenced the votes:

  1. Utility with versatility: Products that perform multiple functions or streamline tasks are consistently rewarded.
  2. Health-conscious functionality: Items that reduce fat, enhance water quality, or support hygiene stand out.
  3. Premium feel, approachable price: Consumers love well-designed, reliable products that feel aspirational but attainable.
  4. Sustainability matters: Reusable, eco-friendly, or energy-saving products gain recognition.
  5. Emotional engagement: Playfulness, nostalgia, and ritual make products memorable and lovable.
  6. Aesthetic integration: Colour, form, and style ensure the product fits modern homes, boosting both appeal and practical display.

Essentially, voters were not just choosing the best tools, they were voting for products that reflect life in 2025 UK homes — the balance between convenience, wellness, sustainability, design, and emotional resonance.

Retail takeaways

For retailers, the 2025 Best of the Best winners provide several actionable insights:

  • Stock for versatility and value: Consumers favour products that consolidate multiple tasks, particularly for compact homes.
  • Emphasise wellness and performance: Health-oriented messaging (less oil, cleaner water, better hygiene) is increasingly influential.
  • Leverage storytelling and heritage: Products with a narrative, whether safety campaigns, craft, or brand legacy, resonate emotionally.
  • Highlight sustainability: From reusable CO2 cylinders to energy-efficient cooking, eco-conscious features can be a vote-winner and sales driver.
  • Merchandise with lifestyle in mind: Present products in real-life settings, showing colour palettes, table-top integration, or countertop visibility.
  • Promote shareability and experience: Social media-friendly, playful, or visually striking products attract attention, not only in-store but online.

In other words, the products that voters chose as the UK’s best are those that deliver on multiple levels — function, style, emotion, and purpose. Retailers that understand these motivations can replicate that success in-store and online.

The Housewares100 Best of the Best 2025 highlights a clear lesson: today’s UK consumer doesn’t just buy a product; they invest in solutions that enhance their lifestyle, reflect their values, and delight their senses. From the versatility of OXO’s grater to the emotional connection of Disney Stitch

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