The money experts over at Debt Free Direct asked us if we would like to try out some Supermarket brand electricals and find out how they compared to branded items.
I am always up for a challenge and have had many Supermarket branded items in the past so was really happy to try out some of their electrical items.
For this task we were sent a Deep Fat Fryer and a Kettle from Wilkinsons.
I have always quite fancied a deep fat fryer for occasional use (you know those times when you just fancy some proper chips!), however, had not got around to buying one because I suppose I was a little scared of using one!
I needn't have been! The fryer is just big enough to do a handful of chips for two and is so easy to use I really shouldn't have waited so long to have one!
To use the fryer you simply fill it with oil, turn the dial to the correct temperature and, once the light goes off, pop the basket with your food to be fried into it. After a few minutes your food is perfectly fried and you just switch it off!
I am very impressed with the quality of the fryer and I can't really see how a branded one would be any better. This certainly does the job you need it to do. I have been using it for around 3 weeks now and we have had a few portions of chips and I also used it to fry some falafel balls. I am really pleased with the results.
I suppose the only slight negative thing you could say is that the packaging doesn't look as nice as branded items, however, this is not really a problem as you only throw it away anyway!
Over the years we have had both branded and Supermarket kettles. I do tend to think the branded ones have lasted longer, however, the Supermarket ones we have had have been the really cheap £5 kettles that I don't think are designed to last very long!
For this challenge I chose a mid range kettle from Wilkinsons, with an RRP of £20.00.
I was very impressed with the quality and look of the kettle when it arrived. At a glance I don't think anyone would realise it was a Supermarket brand! Not only does it look stylish (and match my red and black kitchen perfectly!), it also feels of great quality and I really think it should last some time.
It boils the water quickly and quietly and I have had lots of positive comments on the look of it.
My only slight complaint with this kettle is that the clear panel on the side where you can see how much water you put in has become a little condensated and you can't always see how much water is in there. This isn't a huge problem though and it certainly wouldn't make me buy a higher priced, branded kettle, just for this minor annoyance.
Overall I am delighted with the Supermarket brand of electricals and I really don't think there is a huge difference than with branded items (other than the price!). I would love to hear your experiences of brands -v- Supermarkets!
These products were sent to me courtesy of Debt Free Direct. However, all opinions in this post are 100% my own.
