HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 - A Mouse Is Not Just a Mouse

After your keyboard, it's perhaps the most crucial piece of computer gear you own; your mouse. In fact, it's easy to take it for granted. For most of us, it's just an extension of our hand - we don't even think about it as we work (or game) unless it stops doing what we want it to.

And although it's so crucial, it's also quite a simple-seeming thing and given it's stayed roughly the same size and shape for decades, is there much they can do to make it better?

Especially when the "they" in this case is HyperX and the mice they already had were pretty damn good already...

There's no mistaking the second-generation Pulsfire Haste gaming mouse with the original; the first iteration was visually striking due to its unique "honeycomb" pattern of hexagonal holes cut out from the main body, buttons and underside of the mouse to keep it as light as absolutely possible.

Therefore one could be forgiven for assuming this new version isn't as featherweight as its predecessor but somehow the Pulsefire Haste 2 is lighter still, weighing in at just 53 grams - so basically nothing at all.

While it's a very similar size and shape, it feels slightly more contoured in my hand - my right hand, that is. Although the body of the mouse is symmetrical, there are two programmable buttons on the left-hand side (under your thumb if you're a righty like me). If you're lefthanded and you really need those extra controls, you'll have to look elsewhere.

The upper surface is a matte, non-slip surface but as with the original model, HyperX still includes adhesive grip tape in the box for the two main buttons and the left and right sides of the mouse itself. Great, except I have the white mouse and the grip tape is black - not very subtle. Or perhaps contrasting colours are more sporty? Does the black version come with white tape? (It doesn't. That was a joke)

The Pulsefire Haste 2 slides around just as smoothly as before on its low-friction skates and this time there's an extra oval one around the sensor in the middle, just to keep any downward pressure as evenly displaced as possible. Like last time, there's also a spare set of these skates in the box should the factory-fitted ones become irrevocably gunged up over time.

Let's discuss that sensor for a bit and forgive me but I'm going to bog you down with a few numbers here. The sensor has a native DPI of 26,000 - which is very high indeed. If you're not entirely up to speed with what more Dots Per Inch gets you, it's basically sensitivity; the higher the DPI the less you need to waggle the mouse to move things a long way. Because this isn't actually always what you want - moving quickly is important when you're being chased by a zombie/alien/enemy/bad guy - but sometimes you need accuracy and control - perhaps lining up a sniper shot or placing pieces in a complicated puzzle. That's why there's a dedicated DPI button just above the scroll wheel, to cycle through different DPI settings to suit.

How about those polling numbers though? And I don't mean who's voting for the Pulsfire Haste 2 (although I know I am). No, the polling rate is essentially how often the mouse communicates its position back to your computer. This one can do it up to an astounding 8000 times a second. So yes, it pretty much anticipates your every move.

Unfortunately for Mac users, this level of performance and other customisations are only available via the HyperX NGENUITY desktop app which is a Windows-only program. This is a shame because the Pulsefire Haste 2 works very nicely at its default settings when you plug-and-play it with a Mac, you just can't do cool stuff like change the RGB light in the scroll wheel to your favourite colour (red, obviously) or customise any of the buttons to different functions or macros.

I get that "Pro" gaming is a PC thing but there's no denying Mac users like nice things too. Perhaps a MacOS version of NGENUITY will emerge at a later date, fingers crossed.

Whatever you're plugging the Pulsefire Haste 2 into, you'll be doing so with a very long and wonderfully tangle-free, HyperFlex 2 cable. This paracord material is designed to keep snags to an absolute minimum and while a wireless model of this mouse is on the way, it'll be a bit more expensive. With a cord as gamer-friendly as this, you might as well stick with the cheaper version if you're looking to save a few bucks.

To be honest, at just over a hundred bucks (NZD), you're getting a very high-quality mouse for a great price. Given I loved the first one and they've made it better... well... you do the maths.

    

Click here for more information on the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2.

Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse / Satechi Dual Vertical Laptop Stand / TwelveSouth HiRise Pro / TwelveSouth Curve Flex - Three Stands and a Mouse

It's accessory time and yet again, it's that hybrid work thing that's got us looking for just the right gadgets.

If you've been struggling away using the touchpad on your laptop all this time, stop being so proud about it, do yourself a favour and pick yourself up a nice, slim mouse. I reckon that's minutes more productivity you'll gain just by doing that.

Then, whether you have some kind of dual-screen setup or you just want to make use of a full-sized monitor, keyboard and mouse when you get your laptop home, you're really going to need the perfect stand.

In fact, even if you just want to improve the angle of your webcam so your colleagues aren't seeing directly up your nose every time you join an online meeting, a decent stand will certainly help.

So here are a few suggestions...

Mouse first. Let's be real, there are a million options out there and most of them will probably do the trick. However, there are a few basic requirements you should be looking to tick off.

Firstly, if you're planning on bunging it in your laptop bag or satchel, it needs to be slim. That doesn't necessarily mean too tiny or flat - then it's going to be fiddly to hold. Ideally you're looking for something comfortable in your palm but curvy enough to slip easily in and your of your bag without leaving too much of a bulge.

Secondly, it's got to be rechargeable. Surely we're past single-use batteries by now, aren't we? The planet certainly doesn't need them and you surely don't need to keep buying them.

Thirdly, no dongle. There are two kinds of wireless mice in this world; the type that has a separate USB dongle to pair it with your device and the kind that connects directly via bluetooth. Unless, for some reason, your computer isn't bluetooth capable (and these days pretty much any laptop should be) you don't need a dongle. It's just taking up one of your valuable ports unnecessarily and it's another thing to lose on your travels.

Lastly, if you're anything like me, you're using both PC and MacOS devices throughout the day. That gets rather confusing when it comes to keyboard shortcuts and mouse buttons. I get that Apple wanted to keep things simple with its virtual buttons and scroll wheel but actual buttons and a physical scroll wheel keep things more consistent between the two platforms. I don't know about you but when I come home from using the computers at work (PC) I can't be bothered reminding myself how to use a completely different kind of mouse (Mac).

The Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse matches all of those criteria. Although it's uber-slim, it still has enough heft to feel solid in the hand and stay in place right where you leave it on your mousepad. Thanks to its brushed aluminium finish, aluminium scroll wheel and contrasting buttons, it's actually quite a classy-looking wee accessory.

It performs well too - a reliable Bluetooth 5.0 connection and good, solid clicks from both buttons and scroll wheel. The M1 Wireless mouse comes with its own USB-C charging cable and Satechi also has a range of keyboards to match it with.

Which brings us to the option of using your laptop in a different way at home. I like to pair my MacBook Pro with an iPad to create a dual-monitor setup. As I write this, I've got the browser window I'm typing into open on one screen and the Satechi and TwelveSouth websites up on another. When I'm finished the article I'll preview the published page on the second screen and make any necessary corrections or updates on the first. See what I mean about making yourself more productive with the right gear?

Anyway, to raise my MacBook screen up to the height of my second monitor, I'm using the TwelveSouth HiRise Pro.

And I do mean exactly the right height; the HiRise Pro features a spring-loaded rear column that can be precisely adjusted using the locking dial at the back. The angle of the V-shaped support arms is fixed but as they're rubber-coated all the way along, the HiRise Pro is compatible with pretty much any sized laptop, although it was specifically designed to match MacBooks and Mac accessories like the Apple Studio Display.

There's a real premium feel to this device, extending down to the vegan leather surface on the base which isn't just for show - it actually conceals the HiRise Pro's most ingenious feature; if you have a MagSafe charger for your iPhone (the 6cm disc version) you can fit this into the base of the stand, meaning you can charge your phone while you work.

This is a top-quality, solidly built product but if you're planning to type on the newly raised keyboard of your laptop, you'll need to wind up that back screw pretty damn tight. The only flaw of the single, centrally positioned supporting column is things can wobble a little if you push down on either edge of your laptop - not an issue for me as I'm using the HiRise Pro in combination with an external bluetooth keyboard, back down at desk level.

However, if it is an elevated typing experience you're looking for - perhaps at a standing desk - or you want even more height than the 6-inch maximum boost offered by the HiRise Pro, TwelveSouth has another, more portable option, the Curve Flex.

This design provides a more balanced support, front to back and can securely angle your whole laptop right up to 45° - combined with its very firm hinge mechanism you can extend the Curve Flex to elevate your laptop screen by a whopping 22-inches.

This is ideal for me at work as the large sound desk I operate in my radio studio is surrounded by many raised monitors and it's much more ergonomic for me to have my laptop screen up at the same height. And as I mentioned in my introduction, the other important reason to raise your screen is to get your webcam up to eye-level. My host is currently broadcasting remotely, so I have a Zoom window open throughout the show to maintain eye contact with him. Thanks to the Curve Flex he now receives the full effect of my dirty look when he's talking too long heading into the news break.

The Curve Flex really is the stand for any situation, as the height and angle ranges from flat to that maximum 22-inch extension and everywhere in between. In TwelveSouth's usual style there's a nice bonus in the box; a soft carry pouch so you can pop the collapsed stand safely into your laptop bag or satchel. This pouch even has a little concealed pocket for the included alan key should you need to tighten the hinges at any stage.

But what if you want to make your laptop disappear completely? You may not have realised it but you can still use your laptop when it's closed. If you're connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse and you don't need (or don't have the space for) two screens at once, keep it closed and out of the way with the Satechi Dual Vertical Laptop Stand.

There's really not much to say about this one, other than it does the job simply and efficiently. The Dual Vertical Laptop Stand has been engineered to Satechi's typically high standards - it's subtle, it's robust, it's elegant and it'll hold a tablet or phone as well as your laptop.

There are practical as well as aesthetic and space-saving reasons to store your computer up on its side if you're keeping it closed when in use - primarily it's the best way to keep things well-ventilated and cool. This means your laptop internals will function at their optimum abilities - again, increasing productivity all around.

From here on, we're all likely to be spending a lot more time working from portable devices either at home or out and about. I've discovered, with just the right accessories the hybrid work experience doesn't have to be a compromise, it can be an enhancement.

    

Click here for more information on the Satechi M1 Wireless Mouse.

Click here for more information on the TwelveSouth HiRise Pro.

Click here for more information on the TwelveSouth Curve Flex.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Dual Vertical Laptop Stand.

Samsung Galaxy A34 and Samsung Galaxy A54 - Mid-Tier Is Now Officially Premium

Okay, time to stop being surprised by how good sub-$1000 phones can be.

I've done too many reviews of too many decent ones to fall into that trap again.

However, Samsung has now taken things a step further with this year's A-Series range. At first glance, most of these phones look identical. And they look good. Large displays, modern camera modules and high-fashion colours and finishes.

So how to choose? And why would you ever pay more than $800 for a phone ever again?...

For the sake of comparison, I've been trialling both the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G and the A54 5G - the first thing you might have noticed is in the name; both these handsets are 5G-capable and I've been surprised by how quickly the networks have expanded their 5G coverage - I'm starting to see that little logo at the top of my screen almost everywhere I go these days.

Unfortunately, although these devices come in some pretty cool colours in other markets, we're only getting two options per phone here in New Zealand; Awesome Graphite and Awesome Violet for the A34 and Aeesome Graphite and Awesome White for the A54. The white one is actually pretty awesome.

Another big selling point with both phones is storage; both ship with 128GB of internal space, not to mention the option of adding a microSD (assuming you're not utilising the second available sim tray instead). The 2023 A-Series phones also feature "RAM Plus" - this actually draws on available internal storage to enhance the installed physical RAM (8GB in the A54 and 6GB in the A34).

The result is both these phones work much more smoothly and reliably than similar models of just a few years ago. Most of us have experienced the compromised performance of a "cheap" phone with not enough storage or power. That's simply not the case anymore - not with these two, anyway.

In fact, (although I said I wasn't going to be surprised anymore) I've been surprised how much using both these phones feels just like using a more "high-end" Samsung device. One big part of this is the FHD+ Super AMOLED displays - in true Samsung style colours are vibrant and bright, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes for an extremely responsive screen, although the extra processing power and slight bump in RAM on the A54 gives it a noticeable advantage over the A34 in this regard. Meanwhile the A34's display is technically a bit bigger; 6.6-inches compared with 6.4 - this is because the aspect ratio is slightly wider.

That high refresh rate is far from a given in this price range - nor are other perks like NFC, IP67 dust and water resistance, digital image stabilisation and on-screen fingerprint sensors - the last of which perform extremely reliably and quickly - as opposed to the face-unlock function which I found to be much less consistent, especially on the A34.

This may be something to do with the major difference between these two handsets; camera performance. The camera setups on both phones are very good, it's just that the hardware on the A54 is significantly "gooder". Both phones sport a triple-lens, macro/main/ultra-wide rear camera configuration but the A54 sensors are higher specced and do a better job, particularly in low light. Guess which camera took this shot?...

Actually, it was the A34. Still pretty cool right? But if we take a look at this shot I took last night, just after sunset, you'll see how the A54 captures more detail still - in challenging lighting...

The car coming down the hill was pretty much blinding me with its headlights yet the A54 has done a great job balancing the darkest of the dark with the lightest of the light.

Perhaps the thing that is most "flagship-like" about these two handsets is Samsung's operating system, One UI 5.1. This is such a full-featured, yet user-friendly way to make a phone work. I love it on the big guns and it seems to function just as well on these ones. For example, even the camera app offers options you simply won't find on other mid-range phones - including editing tools like draw-over effects and shadow removal.

One photo feature only the A54 offers is its Auto Focus camera system. It can also auto-frame when videoing, keeping the subject front and centre. Certainly the 32MP selfie-cam is a huge step up from the 13MP front-facer on the A34. I also feel like the mic performance is superior on my A54 videos too.

If there's one feature I do miss on both these phones it's wireless charging. I know I'm always banging on about this and if you don't use it, you certainly don't care - but I do. So I do. Okay? At least battery life is good (both devices run a respectable 5,000mAh cell) and both support 25W fast charging.

There seems to be a bit of oneupmanship going on between phone makers when it comes to software updates these days and I'm not complaining, Samsung is promising four years of OS upgrades and five years of security updates so these phones are certainly built to last, inside and out.

And genuinely great value. At NZ$649.00 for the A34 and NZ$799.00 for the A54, unless you're determined to have the absolute best camera on the market, or a flashy folding phone, I don't know why you'd pay more. I'd be inclined to splurge the extra $150 for the superior photo performance of the A54 but neither of these handsets will disappoint. Unless you're addicted to wireless charging. But that might just be me.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G.

Jabra Evolve2 55 - Become Your Own Receptionist

It seems like every second device I review lately is aimed towards hybrid workers. This is hardly surprising as more and more of us move towards working from an office in our home as much rather than one miles away in a CBD we'd rather not pay to travel to or park in.

As we spend an increasing amount of time in our relatively new WFH environments, it's only natural for us to look to upgrade and refine the tech we're using. There's definitely been a growing emphasis on audio/visual accessories specifically designed to enhance our online meeting experience. Not only do we want professional sound and video performance but we also need comfort, reliability and perhaps the versatility to use these devices for more domestic, non-business related tasks as well. We are still at home, after all.

The challenge for manufacturers now? Professional performance to fit personal preferences.

Jabra certainly seems to have nailed the brief with the Evolve2 55 - a headset Jabra claims is, "Fit for every purpose."

The first feature to really stand out is how lightweight and compact the Evolve2 55 is. Like any other Jabra product I've ever encountered, the build quality is first-rate and thanks to Jabra's unique Air Comfort technology, the padding on both the headband and earcups is especially light, breathable and comfy. This is achieved using layers of "ultra-soft perforated foam" and it's definitely one of the few headsets I've tried that I basically forget I'm wearing after a while. 

Working in radio, I'm used to wearing headphones for long periods and I often choose to leave one ear on and slide one off so I can monitor my audio and have conversations at the same time. The Evolve2 55 is balanced enough to wear this way too - important because its Active Noise Cancellation works very well - especially given this is an on-ear rather than over-ear form factor. (It's also available in a mono version, with just a single earcup)

The soft, felt carry pouch is a nice touch too - plenty of room for the headset, charging cable and the foldable desktop charging stand, which we'll come to shortly. There's even a tiny pocket for the bluetooth dongle, should you require it if you're not connecting directly from your device's own bluetooth menu. The dongle is a good way to go as no pairing is necessary and you're guaranteed an almost lag-free connection - a strong connection too; you can wander up to 30 metres away from your desk without breaking up.

Other than pairing the Evolve2 55, you can tweak quite a list of additional features and settings via the Jabra Direct desktop app or the Jabra Sound+ mobile app. These include things like the level of sidetone (your own voice) you hear when on a call, whether lowering or raising the boom answers calls or mutes the mic and activation (or deactivation) of the 360º busy light to show other people in the room when you're on a call or just don't want to be disturbed.

As you would expect, the Evolve2 55 has been certified for all major online meeting platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet, with the Teams-specific variant sporting its own dedicated button to join meetings with a single tap.

The other controls are just as useful and easily located by touch in quite separate locations around the edge of the righthand earcup; adjusting volume, playing, pausing, answering and turning ANC on and off are all at your fingertips.

Not only is the ANC performance impressive but so is the mic quality and there's no doubt you'll be heard loud and clear in any situation. Thanks to a very whizzy chip and a clever noise-cancelling algorithm, the ClearVoice microphone will pick up your voice and very little background noise. This means you really have the flexibility to attend online meetings from any location - which is why the portability of the Evolve2 55 is just so damn handy. 

As I mentioned, even the charging stand folds down flat so you can just pop it in the carry pouch along with the headset and then set up office again wherever you end up next.

I've yet to use a Jabra product that didn't produce first-rate audio quality and the Evolve2 55 certainly follows suit. While the default EQ lacks a little bass punch for my tastes, the Jabra apps offer an adjustable EQ setting so I can wind up the low end as much as I like. I'm listening to "This is for Real" by Marry a Stranger as I write this. It's a fairly low-fi track but there's a contrasting tumble of tom-toms driving things along and I can enjoy all this quite clearly reproduced while I work.

And this is the true genius of the Evolve2 55 - Jabra has crafted a device uniquely suited to both work and play; it'll serve just as effectively as a gaming headset as it will if you're taking calls non-stop for an 8-hour shift as a work-from-home call-centre professional. It has great battery life, supreme comfort and sounds brilliant - from both ends of the call.

    

Click here for more information on the Jabra Evolve2 55.

ECOVACS WINBOT W1 PRO - Yes. It Does Windows

I think we're all agreed, aren't we? Cleaning windows is about the worst of all domestic duties. When you break it down, we probably hate this chore so much for several reasons. Firstly, it's like two jobs; you can't just do inside or outside. You have to do both. 

Secondly, it's potentially fatal. Who among us amateurs hasn't been tempted to lean out just that little bit too far when standing on the top rung of the ladder, just to save moving it for the 57th time? Check the ACC stats. I bet window-cleaning-related injuries are right up there. 

Thirdly. It's actually impossible. While those spray bottles of pungent blue liquid all claim to provide a "streak-free finish..." they just don't. And what do you mean that smudge is on the inside? I've already done the inside.

Lastly, the moment you finish, there'll inevitably be a massive storm and your windows will all be filthy again by morning.

Even more galling if you've done the sensible thing and hired a professional to risk his or her life up the ladder instead of you. Money well spent. Until it rains.

Surely tech can save us?

If you've read any of my robot vacuum reviews, you'll know how they've completely transformed my housework routine. This is exactly the kind of machine-of-the-future we all dreamed of for generations, as we watched the Jetsons literally drop their kids out of their flying car on the way to work.

Now ECOVACS, manufacturer of many of those wonderful sucky robots has done it again, with the WINBOT W1 PRO, basically a vacuum-cleaning robot for your windows.

In fact, the WINBOT W1 PRO looks quite a bit like a DEEBOT - except it's square, has a long power cable connected to it and a leather handle on the top. Strangely, for something capable of such a complicated task, there really isn't much to it; there are two microfibre cleaning pads included in the box. You moisten one of these under the tap, velcro it on, fill the reservoir with the specially formulated cleaning fluid, plug it in and you're good to go.

That's literally all it takes.

Okay, yes, there's an app. In fact, it's the same ECOVACS app you use for setting up and controlling DEEBOT robot vacuums. In this case you can choose between fast or deep cleans - or even use your phone as a remote control, steering the WINBOT W1 PRO exactly where you want. The app is also how you update firmware and you'll be reminded to clean the driving treads every now and again. Strangely, it doesn't tell you when the cleaning fluid has run out - although you can see this because the unique, dual direction spray nozzles stop spraying.

Anchored alongside the power cord is an equally long safety line, with a carabiner on the end so you can tether the WINBOT to something as a safety measure when you're doing high windows outdoors. Case in point; I have glass balustrades around my front deck which is on the second storey. Unless I leave it to the pros, cleaning this glass involves the worrying practice of leaning my ladder against the balustrade itself which is a) not very stable and b) obstructs my ability to clean all of it properly. Now, with the WINBOT I can just lean over from the deck side, push the cleaner against the glass and away it goes, returning to where I started it when it's finished so I can grab it again.

You see, once you've switched the WINBOT W1 PRO on, you don't even need to press the power button to start it - the fan automatically fires up the moment you push it to the glass, creating the never-fail suction effect and away it goes, cleaning the whole pane using its WIN-SLAM 3.0 auto-sensing technology to get to every corner... well, almost.

While the combination of auto-sprayed solution and edge-to-edge cleaning pad provides excellent coverage - especially on uniform, unobstructed window panes - obstructions like door handles and window latches make life more difficult and if things are particularly grubby under these, you'll need to sort that out with your own spray bottle, paper towels and elbow grease.

A few standard window-washing rules still apply, of course; you'll still get the best results in the shade or on a cloudy day and if you don't wring out your cleaning pad before you attach it, it'll be too wet to leave a genuinely blemish-free finish. As it is, it takes a little practice when removing the WINBOT from one pane to transfer it to the next; you do this with a long press on the power button and the fan will slowly wind down, releasing the suction as it does so. I have to remind myself not to keep pressing the WINBOT against the window as this happens or I'm left with a square imprint of the microfibre cleaning pad on the glass.

The instructions insist you should only use the specialist WINBOT-formulated cleaning solution - each 60ml tankful lasts about an hour's use and while it'll set you back about NZ$40.00 for a litre, that seems like a small price to pay compared to what you might be shelling out for a regular professional clean.

This thing even does the glass front of my fridge. That's thanks to its coupler sensor which detects the edges of frameless windows, altering the cleaning route to ensure no loss of suction. Even if you accidentally disconnect the power cord while the WINBOT is operating, the battery backup will hold it in place so you have time to grab it or plug it back in again.

What's more, it comes in its own very attractive and durable carry case. This makes for convenient storage and means you can easily whip around to your mum's to do her windows too. It'll blow her mind.

From the demonstration videos I'd watched online, I thought the WINBOT W1 PRO would be much louder than it is but in reality, it's not too invasive or distracting at all. In fact, I've written the majority of this review while watching it clean the French doors out to my back deck. I just pause to swap panes every minute or so then go back to work. That's my kind of multitasking.

    

Click here for more information on the ECOVACS WINBOT W1 PRO.

Kenwood MultiPro Go - The Little Food Processor that Could

Imagine if you could add up all the time you spend doing boring, mundane things every day and swap it for something fun. Or better still, in my case, sleep.

For example, even though I use a sonic toothbrush and a water flosser, it hasn't actually saved me any time. I still spend at least four minutes every day brushing and about two minutes flossing. That's six minutes later I could be setting my alarm if only there was a better way.

Showering - that's another one. If only there was a way to magically wake up instantly all clean and smelling minty fresh, that's about another 10 minutes I'd get back.

Dinner prep. That's one more. The chopping. The grating. The slicing. Bore... Ring. No wonder more and more people are relying on the convenience of pre-prepared meals.

Yes, there are kitchen appliances to take care of a lot of that stuff for you but by the time you get them out, figure out which pieces fit where, use it, then have to wash it all before jamming the whole lot away in the cupboard again, it hardly seems worth it.

Now Kenwood has streamlined the process (the food process) and I'm actually getting some of those minutes back.

The Kenwood MultiPro Go has given all the unnecessary attachments the chop and sliced away a lot of the bulk of conventional food processors. Oh, don't worry, Kenwood still has other options with all the options but the MultiPro Go is definitely more my style.

Except the colour. There was a golden era just recently when you could buy kitchen appliances in the best colour; bright red. Sadly, this time seems to have passed, the MultiPro Go only being available in Storm Blue or Red Clay. Red Clay is more orange than red and Storm Blue is more grey than blue. Oh well. The good news is if you really don't like either colour, this is one machine that's small enough to fit in almost any cupboard. In fact, it'll even stow away in most drawers on its side.

Even when it's out on the bench, the MultiPro Go takes up only the minimum amount of space. 20% smaller than Kenwood's next smallest food processor, its 360° design means you can use it right in the corner if you have to.

It comes with just two blade attachments - a standard double knife blade for chopping, pureeing and even kneading dough and a reversible slicing/grating blade. I can assure you these blades are extremely sharp. The reason I can assure you of this is that I cut my finger on one just getting it out of the box. This is why I can't be trusted with actual knives and need to rely on machines to do my chopping for me.

Both blades can be stored in the main bowl, stacked on top of each other when not in use. See? No fuss.

Although, there are two other accessories you need to know about; the Express Serve bowl and its companion "Slinger Plate." This is a whole second bowl you can swap out with the main bowl so you can serve straight onto your plate while you grate (or slice). The plastic slinger plate rotates below the slicing/grating blade to literally throw your grated cheese or thinly sliced tomatoes straight out, saving you the hassle of fishing them out of the main bowl unnecessarily. I've found this function the perfect timesaver when preparing serve-your-own meals like wraps and tacos.

And yes, there's no doubt I'm saving a significant amount of time and fuss (and possibly fingertips) by using the MultiPro Go as my primary chopper. We tend to buy cherry tomatoes as they're more available all year round but if you've ever tried to slice one, you'll know they're pretty fiddly. The whizzing blade of the MultiPro Go takes care of this in about a second - resulting in the thinnest tomato slices I've ever seen. Nobody likes chopping onions either - and now I don't have to.

Best of all, I can now resist my first-world temptation to buy pre-grated (and more expensive) cheese. Again, the MultiPro Go grates only what I need, when I need it, in about a second.

Then all the bits can just be bunged in the dishwasher (although usually, a simple rinse-off is more than sufficient).

Even the EasyStore power cord has been ingeniously designed to save space; it winds snugly around the base and has an adjustable noggin-thing on it (or a grommet maybe?) to keep only the length of cord you really need to be unwound, unwound.

Best of all, there's only one control. Slide one way for On. Slide the other way to Pulse. You don't need to be licensed to drive this one. That works for me.

The price also definitely works for me. NZ$149.99 to get all my food prep done in seconds? Bargain.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Kenwood MultiPro Go.