Best UK Reviews

The best teeth whitening kits in the UK list is here for better selfie photos. Show those pearly whites! Except you can’t because they’re not pearly whites anymore. They’re tinged with dye and a lot of other stuff.

A good set of teeth makes all the difference in building self-confidence. According to Malcolm Gladwell, good teeth are signs of social status and a better chance at getting a job. This should not come as a surprise, after all, you want an employee who has a positive outlook and exuding with confidence to do their jobs. Confidence plays a huge role in creating a personal brand and good dental hygiene is a parcel of how this happens.

Tainted teeth is just one of the many dental problems. On a more serious note, bad dental hygiene can lead to other hidden health problems such as liver diseases. Dental problems such as stained teeth can be done by dentists or dental hygienists but there are whitening products that can be done at home. Just to caution though to be very discerning of ingredients contained in teeth whitening products. Some may cause sensitivities or are entirely ineffective, hence a waste of good money.

Alternatively, you can check out our list of the best home teeth whitening. On this list are combinations of different types of the best teeth whitening in the UK, depending on what you are comfortable at trying.

Best 5 Teeth Whitening Kits

1. Crest Whiteners Luxe Professional Effects

   Perhaps the most famous of the best whitening kit, Crest 3D White Luxe Professional Effects Whitestrips Teeth Whitening Kit claims to remove 14 years of teeth stain. The enamel whitening agent is the same as what dentists use, so it’s safe to say that it’s a professional product. What you do is to mould it to your teeth and it does so without any hassle. Apply it on your teeth once a day and let is stay for 2 hours.
   On the kit are 10 individual pouches, so you don’t need to worry about re-packaging it for safety or its effects.Price
   Direct with Crest, it retails for $66.99, that’s roughly £51+ but can go low as $41.
   Pros and Cons
   Crest 3D White Luxe Profession Whitestrips have an advanced seal technology no grip that makes handling the strips easier. Applying something this small and having to mould it on the teeth usually is a clumsy effort. You either mess it up or it sticks to your hand and eventually waste it. But these whitestrips have a grid-like texture that are easy to hold. We think Crest was anticipating messy handling situations so they made it into something that is less of a bother when applying. This makes all the difference because you are actually get to use the product instead of doing a trial and error and just waste half the money you spent on it. These are not cheap. But with a brand name that’s been there for awhile, this is expected. However, the reason why it’s so expensive is that it works really well after using 4 strips in 4 days. You can use this as early as every 4 months or depending on you, you don’t even have to do it again after a year.
   The only thing that gripes us is that it’s so expensive for 10 individual packs. However, if you don’t mind paying £50+ every 4 to 6 months, then this works out just fine. This product is worthy to be called one of the best home teeth whitening 2017, but also this year.

2. Activated Charcoal Natural Teeth Whitening Powder by Pro Teeth Whitening Co
   

   The Activated Charcoal Natural Teeth Whitening Powder by Pro Teeth Whitening is a top seller. It probably has something to do with it being natural and are made local, so that makes trusting the brand easier. It is made from coconut shell charcoal with no synthetic stuff such as colours, additives, foaming agents, and artificial flavours. You’d be surprised as well that it has no fluoride, when fluoride is known to be a dental ingredient. This is our first best teeth whitening product in the UK that is charcoal-based.
   Just a briefer on charcoal. Charcoal has been used for centuries to treat poison ingestion because of its porous surface that makes it sticky, believing toxins to stick to it. The same theory applies to teeth whitening. Stains, plaque, tannins stick to the charcoal and lift them off when removed. In addition, its Bentonite clay aids in absorption of unwanted stains and heavy metals. The organic peppermint then soothes the gums and said to remove bacteria, and reduce inflammation.
   Price
   This product retails at £19 but you can catch a promotion to save £9 on Amazon.
   Pros and Cons
   You might be slightly bothered by seeing your teeth turn black when you want it to turn whiter but that is a normal reaction. Also, if you’re okay with some grey splashes here and there on your sink, then this one is for you.
   But perhaps the most important question here is the level of whiteness you want your teeth to be after using this product. In addition, we don’t expect whitening products to produce immediate results but we are impressed with results with only a few days of use. With Activated Charcoal, we see results after 5 days of use. It may not be a dramatic difference but noticeable nonetheless.
   Another thing to note with whiteners is that you must follow the instructions carefully. With this product, we followed as instructed, so the expectations we built around it have been met.
   Next, it has a slightly abrasive texture so if you have sensitivities on your gums, this might not be the best one. You might be better off with those non-contact with gums such as Crest’s. Plus, there are other users who have had problems with enamel being removed, so use with caution.
   Nonetheless, we especially liked it that it used natural ingredients. For £19, this is a good deal because of it. A warning though that it tastes weird. So, to conclude, the charcoal-type, specifically the ProTeeth is a crowd favourite, so to speak. It deserves a place as one of the best teeth whitening kits.

3. PROCOAL Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening Powder
   

   The PROCOAL Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening Powder comes in a 60ml glass jar. It is also a powder type of whitening similar to Pro Teeth. The thing with powder type whiteners is that they mostly use natural ingredients as opposed to the strips and bleaching kits. This one is also vegan.
   Its premium grade charcoal at 5-10 microns is ground to the finest that claims to better absorb unwanted substances such as stains. It does not have any abrasive ingredients such as salt or baking soda, so sensitivities are not an issue.
   
   Price
   Cheaper than the ProTeeth Activated Charcoal, the PROCOAL at 60ml retails for £8.69 but can go as high as £14.48. If you want to go all natural, you can use it with a bamboo toothbrush.
   Pros and Cons
   Compared to ProTeeth, the PROCOAL has better packaging with its sustainable glass container. Only the cover and the label is black, so you see a bit of the contents unlike in ProTeeth where everything is black. Although it does not have anything to do with its efficacy, we thought to point out that along with better products should come a better way to protect natural resources. The cosmetics industry has enough flak because of unethical practices and dangerous ingredients, so this one is a plus for us.
   Back to its efficacy, we are quite impressed because after only using it once, you notice a slight difference in teeth tinge. You can see a bigger difference as you use it more frequently. Although messy to apply, it does what it claims. Use a different toothbrush for this so it won’t stain your regular one. It helps as well if you dip the brush in instead of applying on your palm or finger to rub it on your teeth.
   On the other hand, you will need to brush your teeth thoroughly afterwards because some of it get stuck in between teeth. We had to floss after as well.

4. Briyte ® Teeth Whitening Kit

   The Briyte Teeth Whitening Kit comes with three 3ml Briyte Whitening Gels, two mouth trays, one Briyte Mouth LED light, batteries for the LED light, a shade guide, and a user manual. The gels are bleaching gels but Bryte also sells remineralisation gels as an after care that helps fight cavities and restores strength in teeth structure after bleaching.
   What you first do is to mould your teeth into the two mouth trays provided. You will need to boil them in hot water, and when it is hot and malleable, you stick it into your mouth and mould your teeth just like how a dentist does it when they make dentures. You do this because when you put the solution on the trays, it creates an exact fit to your teeth to prevent the solution or the tray from grazing your gums. Give it 12 seconds to get it fitted then remove. The next step is to trim it to the exact height of your teeth. Once that is done you can proceed to squirt the solution gel that is in the syringe into the moulded tray. You can squirt in up to 1 ml into the moulder. Then, stick it to your teeth and put on the LED light on your mouth. The tray has a connector to the LED light so it doesn’t fall off and you don’t need to hold it while it does its work.
   Now, we didn’t know what the LED light is for so we did some research. LED light in whitening is a bleach-based whitening process. Home kits usually contain a small amount of bleach than what your regular dentist uses. The light then acts as a catalyst to activate carbamide peroxide from the gel.
   Leave the light on for 30 to 45 minutes in your mouth for best results.Price
   These are cheap but considering it’s a kit, you might be convinced to shell out for this than the Crest Whitestrips. It retails at £89.99 but can go as low as £20 on Amazon! In addition, this kit is a reusable kit. You only need to buy the gels, and after care remineralisation gels if you run out.
   Pros and Cons
   Using the Bryte Teeth Whitening Kit is very easy. After the first use, it’s basically just applying the gels and LED lighting process. Easy peasy!
   Solution gels are the most important component followed by the lighting. So, just bear the gooey feel of the gels and you’ll have whiter teeth in no time. We like it that it comes with a comparison chart, where you get to see the stages of teeth staining and compare where your teeth stain level is at before using the kit. With this, you can find out if it is working for you or not.
   We also love that it’s a reusable kit, where you can use every time you feel like your teeth are getting yellowish again.

5. Whiter Smile Professional Teeth Whitening Strips
   

   The Whiter Smile Professional Teeth Whitening Strips come in 28 strips and an instruction manual. It claims to whiten in just two treatments. Unlike other whitening products, this does not contain peroxide that is harmful to teeth enamel. These are gel strips and are packed individually.
   
   Price
   The Whiter Smile Whitening Strips costs £39.99 but if you’re lucky, you can get it on a promo for only £20. That’s a lot cheaper than Crest’s WhiteStrips.
   Pros and Cons
   We couldn’t resist comparing this with Crest because they’re technically the same type. Aside from a lot cheaper, the Whiter Smile Whitening Strips come in more strips at 28 strips than Crest’s 10 strips. In terms of efficacy, we notice a small difference after 4 strips. It leaves some patches after using the strips but you can brush it off after. Also, because it’s a gel strip, the gel residue gets stuck on the teeth making it look patchy.
   The downside of this product is that it comes with very little information unlike Crest’s. This does not provide reassurance on when you can use it again or when it’s not supposed to be used because of chemical component. Crest claims to be effective from 4 to a year, so you don’t need to buy very often, although it depends on your preference. With Whiter Smile, it seemed as though you can use it any time you want to and does not say when it lasts for.
   So, if you’re not really picky about the medical stuff and you just need a whitening product that works, Whiter Smile Whitening Strips should be okay.

Music is a part of everyday life. Any chance we get, we tune in to our favourite songs. Whether we are working, on a commute or when we hit the gym, we take our music anywhere it can help us relax and focus. Music is linked to our moods, with this we use it to help us accomplish what we’re set to do. We’ve been doing this forever. From the time Sony’s Walkmans hit the stores, we knew music mobility will be a part of our lifestyle.

Over the years, our listening devices changed, but not our love for taking music anywhere. We were inseparable. What more now when mobility has changed to ubiquity, where music and its paired device is everywhere a person is. Now, it’s the millennials penchant for healthy lifestyle that is paving the way for music in the gym or on workouts.

With that, began our quest for the best wireless listening device. The search for best Bluetooth earphones UK as an annual activity that most of us look forward to. We use these wireless in-ear headphones review as a guide to choosing gifts for our loved ones. But most of all, we simply must find out what the best Bluetooth headphones in the UK are, so we can prepare to shop around once more and update our devices.

5 Best Bluetooth Headphones in the UK

1. Beats Solo2 On-Ear Wireless Active Headphones

The Beats Solo2 On-Ear Wireless Active Headphones boasts of a wider range of sound with its higher fidelity audio fit for any type of music that’s playing. Its Bluetooth range allows for free movement within 30 feet. With its built-in mic and on-ear controls, adjust according to your preference without having to reach for your device it is connected to. If you’re so stoked you don’t want to take it off, don’t worry, you can listen to your heart’s content for 12 hours. When it’s time to recharge, its LED fuel gauge will light up signalling you it needs more juice.

Design-wise, its built to curve flexibly to your head, making it more comfortable. Its earcups are ergonomic in design so it adjusts for best fit. And when you’re done listening, you can fold and keep for another day of awesome listening.

Sound Quality/Comfort/Battery

Definitely one of the best in the list, but not the best Beats product. Still an awesome headphone when it comes to volume and clarity with semi noise cancelling feature. It does lean towards the bass more than anything, so when listening to anything that’s bass-heavy, the Solo 2 is perfect. However, music that are less on bass and beat might not be the best. But then again, this is entirely subjective, as most would not be too technical to drill down.

One thing we noticed though is that its microphone isn’t as great when you’re listening to music. The volume decreases when answering calls. Best thing to do this is to make sure you’re not in a crowded place when talking on the phone so you can hear better and the other line can hear you. Wired or wireless though does not make a difference in the sound volume and quality.

On another element, its batteries are amazing! In the product description, it says 12-hours of battery, but it died 14 hours after leaving it overnight. On a lower volume, we are assuming a longer battery life.

In terms of comfort and durability, these are better than earlier models. More cushion on the ear so it’s softer for better fit plus the fact that it’s designed ergonomically. However, they clamp something fierce. You might not be able to wear it for long periods or else you get a headache. Again, this is somewhat subjective as some readjusting might work for you. Buttons are still as responsive as ever. You will need to tap on the Beats logo for pause and play, and up and down for volume control.

Style and Design

The Beats Solo2 On-Ear Wireless Active Headphones is the most fashionable on our list. But is it more than just a brand? Most would say you’re paying for the brand, but if you compare it with most headphones, you can’t argue that this is slick and unconventional with its wide range of available colours. It comes with black, blue, white, blue grey, gold, grey, red, rose gold, yellow grey and silver. Wheew, that’s a long list compared to most headphones that stay traditional in black or silver.

In addition, you have to give plus points to its ergonomic design on the muffs so its stays fitted as needed with a bit of adjusting according to preference.

Price Range

When it comes to price, this damages the wallet unfortunately. However, we dare say it has reason to. It retails from £163 to £299, so you’re lucky if you can find the store with the lowest offer. Shop around a bit so it won’t dent your wallet too much.

Pros and Cons

Overall, if not for the price, this is a solid buy, perfect as a gift because of its luxury-feel. If you’re using this as a music partner, then it’s perfect, but if you’re planning to use it for work to answer phone calls, then it is not for that purpose. In addition, although its headband design fits comfortably with some adjustments, it tends to fall off. Fit and comfort is subjective because you might find these things fine. We especially like it that it’s so fashionable, not because of the brand but it really does look nice with different colours. Let’s leave the blacks to little black dresses and let colours rule in our music lifestyle.

But as mentioned, the battery life is the most impressive, lasting 14 hours on our first try. Saves us the trouble of having to recharge it everytime we want to use it.

2. Pioneer SE MS7BT On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones with NFC

Music or calls, the Pioneer SE MS7BT On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones with NFC has dual functionality. Whether you want to enjoy your music or you need to make calls hands-free, it’s built to satisfy both with ease.

This Pioneer headphone supports AptX audio and AAC for high quality audio even on wireless. Because of NFC, finding compatibility will not be a problem and is as easy as using it on a smartphone. Its 40mm drivers are fitted to its wide-cushioned cups to allow for a comfortable fit. Its controls and microphone are built into the headphones but when batteries die, it comes with a 1.2m cable so you can continue listening. Aside from headphone cable, it comes with a USB cable for recharging.

Sound Quality/Comfort/Battery

Sound quality on the Pioneer SE On-Ear Bluetooth is for audiophiles but would also work well with those who aren’t too particular with the technicalities. It could do more bass if we are to talk about the nitty gritty.

On the other hand, it fits pretty well and are very comfortable. Its ergonomic design helps in distributing weight equally. In addition, it hugs the ear for an exact fit. However, these are a bit big so it’s awkward to use it in public.

Most headphones enthusiast, especially the wireless kind would worry about battery life, but the Pioneer SE stays on for 12 hours as promised.

Style and Design

We are partial to the brown leather design more than the black one. The smell of leather is proof of its authentic material. If you’re particular about the design, the black ones are just common, so just get the brown for that classic, luxurious, premium leather feel. The metal cap over leather is a nice combination to the brown and black.

Price Range

We spotted this on Amazon for £94.97 but it can go up as high as £129 and as low as £81.53. The key is to shop around from legitimate sellers.

Pros and Cons

The Pioneer SE-MS7BT is a solid choice for its price range, especially if you don’t mind it being a bit bigger than most headphones. Its leather and metal design combination makes it stylish enough to compete with Beats by Dre. Most of the young ones might prefer Beats over this because of its hiphop vibes, but the working class might find this a bit more to their taste. Again, we absolutely love the brown choice. Its easy-to-pair built is also a convenient feature, for those times that you absolutely have to switch from one device to another.

3. Brainwavz Blu-100

The Brainwavz BLU-100 is the cheapest of the bunch and it is an in ear Bluetooth headphone. But mind you, it competes well with the rest. It has a 3-button remote that works with iOS, Android, Windows phones and PCs. Compared to the first two headphones, these are not the headband type but the usual in-ear headphones, so it’s light along with its housing, cable and remote. With a good comply tip, they block out most sounds coming from your surroundings.

Sound Quality/Comfort/Battery

Surprisingly with this price point, the Brainwavz Blu is amazing. If you’re particular about bass, you won’t be disappointed in these, although treble comes out pretty nicely too. Because it’s an in-ear type of headphones, you don’t need to worry about pressure on your head or jaws. It’s comfortable because of the foam buds. However, you will need to fit it in your ear correctly to maximize the sound experience. It sometimes comes off when not properly put on, especially when jogging. It’s steady on a less active exercise such as when you’re lifting weights.

Next, its batteries don’t last that long unfortunately if you’re looking at more than two hours of wireless experience.

Style and Design

Discreet but it comes in small, medium and large sizes. Depending on your preference you can choose which fits you best. If you didn’t get the right size, it will dampen the listening experience. The flat cables are designed to avoid coiling, and easily cut wires inside the cables, which often happens with earphones. It says it comes in three colours, but there isn’t much difference on the Blu-100 and Blu-200. Get the Blu-Delta if you want a mix of colours.

Price Range

This is cheap, and we don’t mean it in a bad way. At this price point and quite a few positive experiences with it, we call this a value-for-money purchase. If you’re looking for the best earphones under £50, then this is what you’re looking for. It retails for £34.50 on Amazon.

Pros and Cons

The Brainwavs Blu-100 is a steal at less than £50. For this price point, you get amazing sound and a sleek design. The batteries could be more without having to recharge it after 2 hours. Also, if you’re into jogging, this is not the Bluetooth earphones for running. Depending on what you often use a Bluetooth headphone for, this is more for easy listening while on the subway or just working in front of your workstation. To us, this is by far the best budget wireless headphones and is worth a look over.

4. Bose Soundsport Wireless

The Bose Sound Sport Wireless shows off its Stay Hear+ tips that fits into the ears comfortably while being stable. Its ear tips are made of silicone and is funnel-shaped instead of the usual circular that others are designed with. This is supposedly made to create a better fit and with the silicone, a sticky fit into your ears because of its suction function. It is built with an inline mic and remote for volume control, track selection, and when taking calls on your smart phones. It comes with the SoundSport Wireless Headphones, Stay Hear+ tips, USB charging cable and a carry case when purchased.

Sound Quality/Comfort/Battery

The Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones, we are happy to tell you, has a clear and sharp sound. Some of you would be Bose fans and would attest this lives up to its name. You get the tonal fidelity that most audiophiles would be looking for while staying fun for the non-techy users. The crispness of the sound with a highlight on bass is perfect for outdoors and intensive workout. No wonder it’s called SoundSport.

Although it comes with the traditional neckband cable, this in-ear pairs are light with that barely there feel. Aside from the ear tips, its hooks are also made of silicone to trace the lines of the ear allowing grasp to its tip suction, so double the stability.

On the ear piece itself is the battery signal, indicating whether or not it needs recharging. Batteries are made of lithium-ion that lasts for 6 hours. Long enough for even the longest commute, a run or a visit to the gym.

Style and Design

There is nothing unusual on the design of the Bose SoundSport, except for the earpiece that has a funnel shape tip. We are assuming that the silicone material is what helps keep it in-ear especially when you’re on a rigorous activity like running. Colour comes in black, aqua and citron.

Although its design

5. AKG Y50BT

The AKG Y50BT is a portable, foldable, wireless Bluetooth on-ear headphones with impressive features. With an impedance of 32 ohms, your listening experience will be as smooth as ever. Aside from the headphones, it comes with a By-pass 1.2m detachable cable, Micro USB charging cable, and a carrying pouch for safekeeping. The by-pass cable is what you use when you run out of batteries unexpectedly.

Moreover, its Bluetooth is enabled for music listening and phone calls. The right ear cup has control buttons for play/pause, volume, and power/device pairing. It has a 3D axis on the ear cups for portability when stored and flexibility to avoid easy cracking.

Sound Quality/Comfort/Battery

The sound quality of the AKG Y50BT is excellent, and we are impressed! For a Bluetooth headphone, it exceeds expectations that you might mistake it for a wired headphone. All of sound’s features come together beautifully. It’s perfect for any type of musical genre. Its clear and precise sound, with the help of some noise isolation feature makes the listening experience one of the best.

The AKG Y50BT gets better with every feature introduced. It has a battery life of 20 hours, more than anything we have in the list. In addition, it’s comfortable with no pressure at all on our heads or jaws that usually happens with on-ear headphones.

Style and Design

The AKG Y50BT competes with Beats by Dre. It also comes in youthful colours such as blue, red and yellow. But it also has traditional colours such as black and silver. It is made from aluminium and plastic and the balance of use on these materials are just right. Its soft cushion on the cup makes it comfortable to wear even in long hours.

Price Range

The AKG Y50BT retails from £99 to £141.99. Here’s hoping that you get the best price because that would mean a bonus with such a good headphone.

Pros and Cons

Out of all the wireless headphones in this list, our best bet would be the AKG Y50BT. For the sound quality, design at this price point, we consider this the best among the rest, and the best deal we have come across reviewing yet. is not over the top, we like it that it comes with NFC that allows for just a touch between our smart phone and the SoundSport to connect via Bluetooth. In addition, because it’s made for active lifestyle, it is sweat and heat resistant so you can sweat all you want without worrying it will affect it.

*All product photos are sourced out from Amazon UK and Argos.

The first thing that you need to do when you decide to go into Bitcoins is to choose a wallet. Bitcoins are similar to your physical wallets or your savings account in a bank in that it holds your Bitcoins. What differs is that it may be digital, as in software or a mobile application or a hardware that you look after. But unlike with banks or your physical wallet, it has its own back end system that you may need to learn thoroughly as you go deeper into owning and trading Bitcoins.

But, fear not, you don’t need to be technical to enjoy the benefits of Bitcoins, or to choose a wallet. We’ve compiled the best of the bunch (and there are a lot out there!) for you to consider.

Best Bitcoin Wallets UK 2017

1. • Copay

One of the things we like about Copay is that it’s tied to Bitpay, one of the leading payment processors in the world, not to mention the largest in existence. Copay is a mobile wallet and has some pretty convenient features, but its edge comes from it being a hierarchical deterministic type of wallet. This gives Bitcoin users some peace of mind because there is a chance to recover their funds.

Moreover, because Bitcoin has many technical matters surrounding it, you’ll find Copay a breath of fresh air because it’s easy to use. It is available both on iOS and Android.Let’s take a tour of its features so you’ll know what we’re talking about.

Let’s take a tour of its features so you’ll know what we’re talking about.

User-Interface

Copay has a sleek and modern interface that makes it easier to navigate around, even for newbies.

The very first steps that you need to do is to create a wallet.

This is your main dashboard. Your next step is to actually fill up your wallet through the exchange. Copay is connected to Glidera for US and Coinbase for the other 33 countries listed. You can also buy Amazon Gift Cards using this wallet.

You can only start sending BTCs if you’ve filled up your wallet.

When receiving funds, a QR Code is the first thing you see.

Security

Let’s talk about one of the most important issues surrounding Bitcoin wallets—security. Make no mistake, as the experts say, your security is only as good as you are, but it’s always prudent to take the extra precautions.

Copay uses multi-signature or multi-sig features to ensure that transactions through Bitcoins are authorised. In addition, it is one of the first Bitcoin wallets to support the Bitcoin Payment Protocol. BPP is the key to guaranteeing that bitcoins go to the correct recipients. This is especially useful to merchants who encounter bogus buyers.

It would have completely won us over if it had 2-factor authentication. With all the hacking these days, it’s never bad to be overly cautious.

Privacy

Copay uses automatic changing of addresses for maximum anonymity. If you’re one to be paranoid about your transactions, this feature will be attractive.

Fees

Copay has set their fees at a dynamic setting, which means it will choose the best fee for any of your transactions. We would have wanted a zero transaction fee like before but most wallets no longer allow for that. With Copay, you can set it as:

Super Economy – 0.002672 BTC/kiB with 4 hours as average confirmation time

Economy – 0.002902 BTC/kiB with an 1 hour average confirmation time

Normal – 0.003223 BTC/kiB with a 30-minute average confirmation time

Priority – 0.003465 BTC/kiB with a 20-minute average confirmation time

Urgent – 0.005198 BTC/kiB with a similar confirmation time as that of the Priority Policy

Depending on your need, you at least get to choose which to use.

Best Feature

People can be careless, so losing money because of forgotten passwords or misplaced wallets is likely to happen. Copay, being a hierarchical deterministic wallet solves this recurring and annoying human trait. And it isn’t shy on this priority, seeing that it’s one of the first steps that you need to do once you download it onto your desktop or mobile phone. Backup by creating a 12-word seed, which you will use to input when you lose your password for some reason or another.

Conclusion

To sum up, Copay is a really good choice if you’re not really worried about the 2FA feature. It has good points to make it wallet of choice for bitcoin users because of its reputation being a Bitpay wallet; its multisig feature; it’s convenient because it’s on iOS and Android, so you can take it anywhere, and its hierarchical deterministic feature to keep you at ease when you’re at one point careless with your stuff and lose things.

• Trezor

Trezor is a hardware wallet. Compared to KeepKey and Ledger, it has been on the market longer. Users with a huge amount of Bitcoins are encouraged to get a hardware wallet for safe keeping. With hacking as ubiquitous as the rise of IoT, it’s logical to get a hardware wallet for added security.

Installation

The Trezor comes with a USB to micro cable to use to connect to a computer once you get the device. Go to myTrezor.com and install the Chrome plugin, but there are other ways to set up the device. If you don’t use Chrome, it will ask you to install the Trezor Bridge which, as the name implies, acts as the communication “bridge” from your computer to your device. Once done, you will be asked to update the firmware, label your device and input a PIN to create 24 words to act as the recovery seed. Pay attention to this because these 24 words will help you recover your data in case of loss. It’s a pretty straightforward installation, which does not need any technical knowledge to do so.

Use it as a Cold Wallet

If you’re using the Trezor as a cold wallet, then you probably need not go to the web interface as often as when using it as a hot wallet. And this is the right way to use the Trezor, if we may say so. It is meant to store huge amounts and for a long time, not an everyday toy.

Security

No one can move your bitcoins without the device connected to a computer and over the internet. It’s meant to stay that way unless you have other plans for your bitcoins. In addition to that, the PIN code and passphrase (24 words) seed act as added layers. However, the danger to this is in how easy it is to forget passwords, pins and phrases, with so many that we already handle. Keep it on paper and stored in a safety deposit box or somewhere else. Otherwise, your bitcoins are gone forever.

When not thinking about hacking, getting the device stolen is a possibility. However, Trezor has that covered with its Plausible Deniability feature. Sounds dramatic but it’s simply a way to create a diversion by allowing a fake password in case you get robbed and thieves wrestle the password out of you.

Fees

Like Copay, Trezor has also shifted its fees policies into a dynamic policy allowing users to choose priorities with different fees, of course.

Best feature

Trezor’s edge over Ledger and KeepKey is its reputation, being in the industry first. When it comes to hardware wallets, their features are almost the same, or if they have any difference at all, it’s minimal. So, a consumer has to rely on reputation at the least.

Downside

The only downside with Trezor is that it costs more than Ledger. KeepKey has the same cost as Trezor.

Conclusion

Overall, we’re satisfied with the Trezor and would be top of mind when it comes to all hardware wallets. Although it’s on the premium side when it comes to cost, it’s a small amount to pay for peace of mind.

• Blockchain

Blockchain wallet is the most popular wallet and has gained positive reviews even from the media. It is used on both PC and mobile phones. A hybrid wallet, it’s online but only if you have access to your private keys.

User Interface

Easy to use, with hardly any technical information needed to understand what you need to do once you log in.

This is what appears when you first log in.

As you can see, the left navigation panel is your menu. In it is Home, where it summarises your activities in the Activity Feed.

Sending bictoins is easy as well. Paste the address of the recipient or scan the QR code in the “To” portion, then the BTC. It’s really nice as well that the BTC is converted to USD so you’ll immediately know how much you’re sending. It also has the option of identifying what the money is for, for organization purposes.

When requesting for payment or BTC, you just need to fill up the necessary fields and it’s ready for the next steps.

Once you’ve submitted the information, an address is created which you will use to request for BTC.

Security

The security field is probably the longest field that you need to look into. It has multiple levels as well. Shown here is the basic security information that requires your attention. We recommend not skipping this. In this portion, you will need to ensure you backup your phrase, set up a strong password, password hint, a second wallet password, and the 2-step verification. The only downside here is that there is no way to reset your passwords. This is normal in bitcoin wallets, this is why security is a top priority.

The Security Center has its own tab to guide you step-by-step.

Notice that the 2nd level consists of linking your mobile number and enabling 2-step authentication or 2-factor authentication. Level 3 is where you choose to further increase security by blocking Tor.

Recovery Phrase

Fees

Blockchain Fees in BTC

In Advanced Sending, you will see the transaction fees you will be charged with. The fees are dynamic depending on speed it needs to successfully complete your transaction. Below are the transaction fees in BTC and USD recorded by Blockchain.

In other cases, transactions take too long. This might be because of the amount of transaction fee that you need to indicate. 0.0008+ BTC should do the trick, not less than that.

https://blockchain.info/charts/transaction-fees

Blockchain Fees in USD

Best Feature

Blockchain’s best feature is definitely its security feature, not to mention reputation. There are too many recurring risks online and offline, so ensuring this is covered is the best way to prevent security challenges from happening. This is great for beginners and sets a good precedent of security for bitcoins should they want to switch later on.

Conclusion:

We enjoyed the easy navigation feature of the Blockchain wallet. If we were to choose a desktop wallet, this will be on top of the others, even more so than Electrum. With a complicated currency, we like it that it’s the opposite when it comes to usability, so we’re sticking with Blockchain for desktop software.

• MyCelium

Out of all the wallets, MyCelium is probably the most different. For one, it allows trading with fiat money, which makes spending money easy without having to convert BTCs. But other than that, it has its own pros and cons which will help determine why it’s a reliable BTC wallet nonetheless.

MyCelium is purely mobile, hence the screen shots. This screenshot is taken from the Android app. This is what appears when you open the app for the first time.

It’s easy to navigate around the app with its horizontal menu. The basic or default tabs are all present. With the technicalities surrounding Bitcoin, developers are considerate enough to build idiot-proof UIs in their apps and software. This isn’t just on MyCelium but with the other wallets as well.

When sending BTCs, you can have different options on how to input the recipient’s address. It’s convenient as well that the transaction fee or miner’s fee is on the same page. Currently, this is set to Normal which runs at 289 sat/byte in 30 minutes. A Priority Fee is at 347 sat/byte and would take 10 minutes; Low-priority is at 213sat/byte and would take 3 hours; while Economic is at 232 sat/byte at 2 hours. Choose your priority.

Consequently, watch out for large mining fees that may seem unreasonable, as this might be a bug in the system. Reporting it to MyCelium would be wise.

When requesting, it displays your QR Code prominently, so it encourages scanning instead of keying in.

This is the Buy/Sell Bitcoin page. You can trade via credit card, Mycelium Marketplace or via Glidera. A convenient feature when you’re using MyCelium as a hot wallet. Mind you, there is a fee attached to every transaction, so have a care when using this feature.

Zoom into the Coinapult account. As it explains, it enables you to store other Fiat currencies, another convenient feature when you’re considering other currencies to use as spending money.

Security

As far as security is concerned, MyCelium supports Backup which produces the 12-word seed that will help you recover your funds. On another note, it encrypts all data and keys. But then again, the security is only as good as how you plan for it. A mobile phone can easily be lost or stolen, so a separate mobile phone is a good idea.

Best Feature

Out of all the other wallets in this list, only MyCelium has the capability to store other Fiat currencies. It’s convenient for someone using MyCelium as a hot wallet. Instead of using other applications or even cash to buy something, you can just use this feature for your purchases.

Conclusion

MyCelium certainly is different from the rest but it is in this that makes it worth the try. It will not be as strong as Blockchain in security or as lightweight as Electrum, but it’s a challenger when it comes to using it as a cold wallet. It’s multiple Fiat currency storing feature is just the thing it needs to be a really good cold wallet.

• Electrum

Electrum is one of the most trusted wallets out there. Search for any list and it will be there. Last year, they released their Android version, so convenience is added to its many great features. Let’s check out how it compares to the rest of this group.

User Interface

This is the desktop version. It could do a lot better in its visuals to make it more appealing but the interface makes up for it. We’re looking at the mobile more in this review.

Once you open the Electrum wallet, it will ask you what type of wallet you want to create. Obviously, a multisig wallet is the best option, security-wise.

Once you choose multisig, it will take you to this page which will ask you about the number of signatures needed to transact.

Fast forward, it will ask you to add your co-signers public key by pasting it or scanning. We tried the scanning function but unfortunately, it won’t go through, so we typed in the word seed instead.

Once that’s done, the app will generate your addresses and take you to your default dashboard. Your History is what comes up first.

The Send tab shows the usual Recipient, Amount, and Description. You also have the option of scanning or pasting the recipient’s address.

When sending BTC, you will notice that a different dialog pops up or either takes you to a different page. One for the recipient address, another for the amount and lastly, a description of your transaction. We’re not fans of too many switches to pages because it takes you away from the other information. It would have been simpler if everything stons in one page to key in all information.

It does the same on the Receiving page.

This is the Settings page, which will enumerate preferences. The thing with Bitcoin unlike in any other application, is that you MUST review your settings before making any transaction. On this page, you will choose your preferences of Fees, Labels, Language, Currently and the like. If you skip this, you might end up paying a hefty fee on transactions that you are not prepared to do so, or PIN code might be turned off, creating security issues.

Fees

Fees are dynamic and it seems to be the norm. This is set as Normal, but slide to the right and it changes to 25 blocks, which is the slowest transaction time. Note that the fee is in mBTC (milliBitcoin), not BTC like the others. You can use a converter if you want it in other currencies as well.

Best Feature

Compared to the other wallets, we had a few challenges in getting the application up and running. It might not be the same for the rest. Unlike in its desktop counterpart, the Android app does not come with the rest of the technicalities. It was a straightforward, simple interface that will make it easy for a newbie to use.

Conclusion

Electrum is one of the popular and reliable wallets out there, but it might be better if you stick with the desktop for now.

Newbie or a Master

Bitcoin is evolving. The right way to approach it is to learn more and keep yourself updated especially on security and fees. Newbies get to experience a dynamic currency, while experts or advanced bitcoiners have something to contribute to the Bitcoin evolution. Wherever you are in the learning curve, it’s always prudent to be arm yourself with the latest in information to mitigate risks.

Electrum Bitcoin Wallet – Review, Download, Fees and User Guide

The best mobile networks in the UK is in this list. However, the best of the best ran through many considerations to be called the best and might be subjective as you go through the list. As an example, one network might have the best mobile network coverage by postcode, another might be the best mobile network signal. This means, depending on what you feel works best for you, the best mobile network in the UK answer can only have a definite answer when you go through your needs and preferences.

More than 80% UK internet users will have a smart phone this year. The norm of ubiquity drives this list as we write. Mobile phones have simply become a part of our lives. In November of last year, mobile web usage has overtaken desktop for the first time (globally) – in the UK we are getting close:

In Ofcoms’s survey, there are 14 mobile phone networks operator included, with a mix of those with telco infrastructure and MVNOs or Mobile Virtual Network Operators, who ride on other companies’ network. Despite that, we chose not to discriminate any types of mobile networks such as the MVNOs from the list because performance does not depend solely on infrastructure. Among UK’s mobile networks list, one will emerge as the top performer.

Top 5 Best Mobile Networks in the UK

1. EE

BT bought EE last year, making it an even bigger network. In the 2^nd half of 2016 survey by RootMetrics, EE came out on top as the overall performer. It claims to be the fastest and widest 4G network in the country, with 95% coverage by 2020.

Average Speed and 4G Availability

EE uses three types of 4G, which defines their plan offerings. They use standard, double speed, and 4g+ as the highest. However, not all three 4G types are available on all geographies. On EE, the average download speed is at 33.83 Mbit/sec, while download speed is at 13.81 Mbit/sec.

EE’s mobile coverage almost covers the entire country. It has a 4g coverage of 98-99% of the population. Almost all towns are covered but Sidmouth, Ilfracombe, Midsomer, Norton and Wymondham have yet to benefit from it.

Offerings/Promotions/Subscription Fees

EE currently offers free data boosts every three months on their Pay-as-You-Go SIM when you use your top up to buy a pack each month. There are different packs to choose from depending on your need. When you buy three 30-day packs at £8 or above, you can get an extra 500 MB, 50 minutes, or 250 texts every three months. You can also use your freebies while you are on roaming in 48 destinations across Europe.

Students can get a 20% off their bills on selected phone and SIM plans and are available to new and existing student customers. Students just need to grab a UNiDAYS code when checking out in the EE shop.

You can also take advantage of their SIM Only deals starting from £10 per month that comes with 250 minutes, unlimited texts, and 250 MB data. The highest plan they have costs £41.99 per month with unlimited texts and minutes, and 30 GB of data. Also, they have limited promotions, so best to check back.

Customer Service

In Ofcom’s customer service survey, EE got an overall score of 50% despite its strength in 4G coverage.

Pros and Cons

A 4G connection is especially important if we are talking about speed and reliability. YouTube viewing is much faster than on a 3G network. EE has provided the widest geographical coverage among its competitors however, because EE uses three types of 4G, signal still varies and is best to check with their coverage checker. Their 4G Extra and 4G+ is limited to select areas.

In terms of price or subscription fee, its scheme goes from regular to premium depending on the package. Its boost freebie every three months would be more enticing if done on a monthly basis instead of every three months. In addition, they have different packages for every need. There’s Pay Monthly deals, SIM Only deals and Pay-as-You-Go deals on top of the Upgrade and Existing Customer deals. There are no unlimited data deals, however you can go unlimited with calls and texts depending on the package you choose.

On a last note, the most glaring drawback with EE is its capability to respond to customer concerns. Their low rating needs much improvement to impress on customers that they take care of their customers even after a sale. To us, great customer service is one deciding factor in choosing a mobile operator because this means being prepared with a solution to anticipated problems. This means being one step ahead of the customer. We hope to see EE improve this soon.

2. Three

Three UK is a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa. It is the only network that is purely data that started on 3G and now 4G. Because of this, it set its customers’ experience on a high level than those using 2G networks. When it launched in 2003, it was the country’s first video mobile network. It was recently awarded the best Network for Data by uSwitch Mobile Awards by consumers. Three UK carries 45% of data traffic in the UK.

Average Speed and 4G Availability

Three Mobile UK and EE has been at it on the speed race. Last year sometime April, Three sped through EE in download speeds at an average of 24.5Mbps according to OpenSignal. In a test by SimSherpa, Three averages 22.46-24.46 Mbps. This is on its 4G network. Although its speed is close to EE, its coverage falls short, with only 40% as of April 2016. When on certain parts of the country, users will drop down to a 3G coverage. Continually check on coverage on their 3 coverage checker to find out.

Offerings/Promotions/Subscription Fee

Three also has SIM only plans or Pay-as-You-Go Plans, depending on what you need. SIM only plans start at £5 per month with 500 Mb, 200 minutes and All-you-can-eat Texts. But if money is no object, its premium is at £35 per month with All-you-can-eat data, All-you-can-eat minutes, All-you-can-eat texts with a month binding contract. If you’re looking for something in between, they have 44 SIM plans to choose from.

Three divides its plans into two categories: Essential and Advanced. For Essential Plans, you are in full control of your full consumption. Depending on your preference, you can set a limit and configure your settings to block when you go beyond. If you feel a plan isn’t for you after a month, you can always change it.

Advanced Plans on the other hand, includes their Feel-at-Home in 60 destinations without paying extra costs. This means you can use your phone abroad in 19 countries to be exact. Other than that, you can use your phone to call customer service without paying extra and use it as a personal hotspot. And what’s probably unique is that you get a WiFi signal on the London Underground. Creative thinking for Three!

Customer Service

In OfCom’s 2016 data, key findings reveal that for every 100,000 subscribers, Three got 14 complaints. Overall average across all mobile networks is 35. It got a satisfaction rating of 89%, 80% on satisfaction on reception, 60% on satisfaction with complaints handling.

Pros and Cons

The highlight of Three’s performance is on its Advanced Plans where they offer All-you-can-eat options. If this was 5 or 10 years ago, an unlimited offer would be overboard, but with consumers practically living off their phones, it’s a good call. In addition, it’s starting plan is a steal at £5 on their Essential Plans. When you’re on an Essential plan, you’d get notifications on your current usage via text alerts. Commuters would have a kick at having WiFi at the London Underground which helps save on data.

The only problem with Three is on its limited 4G coverage. Compared to EE, it’s far from being able to supply its customers with 4G.

3. Vodafone

Vodafone is part of the 2^nd largest mobile phone provider  Vodafone Group. It is the first operator in the UK to abolish roaming charges in 50 destinations in Europe with their Vodafone Global Roaming. In 2016, they were named London’s # 1 Network by P3 Connect. In 2015, Vodafone celebrated the anniversary of UK’s first mobile phone call on their network, establishing them as the pioneers in the industry.

Average Speed and 4G Availability

Vodafone is among the fastest in average speed on their 4G network at 15 Mbps. It covers 67.73% of the country on 4G. But just as we always say, coverage will depend on postcode, so it’s best to consult the coverage checker by Vodafone on their website.

Offerings/Promotions/Subscription Fees

Compared to the first two mobile operator, Vodafone has very few SIM only Plans with just 8 to choose from. This does not necessarily mean it’s a point against the, in fact, it might prove easier for consumers to choose. Its plans are divided into Essentials, Red Extra and Red Entertainment. Essentials are the basic offering with texts, minutes, and data, Roam-free destinations, and phone upgrade at only 3 months in the plan. However, you can always include add-ons such as additional data, calls and picture messages. Red Extra has unlimited minutes. Red Entertainment is everything plus usually an entertainment package such as Spotify, Sky Sports, Now and Secure Net trial.

On Essential, its lowest plan is at £9.50 per month. Its premium Essential is at £17.50 per month. Red Extra has only one plan at £18 per month. Red Entertainment ranges from £19 – £40. All these plans are fixed on a monthly basis.

Customer Service

Unfortunately, Vodafone has been rated as one of the worst in customer service tied with EE according to Which? Vodafone has a satisfaction score of only 50%. Last year, Ofcom fined Vodafone with a £4.6m fine for breaches on consumer protection laws.

Pros and Cons

Vodafone’s 4G speed average is considered at a high rate. In addition, it has these extra special services that are not offered elsewhere. But the best features when on Vodafone is that its monthly plans are fixed and will not change until the duration of the contracts and its 30-day network trial, which helps consumers determine whether a Vodafone network works in their area or is acceptable.

The bad news is that coverage is still not as wide as we wanted. It still falls short of EE’s coverage, if we are to compare. Besides this, its plans range higher than Three’s and EE’s and its add-ons are annoying because it seems you have to pay for extra for everything. What’s worse is that when you exceed, charges are high, so subscribers need to be extra diligent in tracking their consumption. Lastly, its customer service is considered the worst (with EE) among 12 other operators. That’s some serious issues and a huge deterrent to go with Vodafone.

4. O2

O2 is Telefonica UK Limited but trading as O2. It is owned by Spanish multinational Telefonica. It is the second largest telecommunications provider in UK after EE. It also owns half of Tesco Mobile. It has over 450 retail stores. A few other mobile providers ride on the O2 network to operate.

Average Speed and 4G Availability

In terms of phone coverage comparison, O2’s mobile coverage is better than Vodafone and Three UK at 68.98%. O2 has a download speed of 15.42 Mbps.

Offerings/Promotions/Subscription Fees

O2 has one of the most expensive SIM only plans. It’s lowest is at £10.50 per month while its highest is at £40. On a £10.50 per month, you have 250 Mb data, 250 minutes, unlimited Texts on a 12-month contract, while on a £40 plan, you have 25 GB data, unlimited Minutes, unlimited Texts, also on a 12-month contract. After 12 months, expect rates to increase according to Retail Price Index (RPI).

They have promotions on fees, so check back on their website for any good deals before settling.

Customer Service

O2 has a customer satisfaction rating of 62% according to the 2017 Which? Survey. Not low like Vodafone and EE, but not as high up there with Giffgaff.

Pros and Cons

We like it that O2 has a better coverage than Vodafone and Three. In fact, it is #2 on 4G network availability in the Mobile Performance Results done by OpenSignal. In that, although it doesn’t top the speed race, it is balanced by coverage and customer satisfaction. In a pretty nice place, with potential for huge improvement if we were to say so.

The only gripe is on its tariff fees, which are higher than the rest and their lack of unlimited data plans.

5. Giffgaff

Giffgaff runs as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) riding on the O2 network. It does not own any telecommunications infrastructure but enters into an agreement with a company who does, such as O2. But even with that setup, Giffgaff has managed to impress even at its early infancy. In 2010, after only a year of operation, it won the Forrester Groundswell Award and the Most Innovative Community Award at the Social CRM Customer Excellence Awards. Since 2014, it has won the uSwitch Network of the Year Award for 3 consecutive years. They have to be doing something right with these awards.

Average Speed and 4G Availability

Because Giffgaff network uses O2’s network, it’s logical that it also has the same speed as O2. Its coverage is at 66% on 4G.

Offerings/Promotions/Subscription Fees

Giffgaff call their SIM only plans Goody Bags with plans ranging from £5 per month with 100 MB data, 150 minutes and 500 texts to £20 with 6 GB data capping, unlimited Minutes and unlimited Texts. It’s among the lowest in this list. You can also change your plan every month if your current plan does not suit you. And when you switch to 4G signal, you don’t pay any additional to use it.

Customer Service

Giffgaff is number 1 in Which? Customer satisfaction with an 81% rating. About 70% of its customers say they will recommend Giffgaff to family and friends. Keeping customers happy is one of the best things that can happen to a company, and Giffgaff has nailed the formula, especially in a customer-centric era.

Pros and Cons

There are certainly other mobile networks that are out there, even bigger than the Giffgaff network. But we chose to include Giffgaff in this list for a few significant reasons. One, is its performance on customer satisfaction. It was rated the highest with an 81% rating among 13 other operators. It’s approach on customer service is that of an embraced community. Members are known as “giffgaffers” and have many active members in their forum to help newbies. Members who help are given incentives for helping fellow giffgaffers. Second, its network to network calls is free without any catch. Third, it rides on the O2 network, which has the second widest 4G coverage next to EE. With this, it also uses O2’s mobile coverage. Although similar in network presence, Giffgaff surpases O2 with its top-level customer service performance.

In addition, Giffgaff has one of the lowest deals in the list, even on its premium offering. Giffgaff certainly deserves a spot on anyone’s shortlist.

Have you come across any other mobile phone provider reviews? Which ones did you consider best? Is your choice for best mobile network in the UK in 2016 same as this year? Care to share?

Vape shops in the UK will play a very important role in curbing smoking as new laws on Vaping will be more stifling to the industry than helpful. Vaping is a well-known alternative to smoking and is said to be 95% less harmful. Because of the new law, Vape pens and juice prices will increase possibly turning off those who have switched and those who are thinking of making the switch to it. If it does not turn away possible switchers, smokers might resort to buying from the black market who sell products that have not been regulated to meet safety standards.

Former smokers switch to vaping because they want to quit the habit. There are 1.5 million vapers who are ex-smokers. Despite the new law, those who truly want to use vaping as an alternative to curbing the nicotine habit should be inquisitive of vape shops. Although they can depend on legitimate stores that are known for their quality products, there are equally a number of shady sellers out there. If not the black market, less desirable ones proliferate the internet, where it is becoming the norm to buy the product from. Consumers should watch out for these and identify signs of a shady deal or be smart about getting the best deals out of their experiences.

The best Vape shops in the UK will play a very important role in curbing smoking as new laws on Vaping will be more stifling to the industry than helpful. Vaping is a well-known alternative to smoking and is said to be 95% less harmful. Because of the vaping UK law, Vape kits, vaping mods and juice prices will increase possibly turning off those who have switched and those who are thinking of making the switch to it. If it does not turn away possible switchers, smokers might resort to buying from the black market who sell products that have not been regulated to meet safety standards.

Former smokers switch to vaping because they want to quit the habit. There are 1.5 million vapers who are ex-smokers. Despite the new law, those who truly want to use vaping as an alternative to curbing the nicotine habit should be inquisitive of vape sites in the UK. Although they can depend on legitimate stores that are known for their quality products, there are equally a number of shady sellers out there. If not the black market, low quality products proliferate the internet, where it is becoming the norm to buy the product from. Consumers should watch out for these. Whether they are considered best vape shop in London or claims to be the best online vape store in UK, customers need to do their own research to ensure they’re not being scammed.

Top 5 Best Online Vape Stores In The UK

Vapers need not go far to search for the best and legit stores. Here are our Top 5 best online vape stores in the country. These are best vape sites to order from UK that you can check out for best deals. But more than a good deal, choosing vaping mods, vape kits or vape juice should be done with care.

1. Vapour.uk

Vapour.uk has been bringing in premium brands from the UK and US since 2014. They boast of having been with the industry since 2010. They sell E-liquid, vaping mods, vape kits, Tanks, Coils and other necessary accessories for vaping.

How to Navigate through the  Vapour.uk  Store

On the homepage, you will be greeted with a pop up of a promotion. In this case, Vapour.uk is offering a 12% off on your first order. Watch out for a popup promotion every now and then. If you’re lucky, you can get a UK ecig store discount code to key in when purchasing.

Still on the homepage, it has a nice, simple design. Its contents are neatly arranged in boxes that you can easily distinguish from each other. However, it still has the standard horizontal menu bar, that makes it easier to search per category.

When you click on a specific category, like in this page, we are taken to a selection of products. On the left portion is a function to compare products with each other. The only gripe we have in this page is the filter portion where you can only filter by position and website title which actually means to sort alphabetically. This could use some enhancing such as filtering by brand or price.

On the other hand, the checkout was easy, with clear instructions for new or returning customers.

Price/Fees/Promotions

Vapour.uk offers fast tracked free delivery for orders above £30 plus a same-day dispatch if you beat the 3 PM cut-off time. Not bad for those new to vaping because when you purchase a kit, you would want to add on some e-liquid in case you run out unexpectedly. The shop has a wide range of flavours, it’ll make your eyes pop. You will find across the site items that are on sale or included in a promotion, so best to shop around the site. On top of your purchases, Vapour.uk also rewards loyal customers with a 2% back every time you order.

Benefits/Best Feature

The best feature of the store is in its simplicity and organization of products. Its uncluttered arrangement of products make it easy for any vaper to quickly breeze through the check-out counter. We all know we hate having to fill in a lot of field, so this setup is the best for the impatient customer.

2. Apollo E-cigarettes

Said to be one of the widely-known e-cig manufacturers, Apollo E-cigarettes is a manufacturer of all things vape, not just a reseller. They are your so called direct vapour in UK. They offer a different variety for the market, and often offer limited edition products. This aligns with their name and brand promise to provide exploration and discovery with all their products.

How to Navigate through the Store

The homepage contains products that can be scrolled down, some slide sideways, and their blog. Various products slide left and right for viewing, although there is a menu category on top for organization purposes.

Inside each category, you will see products in grid view. However, the left pane shows other categories and products that you can skip to if you can’t find the e-cig product on the current page.

When clicking on a specific product, it takes you to a dedicated page with all the necessary information you need to know about the e-cig product. It’s a really nice page where you can see everything you need such as price, add-ons, including promotional offers that go well with what you want to purchase. It also shows current promotions on the right panel. If you ask us, it’s a good feature as one of the vape sites in UK.

If you scroll further down, you will see options to purchase accessories and supplies. What’s really cool on the product page before purchasing is that it shows you how much loyalty points you earn, right next to the add to cart button.

But we think the pop-up is overkill because it’s technically shoving additional products when they have done that before clicking on add to cart. It’s an interruption that is incorrectly placed, if we may say so.

The Checkout counter though, is the opposite of anything intrusive because it is straight to the point—it shows you what you want to purchase including details, rewards points, shipping options, and discount codes that you may have.

Price/Fees/Promotions

Apollo’s price range does not differ much from what Vapour.uk is offering, although it is higher, the difference is not that significant. However, there are also other products that are much cheaper than what is in Vapou.uk.

We noticed that Apollo likes to sell in packages as much as individual products.  It also offers free shipping on orders above £30 and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Benefits/Best Feature

The best part of the site is its Live Chat support, where you can enquire while in the process of choosing your vape product. Other than that, a blog is useful to find out if there are any tips when choosing from a wide selection of products especially on e-juices. But the most important part of any online transaction is its security, with a Thawte seal that means Apollo has gone through means to secure your transactions with them. It might not be the first that vapers look for, but for online transactions, it pays to be extra careful.

3. Jacvapour

Jacvapour is a Brit through and through, designing their own hardware unlike other manufacturers. Aside from a UK vape store online, it also has brick and mortar stores across the UK, a dedicated German online store, and a dedicated wholesale website. So, if at one time you type in a “vaping shop near me”, you might want to try one of their physical stores.

How to Navigate through the Store

The homepage has a nice visual, preferring to use photos that uses nature for background. This might be the reason why it feels like spring, without bold and gaudy use of colours. Although not as simple as Vapour.uk, Jacvapour arranged it neatly with minimal downward scrolls. Each product box has a different call-to-action appropriate for each product. As an example, the E-liquids box has a “Taste Now” call-to-action, while New products have “Explore now”.

When you click on a product, it takes you to a simple page with clear descriptions. However, instead of long descriptions that ran on throughout the page, it opted for drop-downs for each detail, so customer need not scroll down too much.

The Checkout Counter, like the product page, is designed to have a dropdown of details for each step you need to take. This is good, so the customer need not wait for another page to load, instead it stays on the same page, making the filling up part quicker.

Price/Fees/Promotions

Price-wise, it’s not much different from Apollo and Vapour.uk. However, it’s free delivery is a tad higher than that of the other two vendors, with above £50 for to qualify for free delivery. On another note, its rewards program called The JAC Pack is unlike any. It rewards you for anything that you do within the site or store. For example, it rewards you for simply setting up a JAC account, signing up for a newsletter or referring a friend. On top of the activity-based points, it also has categories for every loyal customer, each having its own rewards points and privileges. Its Rewards Packages are called Jack, King/Queen, and Ace. It’s like joining an exclusive club!

Benefits/Best Feature

While they fell short on the required purchase to qualify for a delivery, Jacvapour redeemed itself as a part of the best online vape stores in the UK by creating a rewards program that not only entices customers to purchase but to include their customers into a community, complete with perks and privileges.

4. UK E-cig Store

Over 600 E-liquids in one place. That’s what UK E-cig Store claims to have from manufacturers all over the world. From original tobacco flavour to the weird stuff, they have it. UK E-cig has stores in Camden and Wembley plus its online store, that just might be the biggest online vape store in all of UK.

How to Navigate through the Store

The homepage layout is somehow similar to Apollo only with different colour schemes. It’s nicely laid out for the first and second scroll, but it gets overwhelming when you continue to scroll down because of the number of products displayed. It features a slider, with highlighted products for the first two parts of the page.

When inside a product page, it differs from the first 3 stores because UK E-cig preferred to have it in a table format. That’s a very organized way of looking at it without much clutter and clearly displays the Add to Cart button.

The Checkout Counter shows a summary of what you are about to purchase, and again, a neat checkout counter layout. We won’t be surprised if orders only take seconds to do. The simplicity of your basket makes it easier to breeze through payment.

Price/Fees/Promotions

Similar to the first 3, price difference is not that significant. What’s a plus factor is its free delivery requirement, with just over £20 to qualify. That’s lower than the £30 offered by Vapour.uk. It also offers same day, beat the 3PM deadline dispatch. What’s a bummer is the lack of a loyalty program that the rest has (unless we are mistaken, we just couldn’t find it.).

Benefits/Best Feature

The best part about shopping with UK E-cig is its lowest requirement for delivery at just over £20. But other than that, this is a contender for Vapour.uk’s simplistic layout which make checkout even easier than Vapour.uk. Low free delivery requirement, simple layout, and a short checkout process—that’s something that customers can expect to experience within the site.

5. 1 EJuice

No.1Ejuice is our fifth in our list of best online vape stores in the UK. It has 60 brands and more than 400 pure, uncut flavours and various strengths, from UK, US, and French brands. No.1EJuice is one of the largest distributors in the UK. It also sells wholesale for those who want to go into the business.

How to Navigate through the Store

The homepage’s colour scheme is suggestive of candies and juices. At some point, it’s apt because it sells juices, albeit for e-cigs. A clean layout and its grid-type display of products isn’t too overwhelming unlike in other sites. It might have something to do with the colour scheme. Although, the font colour gets a bit too bright for clear reading.

The product page is as clean as the homepage, even with the use of photos with white background. It helps highlight the product more than anything else.

Checkout Counter is a no-nonsense page, with straightforward process. Though you can include a coupon code or gift certificate, these are placed in such a non-intrusive way unlike in popups.

Price/Fees/Promotions

There are a few products that are significantly higher compared to how much the other sites are selling it, but they also have products that are on the same range. There are vape clearance events but other than what the mobile site is allowing us to view, there are no other promotions.

Benefits/Best Feature

Possibly the best in colour scheme compared to the rest, the No.1 Ejuice Store’s design is a plus factor. However, in our experience, we had difficulty loading the webpage compared to the mobile page. But the best feature with No.1EJuice is its dedicated page for clearance sales. It is the only vape shop online in this list that has “clearance” in the menu bar. It’s a total come-on for the deal finder with product price slashes and value packs on display.

Have you had any experience with other stores? There are certainly a lot more, but we found these five as among the most mentioned. If you’re in need of a list of vape stores, look no further than these five.

Credit and Debit card readers are one of the most simple and fast solutions for small business who wish to charge payments from their customers, while on the go using only your iPhone and a small Contactless card reader. The advantages of iPhone debit and credit card readers are the fact that they are completely mobile- they are Contactless – all you need is just an intent connection and the card reader. The iPhone card readers that we will review on this Best iPhone card readers review can read any debit or credit card – whether the credit card comes with chip security, or with pin security. According to the UK card association, in 2017 there are about 108.4 million credit and debit cards in the UK, with an increase of about 121.9% of Contactless transactions from last year and about 9.36 GBP payment per transaction. From this specific data, it is clear that people in the UK choose to use credit and debit cards, and they like to do it Contactless. The iPhone card readers are a great solution for the people needs – fast transactions, no need to wait or even get up to your seat. The card readers we review are always posh looking- nice and high-tech style to them, and the fees are different between each card readers reviewed here. So with no further adieu, here are the best card readers.

Top 5 UK Credit and Debit Card Readers

1. PayPal Here Card Reader

   Paypal Here card reader is working with iPhone, iPad or your Android device. You will need to install the Paypal here app and you are good to go! Obviously you will need 3G or Wifi internet connection. Signing up for PayPal Here is pretty simple – You just need to: A. sign up for PayPal account (if you already have one you can use it, but if you are working in a business, maybe its better to just use the business PayPal account). B. Download the PayPal Here App  – iPhone app, Android app. C. Order your PayPal here iPhone card reader. You can either do it online through this page, or you can do it directly through the PayPal Here app (go to: menu—> card readers—-> Order new reader). PayPal Here fees: At the time of this card reader review there are NO monthly or any fixed fees. The only fees start from 2.75% per transaction down to 1.75% – depending on your total sales and transactions.

   Your monthly sales	PayPal Here fee	Interchange Plus
   Up to £1,500	2.75%	IC + 2.5%
   £1500.01-£,6000	2.75%	IC + 2.5%
   £6,000.01 – £15,000	2.0%	IC + 1.75%
   £15,000.01-£55,000	1.5%	IC + 1.25%
   £55,000+	Call 0800 358 7929	Call 0800 358 7929

   As you can see the Interchange fees vary from 0.2% to 2.0%. The actual card reader will cost you £75, and the time delivery of the card reader is 2-3 days and the nice thing about it is the fact that you return it after 30 days free! You will get 1 year warranty for the card reader. This is the PayPal Here community forum

   

2. iZettle Credit card Reader
   iZettle is another stylish and high tech looking credit and debit card reader. It comes with “Point of sell” or POS app. iZettle comes with 2 different packages: the Basic and the “Plus”. The Basic package is free monthly and 1.95% transaction fee. The “Plus”package will cost you 20GBP per month + VAT, and 1.5% transaction fee (0.045% less then the Basic package). You will also get premium support with the Plus package. One of the things iZettle are proud of is the next day deposits – no matter which specific card was processed. The iZettle card reader will cost you £29 + VAT, and i must say, its looking good:
   In order to use iZettle you will need to download the app: IOS App (iPhone and apple products) or Android App. After you ordered your iZettle card reader, wait for 1-2 working days, then you will need to connect it to the app, whether it iphone or android app and you are good to go! iZettle also have Pro Contactless card reader and Lite reader. Here are the Android devices that will work with iZettle (taken from this page).
   
3. Square Card Reader
   Square Card Reader is stylish and nice designed card reader, poket size, working with Square app (will add links to the apps in this card reader review) and is working with most of the debit and credit cards out there- contactless or with chip / pin technology and even working with mobile devices (if you wish to pay with your mobile device, you can). Square fees are straight forward: if you buy the Square reader without a doc, it will cost you £39.00 + VAT, if you are adding a doc, you will pay £19.00 more. According to Square website, you will pay 1.75% per each transaction for Visa, MasterCard and AMEX credit or debit cards – No monthly fees. They promises that if you process 100gbp the will deposit £98.25 deposited into your bank as fast as the next business day. The delivery of the Square is free of charge. You can manage multiple users on your devices – making it simple for you to manage payments and employees.
4. ACR122
   Our number 4 on this credit and debit cards readers is the ACR122 is a light wight reader, reading Chip, Pin and contactless debit and credit cards. The ACR122 price is 29.85GBP for one unite, 26.87GBP for 10 unites (i am talking price per unit and before VAT). The fees of the ACR122 are not mentioned on the website.
5. SumUp Air
   The SumUp Air is a great looking credit and debit card reader, the SumUp Air terminal will read Contactless (NFC), Chip, Pin and even magnetic stripe. SumUp app is compatible with IOS and Android devices. The SumUp point of sell will cost you £29 valid for one account per card reader. You have 30 days money back guaranty, so if you are not happy, just return your SumUp Air card reader and the money is back to your pocket.
   
   The SumUp delivery time is 4-5 days. SumUp fees: no monthly payments, you are paying 1.95% per transaction for any card. Simple! The card reader is coming with 1 year warranty.