Time-saving gadgets 'wasteful'

A CONSUMER watchdog has released a top ten list of "money-wasting products you don't need" after tests found they failed to live up to expectations.

Gadgets such as a peanut butter maker and tumble dryer balls were ridiculed for not doing what they claimed on the packaging. Which? magazine said users could save up to 400 by ignoring far-fetched claims about products that simply do not work.

Several products were so far from matching their claims that they did the opposite of what they were supposed to in tests and could cost extra time and money, the watchdog said. For example, a gas energy saver took more energy to boil a pan of water than without it, and the tumble dryer balls had no effect in tests and did not save time on drying.

Other devices to be avoided were smoothie makers with taps - which proved difficult to clean and were slow pouring - and small photo printers, which were expensive and no better than a general printer.

A test of 12 anti-wrinkle eye creams found a 2.98 pot of Simple moisturiser had the same "limited" effect as the most expensive cream.

Which? magazine editor Martyn Hocking said: "Which? believes that some products are simply not worth spending your hard-earned money on.

"Several products were so far from matching their claims, they did the opposite in our tests and could cost you extra time and money. Other products have astounded us with how useless they seem to be."