counters

I tried Lakeland’s £9.99 mini vacuum for kitchen counters — it’s a gamechanger for messy eaters

MY DINING table doubles up as my workspace, which means I’m no stranger to a dusting of toast crumbs on my desk.

When I spotted Lakeland’s super-cute countertop vacuum, which costs just £9.99, I was seriously intrigued.

As long as the compact gadget worked well enough, I thought it had potential to be a game-changing cleaning hack.

Hand holding a Lakeland cleaning device on a wooden surface.
The small device would easily fit in a kitchen or dining room drawer.Credit: Supplied

Mini Countertop Vacuum, £9.99 from Lakeland

On first glance, the Lakeland vacuum is small and sleek. It’s also super easy to use, with a single setting — you press the button to fire it into action, and then you simply move it across any surface to suck up the crumbs.

Technically, that’s something you could do with a normal cordless vacuum cleaner, but, being honest, that feels like too much effort.

Plus, this feels more hygienic, as you can restrict its use to just surfaces and not floors.

Lakeland Mini Countertop Vacuum: Quickfire Q&A

How much is it? It costs just £9.99, making it an absolute bargain.

Who’s it best for? It’s great for families who eat most of their meals at home, and people who have to clean up after kids (or messy adults, for that matter).

What we loved: The affordable price, the compact design and the fact that it’s cordless — it’s brilliantly convenient.

What we didn’t: It’s only really useful for dry, crumbly foods like toast crumbs — you wouldn’t want to use it on anything wet or slimy.

  • Lakeland Mini Countertop Vacuum, £9.99 from Lakeland – buy here

Performance

I would usually grab a cloth or a piece of kitchen towel to wipe down the dining table after a meal, but keeping the vacuum nearby presents a much more convenient alternative.

It’s got bristles underneath, which help guide crumbs to underneath the vacuum.

I found the best method was to use it to sweep the crumbs into a corner (while switched off) before turning it on, and then sucking them up.

Close-up of a white device with small black brushes.
The brushes underneath help collect the crumbs.Credit: Supplied

Mini Countertop Vacuum, £9.99 from Lakeland

Another handy use for the Mini Countertop Vacuum is in the kitchen, when you’re preparing food and creating a mess — I found it particularly useful to have on hand when making toast.

The suction isn’t going to rival a normal vacuum, but it’s easily powerful enough for crumbs, so it definitely does what it claims to — and at £9.99, you’ve got to class that as a win.

I’d recommend it for those quick clean-ups in between proper household cleans.

If you have kids, I can only imagine how much use you’d get out of it — especially since the description says it’ll even suck up glitter!

If you have kids, I can only imagine how much use you’d get out of it — especially since the description says it’ll even suck up glitter!

I might live in an adult-only household, but as a fiend for messy help-yourself meals, I’ve found myself reaching for the countertop vacuum often.

If you work in an office, the device would be useful to keep in a drawer for when you need to do a swift cleanup of your workspace.

It’s not too noisy (although you’re only likely to use it for a few seconds anyway), and it’s also cordless, charging up via a USB cable. 

The small and lightweight design means you could even take it away with you if you’re staying somewhere self-catered.

The only thing it won’t help with is wet spills, so drips and splashes from drinks or sauces will still need to be wiped up.

White Lakeland device.
Its small and lightweight design makes it super portableCredit: Supplied

Mini Countertop Vacuum, £9.99 from LakelandVacuum £9.99

While we’re on the topic of handy household gadgets, I swear by an Amazon clothes steamer that costs £21.99 and helps me avoid ironing.

I also recently tested out one of the most compact cooking devices money can buy, in my Ninja Crispi air fryer review.

The verdict: is the Lakeland Countertop vacuum worth buying?

Lakeland’s Countertop Vacuum is ideal for households with children, anyone who hosts dinner parties, or if you’re like me and need a quick and easy way to keep your workspace clean.

For just a tenner, it’s a total bargain and a must-have for anyone who wants a convenient way to banish crumbs for good.

  • Lakeland Mini Countertop Vacuum, £9.99 from Lakeland – buy here

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I tried supermarket own-brand kitchen cleaners – my 89p winner is £2 cheaper than Flash and left my counters sparkling

SPRING is a great time to give your home a good clean.

But it can be infuriating when you splash out on a product that claims to work wonders and it just doesn’t deliver.

Woman holding various kitchen cleaner spray bottles.

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Lynsey Hope reviewed a number of kitchen sprays to see which one came out on topCredit: Oliver Dixon

Supermarket shelves are lined with so many different bottles and sprays, it can be hard to know which will save you extra elbow grease without breaking the bank.

Lynsey Hope reviews a selection of kitchen sprays to find out which ones can really deliver:

Method Daily Kitchen Cleaner (828m) at Ocado

Method Daily Kitchen Cleaner spray bottle.

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Method Daily Kitchen Cleaner (828m) at Ocado costs £3.75Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “A lovely fresh clementine smell, which wasn’t at all overpowering.

“This cleaner is plant-based and made with biodegradable ingredients so a great eco choice.

“As the ingredients are gentle, this is suitable for use on worktops, tiles, stone, wood and glass so I liked how versatile it was.

“The bottle, minus the trigger, is also made with recycled plastic. In terms of cleaning, it was reasonably effective.

“It did a great job of getting rid of food stains such as jam and peanut butter and it was even pretty good at stubborn, burnt over mess on the hob.

“My only complaint is that it did leave smears, I think because it is made with coconut oil.”

Effectiveness: 4/5

Value: 2/5

Total score: 6/10

Shopping discounts – How to make savings and find the best bargains

Aldi Power Force Kitchen Cleaner (750ml)

Bottle of Power Force Original Kitchen Cleaner.

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Aldi Power Force Kitchen Cleaner (750ml) is the best price per 100ml of liquidCredit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “No surprise that Aldi’s cleaner is the best price per 100ml of liquid, but just how well does it work?

“You have to spray it on and leave for five minutes before scrubbing away so it took longer than some of the other products but actually, it did a good job.

“It was one of the best at cleaning up food spills and for cutting through grease I’d give it 10/10.

“There were no nasty smears after use. It doesn’t score many points for being eco-friendly due to the chemicals it contains.

“Was it as good as Flash? Perhaps not, but it is nearly £2 cheaper. Excellent product that won’t break the bank.”

Effectiveness: 5/5

Value: 5/5

Total score: 10/10

Mr Muscle Platinum Kitchen Cleaner (750ml) at Sainsbury’s

Mr. Muscle Platinum Kitchen cleaner bottle.

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Mr Muscle Platinum Kitchen Cleaner (750ml) at Sainsbury’s costs £2.50Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “The Mr Muscle spray was great at cutting through grease but it didn’t do a great job with serious food mess.

“I had some stuck on Weetabix left on my kitchen table and I had to scrub quite hard to get it off with this spray.

“It’s not the best eco choice either. For the brand and price, I definitely expected more and was left disappointed.

“The trigger was one of the best and it did spray out of the bottle really well.”

Effectiveness: 3/5

Value: 2/5

Total score: 5/10

Astonish Kitchen Cleaner Zesty Lemon (750ml) at Morrisons

Astonish Zesty Lemon Kitchen Cleaner bottle.

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Astonish Kitchen Cleaner Zesty Lemon (750ml) at Morrisons costs £1Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “A great price and whilst I liked the scent of this spray, it wasn’t the best at getting rid of serious burnt on grime and food spills.

“It was fine for a cursory wipe over surfaces and had a lovely scent but I wouldn’t buy it again.

“The trigger wasn’t terribly effective either and it dribbled out over my fingers when I used it so some of the product was wasted.”

Effectiveness: 2/5

Value: 3/5

Total score: 5/10

M&S Kitchen Surface Cleaner Italian Lemon and Ginger (750ml)

Bottle of kitchen surface cleaner.

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M&S Kitchen Surface Cleaner Italian Lemon and Ginger (750ml) costs £2Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “Loved the delicate lemon and ginger scent of this M&S spray, it wasn’t overpowering at all and is made with plant-based biodegradable ingredients.

“You simply spray this on surfaces and then leave for a few moments before wiping clean with a dry or damp cloth.

“It did a great job on my kitchen surface and easily removed marks and finger prints from the hob.

“It wasn’t as efficient when it came to dried on grease and harder food stains such as butter but it’s good value, gentle and it didn’t irritate my skin or eyes during use.

“I’d buy it again.”

Effectiveness: 4/5

Total score: 8/10

Value: 4/5

Sainsbury’s Greencare Mandarin and Lime Kitchen Cleaner (750ml)

Sainsbury's Green Care Mandarin & Lime kitchen cleaner spray bottle.

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Sainsbury’s Greencare Mandarin and Lime Kitchen Cleaner (750ml) costs £2.25Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “I was really impressed by this Sainsbury’s own brand spray.

“It’s gentle, made with natural ingredients and fragrances.

“It’s not as cheap as some of the own brands but it’s a great alternative if you usually a product like Method, as it’s £1.50 cheaper and did just as good a job.

“It’s not suitable for waxed, oiled or porous surfaces, textiles or aluminium surfaces.

“The spray trigger was effective and worked well, even when getting to the end of the bottle. Impressive for the price.”

Effectiveness: 4/5

Value: 4/5

Total score: 8/10

Flash Spray Wipe Done Kitchen (800ml) at Waitrose

Flash Spray Wipe Done kitchen cleaner bottle.

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Flash Spray Wipe Done Kitchen (800ml) at Waitrose costs £2.75Credit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “Flash knows how to make cleaning products.

“It is much pricier than the own brands, but it got the job done with ease.

“Simply spray, wipe away, and even the toughest grease and grime was gone with little elbow grease.

“No rinsing, scrubbing or polishing required. It also left a fresh, clean smelling scent behind.

“It can be used on most surfaces except untreated or oiled wood and aluminium, copper or brass.

“The nozzle was easy to use and effective. The only downside is the high price tag.”

Effectiveness: 5/5

Value: 4/5

Total score: 9/10

Tesco Anti Bac Kitchen (750ml)

Tesco Anti Bac Kitchen foaming cleaner with bleach.

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Tesco Anti Bac Kitchen (750ml) costs only 89pCredit: Oliver Dixon

Lynsey says: “An incredibly efficient and affordable spray from Tesco.

“It made cleaning surfaces easy, tackling all sorts of dried on grease and grime.

“It was brilliant at cleaning up mess on a hob and it worked well on tough stains such as curry sauce.

“It is suitable for cooker tops, tiles, food preparation surfaces and sinks.

“Simply spray on, leave for five minutes before wiping way with a clean cloth.

“It’s not suitable for use on wood or marble.

“It contains bleach and a range of other chemicals so if you are sensitive to that you might find it irritates and it isn’t brilliant for sustainability.”

Effectiveness: 4/5

Value: 5/5

Total score: 9/10

How to bag a bargain

SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…

Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.

Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.

Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.

Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.

Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.

When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.

Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.

Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.

And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.

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Trump’s tariff deadline passes with no relent; Canada counters

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will retaliate with counter-tariffs

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Canadians are waking up to a new and uncertain reality after U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline for economy-wide tariffs passed with no relent overnight, triggering a continental trade war.

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The president’s executive order hitting Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET.

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“Tariffs, 25 per cent on Canada and 25 per cent on Mexico, and that’ll start,” Trump said Monday at the White House, sparking an immediate response from Wall Street. “They’re going to have to have a tariff.”

In a statement Monday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Trump’s tariffs are “unjustified” and Canada will retaliate with counter-tariffs and other measures.

Canada’s response is to start with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion worth of American products 21 days later.

“Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures,” Trudeau said. “While we urge the U.S. administration to reconsider their tariffs, Canada remains firm in standing up for our economy, our jobs, our workers, and for a fair deal.”

Trudeau is set to hold a press conference in Ottawa Tuesday morning with Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Public Safety Minister David McGuinty.

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The S&P 500 dropped two per cent in Monday afternoon trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.5 per cent and the Nasdaq composite slumped 2.6 per cent.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned Americans that Canada would have a strong response and suggested he could shut down the movement of critical minerals and energy into the United States. He said Trump needs to pull back for the sake of Americans and Canadians.

“The market is going to go downhill faster than the American bobsled team,” Ford told NBC News Monday. “It’s going to be an absolute disaster.”

Ford said Trump is leaving Canada no choice.

“When one person attacks our country unprovoked, then we are going to respond,” he said.

Canadian officials and premiers made a month-long diplomatic push in Washington after Trump originally signed the executive order, which tied the duties to the illegal flow of people and drugs across the northern border.

Trump’s team has been supportive of Canada’s border security plan but it’s not clear that anything could have dissuaded the president from imposing tariffs.

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U.S. Customs and Border Patrol data shows the number of people and drugs crossing illegally into the United States from Canada is minuscule compared to the volume coming across the southern border. It reports just 13.6 grams of fentanyl seized by northern Border Patrol staff in January.

Trump previously said the delay would allow time for an “economic” deal and on Monday suggested Canada and Mexico should “build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case you have no tariffs.”

Tariffs have been “used as a sword to dangle over our heads,” said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. The threat has taken a toll on investor confidence, he said.

Canadian and American union and industry groups condemned the tariffs. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents about 600,000 workers in Canada and the United States, urged Trump “to immediately reconsider these tariffs and pursue trade policies that strengthen, rather than weaken, the economic relationship” between the countries.

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Many Canadian officials have said that Trump’s ongoing tariff threats are tied to an upcoming mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. The continental trade pact was negotiated under the first Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Mike Holden, chief economist at the Business Council of Alberta, said Trump tends not to care about what’s popular — but a big economic hit to the U.S. could sway him.

“To the extent that we see large drops in the stock market, if we start to see inflation in the U.S. really picking up, if we start to see the economy slowing and job losses in the U.S., those are things that I think he does pay attention to,” Holden said.

In addition to the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, the 10 per cent tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February doubled to 20 per cent overnight.

China then announced it would impose additional tariffs of up to 15 per cent on imports of key U.S. farm products, including chicken, pork, soy and beef.

A report issued by the Peterson Institute for International Economics last month said Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China would cost the typical U.S. household more than US$1,200 a year.

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Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. have been quick to criticize the tariffs, but even some Republican senators raised alarms.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, said she’s “very concerned” about the tariffs going into effect because of her state’s proximity to Canada.

“Maine and Canada’s economy are integrated,” Collins said, explaining that much of the state’s lobsters and blueberries are processed in Canada and then sent back to the U.S.

Trump returned to the White House in January with a tariff agenda bent on upending global trade. He ordered 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States on March 12, which the White House has confirmed would stack on top of the other duties imposed on Canada.

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Trump signed an executive order to implement “reciprocal tariffs” starting April 2. He floated the idea of imposing duties on automobiles and signed executive orders to investigate levies on copper and lumber. Trump added agricultural products to his growing list of tariff targets on Monday.

With files from Lauren Krugel in Calgary and The Associated Press

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