Ninja’s most stylish colourway, Stone Gold, is having a serious moment right now with the extension of the sellout colour across a huge range of bestselling products. From the Swirl to compact, small-kitchen friendly best Ninja air fryers, the kitchen giant has really outdone itself with this effortlessly luxurious shade.

First released this time last year, this gorgeous neutral shade went seriously viral on TikTok. I was watching out for more stock of the Ninja Dual Zone in this exact colour for months and months until it finally reappeared in October.

If you were one of the lucky few who picked up that stylish colour way back then, or if you just love the look of the range now, then you can finally shop Ninja’s other bestsellers in it too, including brand new products thanks to these exclusives that debuted just for Amazon Prime Day. Here’s a look at what’s available.

Since working on Ideal Home, I’ve seen Ninja release many special-edition colours to coincide with Prime Day and Black Friday. The most memorable include the range with copper accents which is now a permanent fixture on Amazon due to its popularity.

There’s even more colour choice on offer for Ninja’s most fun kitchen buys – notably the Slushi and the Creami, which got a pastel make over last year as well as two-tone options inspired by frozen drinks and desserts.

It’s not clear yet whether this beige colour will become a permanent addition to Ninja’s colourway line up or whether it’s only available during Amazon’s sales events so if this is the shade for you, I’d recommend snapping it up fast!

Usually, a living room is the best place in the home to engage in some leisure time. But with the June heatwave having reached almost unbearable temperatures this week, if your living room is hot and stuffy, I can imagine you’re avoiding it. However, experts have revealed five tips to cool your living room without air conditioning, so you can enjoy it all summer long.

Sadly, the best portable air conditioners are selling out fast, and while air coolers make an excellent alternative, it’s a good idea to learn some handy tips to cool a home without relying on an AC unit.

So, I reached out to the experts to find out how to turn your living room ideas into a cooler space during a heatwave. This is what they said.

1. Check your furniture placement

First things first, you should consider where your sofa and bulky furniture items, such as armchairs, are positioned in your living room. Because a lesser-known furniture trick is that by moving your furniture away from walls and windows, you can improve airflow, which contributes to cooling.

‘One of the biggest mistakes I see is placing large furniture directly in front of windows or too close to natural light sources,’ Ellie Brown, Interior Designer at Oak&More, explains.

‘Natural light is important, but so is airflow. During warmer weather, blocking the movement of air around windows can make rooms feel noticeably stuffier. Many homeowners place sofas directly in front of bay windows because it feels like the most practical use of space. But allowing light and air to move freely through the room often creates a much more comfortable environment.’

2. Turn off appliances

‘Obviously, we’ve all still got households to run during a heatwave, but appliances like tumble dryers, dishwashers, ovens and even gaming PCs generate extra heat, which can really add up, especially in smaller homes or flats,’ says Angus Struthers, Managing Director at BOXT.

‘It’s worth avoiding these kinds of heat-producing appliances during the hottest part of the afternoon, especially in smaller homes or flats where heat builds up quickly.’

In a living room, there are plenty of appliances that can cause excess heat in your home. From TVs to stereo systems, consoles, smart home devices, and even lighting. To prevent overheating and save money on your energy bills, ensure all your living room appliances are unplugged when not in use.

3. Block the heat at the window

If you have a south-facing living room, you’ll probably already be aware of using thermal curtains and blinds to block out heat and sun glare. During a heatwave, it is a good idea to keep your curtains drawn during the hottest part of the day to keep heat out. Using blackout or thermal curtains does this job more effectively.

‘For me, this is always the first step: stop the heat getting in. I keep blinds or curtains closed on any windows getting direct sun during the day. Something like Duette blinds works really well because of the honeycomb design as it traps air and acts as an extra layer of insulation at the window, which helps keep rooms noticeably cooler,’ says Simon Browne, product expert at Luxaflex.

4. Consider fan placement

Even if you have one of the best fans at your disposal, if you position it wrong, all you will do is blow hot air around your living room.

‘With hotter days, many households also rely more heavily on fans. While fans are far cheaper to run than air conditioning, their placement still matters. A fan placed near an open window during the hottest part of the day can actually pull warm air inside, making the room feel hotter. Positioning fans to circulate cooler air in the evening or directing airflow across your body rather than the whole room can keep you comfortable without unnecessary energy use,’ says Stuart Middleton, consumer energy expert at So Energy.

You can also place a frozen bottle of water or a bowl of ice in front of your fan to create your own air conditioning effect. As the air is blown over the ice, it evaporates, cooling the air around it.

5. Check windows and doors are sealed properly

Lastly, if your living room is constantly getting too hot, despite your best efforts, you should check to see whether heat can enter through any window or door seals.

‘If a room never seems to stay cool, even after you’ve kept external windows and doors shut, it’s worth checking the actual windows and doors. Old windows, warped doors, failed seals, or poor glazing can all let warm air in. A well-fitted window or external door should help control the temperature indoors. If there are draughts in winter, there’s a good chance heat is getting in during summer too,’ says Darren Coates, windows, doors and roofing expert at SolarFrame.

Air conditioning alternatives

If you haven’t been able to get your hands on a portable AC, these tips can help cool your living, making it a more comfortable area of the home this summer.

If you’re planning on entertaining in the summer heat, then you might be wondering how you can incorporate some kind of cooling drink or dessert into your hosting plans. Right now at Costco, you can buy two Ninja bestsellers that would make it a lot easier: the Slushi (for £219.99, down from £299.99) and the Creami Swirl & Scoop (also £219.99, down from £349.99).

I’ve reviewed both of these viral buys, and I can confirm that they add such a fun element to having people over for drinks or dinner, with the chance for your guests to pour their own frozen drinks or create their own sweet treats for dessert.

Here’s how you can get your hands on these products for these super low prices, as well as alternative places to shop if you don’t want to sign up for a Costco membership.

I’ve seen plenty of Costco deals floating around online but I’ve never had one make me want to invest in a membership as much as these super-low Ninja prices. So I did some investigating into how you can acquire a membership and the requirements you need to meet.

There are two tiers to Costco membership that allows you in shop in their warehouses: Gold Star and Business. To qualify, you have to follow a pretty stringent list of requirements, which you can view on the Costco website.

If you, like me, don’t qualify under any of these terms, then all is not lost. You can still purchase an all-online membership for £42 a year for which there is no entry requirements. It does mean you won’t be able to see the inside of an actual Costco store, however (another dream dashed for me).

But you will be able to take advantage of these sensational Ninja prices and shop a huge variety of other Costco products across the year, too.

If you’d rather not add another subscription onto your plate, then that’s understandable. Right now, there’s a host of places you can find top-rated Ninja products on sale thanks to Amazon Prime Day, which is running until midnight on the 26th of June, as well as counter sales from rival retailers slashing their prices.

I’d strongly recommend checking out the sales ongoing at Ninja itself, as well as John Lewis and Currys.

The Slushi and the Swirl are easily the two most fun appliances I’ve ever tested and they will provide endless summer entertainment if you decide to install one in your home.

And Costco membership or not, now’s a great time to shop for something that can help you through the heatwave whilst also providing joy on the weekends!

Working, walking, eating, sleeping, being – it all felt rather impossible in this stifling heatwave. So, in a way to beat the heat, I’ve been trying the Alison Hammond-approved sock cooling hack, and it’s great for providing instant relief in hot weather.

I’m not one to usually complain about hot weather, but I’m not lying when I say my flat has felt like a furnace this week. It’s south-facing and stuffy, and I’ve been struggling to cool my home, even with the best cooling hacks at my fingertips.

Given that the best portable air conditioners are basically sold out everywhere, and my best fan is pretty much blowing hot air around my home, I’ve had to get creative. And that involves filling an old sock with rice and stuffing it in the freezer.

The rice and sock cooling hack

I’ve not lost my mind, I promise! But a sock filled with frozen rice has been a game-changer and is helping me stay cool this week. Simply pressing it to my wrists and neck has provided instant relief – especially when working from home.

I say it is Alison Hammond-approved because I first became aware of the hack when the presenter, who is a self-proclaimed genius at staying cool, revealed her trick during a segment on This Morning back in August 2020.

It is incredibly simple. You take a clean sock, fill it with rice and tie the end. Then pop it into your freezer for one to three hours. The result feels like an icy bean bag, which moulds easily to the contours of your body, providing instant relief.

This week, I’ve used the hack to keep me cool when working and when I’m trying to sleep. I’ve even taken to placing it on my pillow while I brush my teeth, so my pillow feels nice and cold when I lie down. Speaking to my mum, I found out she even uses this hack to help keep our elderly dog cool in hot weather.

The frozen rice is not harshly cold. Where putting an ice-pack straight to your skin can feel intense, offering a burning cold, the rice hack is far more subtle. It’s comfortable and cool from the get-go. It also feels completely dry, which surprised me. Unlike an ice pack, you don’t have to worry about water beading down your body or pooling around your home.

My main qualm is that the rice doesn’t stay as cool for as long as I’d like it to, and I find myself putting it back in the freezer around three times a day. Because of this, when payday rolls around, I will be treating myself to the Shark ChillPill (£129.99, Amazon) or the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Fan (£149.99, Currys), which both offer hours of powerful cooling.

Having said that, I do think the rice hack is a great, practically free way to cool down, and is a great temporary solution if you don’t have any other cooling products to hand. However, if you plan on using this hack frequently, place your sock in a ziplock bag before putting it in the freezer to maintain good hygiene.

‘If you regularly put and take out the sock with wet rice in it from the freezer, you will eventually get mould, mildew, and a terrible musty odour in your drawers. In order to make this trick fully hygienic and prevent any moisture in your sheets, you have to place the rice-filled sock in a tightly closed Ziploc bag first before freezing it. The moisture becomes blocked off completely, making sure the rice remains perfectly dry,’ says Max Wilson, co-founder at Pocket Storage.

‘Finally, make sure the fabric is right. Only use socks made of pure, thick cotton. Synthetic materials, such as nylon or polyester, cannot tolerate cold temperatures and would lead to ice burns if placed directly on your skin.’

Shop cooling appliances:

As unconventional as a sock filled with frozen rice sounds, it has genuinely helped cool me down when temperatures have soared. I will be saving this trick for the next heatwave!