At the first sign of sunshine, we Brits jump at the chance to dine alfresco and enjoy a BBQ with friends. But after a long, cold winter, our BBQ’s probably aren’t looking their best, which is why you need to know just how to clean a bbq.

An outdoor kitchen is the ultimate way to cook up a storm in the garden, even if you only have space for a small, portable BBQ. But no doubt the last time you saw your grill it was gathering dust in the shed, still caked in last summer’s last grilled meals. If so, it’s time to bite the bullet, put on a pair of rubber gloves and get scrubbing. 

Yes elbow grease is the first way to tackle things, but this will only get you so far. Depending on what state your bbq was in when you stored it away, you’re probably going to need more than just your muscles, but you’ll need to use the right methods for your variety of BBQ.

Declan Kingsley-Walsh, MD at Morsø UK advises, ‘How to clean a bbq will very much depend on its material.  Cast iron can remain outdoors throughout the year and will therefore not rust like other materials such a metal. But it can also be easily cleaned using hot water and sponge, which you should also do after cooking once it has cooled down.’

How to clean a BBQ

This isn’t just a step-by-step guide to how to clean a BBQ – we’ve also added a few hacks to help you keep your grill clean all summer long. Don’t forget too to stock up on gas, coal and firelighters so that you’re ready to start grilling as soon as the temperature rises. And even if you’re looking for a new BBQ this summer, it’s always a good idea to give it a good cleaning before you start cooking!

1. Start by checking all the parts

Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole

Dig out your BBQ from the shed or garage if it’s a portable type, or uncover it if it stays outside, and check for any damage or rust. Check that none of the knobs have been knocked off, that hinges are still in working order and that all the grills and grates were put back properly. Brush away any cobwebs or spiders that might have made a home during the winter and give everything an initial wipe down with a damp cloth.

2. Add some heat 

Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore

If there’s still caked-on food left over from last year, light fresh coals in your barbecue and leave them to reach a very high heat. This will burn off a lot of the most stubborn remnants. Dan Cooper, Head Grill Master at Weber advises, ‘Heat your barbecue up to the max for about 30 minutes – be wary that the dirtier the cooking grates are, the more it will smoke. Once the grill stops smoking it will generally have burned off most old residual grease and fat, then you simply allow the barbecue to cool right down.’

3. Clean the BBQ grill with newspaper and steam

Lynsey Queen of Clean has a neat trick with newspaper to clean a caked-on BBQ grill. Allow your barbecue to cool slightly, but while it’s still warm, lay a sheet of old newspaper across the top and generously spritz with water. Close the lid for half an hour to steam clean it. 

Lynsey explains, ‘Grab one sheet of newspaper and pop it on the BBQ you’ve been using and just get a spray bottle of water and spray the newspaper. Pop the lid back on and what will happen is this will give your BBQ a steam clean. It will start to release all that grease, all that fat and all those bits from the food.  When you take the newspaper off it will be all greasy and dirty, put that away (in the bin). And you’ll find the newspaper has done most of the work for you.’

4. Scrub the grill

Image credit: Future Plc/Emma Lee

Use a grill brush with wire bristles to get rid of remaining food particles. If you have a porcelain-coated rack, it’s best to use a brass-bristled grill brush to avoid damaging it. No grill brush? Screw up aluminium foil into a ball and scrub the grill with it instead. Next, clean the grill with a dishcloth and hot soapy water.

If that doesn’t shift the dirt, you might want to try a household cleaner. However, some can be abrasive and toxic for a barbecue, so make sure you get a cleaner that’s specifically designed for the job, such as Jeyes barbecue cleaner, £3.50 for 750ml, B&Q.

5. Clean with an onion

Believe it for not a brilliant BBQ hack is to use an onion for cleaning. ‘An unlikely cleaning saviour, is an onion attached to a fork,’ says the team at Home Essentials.  ‘Whilst there is still heat in the grill, attach half an onion to the end of a fork and use it to rub over the hot bars. The water in the onion steams away any stuck-on food and uses its natural antibacterial properties to remove impurities.’

Onions have natural antibacterial properties and if you’re cooking with charcoal, you can throw the used onion right into the coals when you’re finished to add flavour to whatever you’re grilling.

6. Get a BBQ gleaming with white vinegar

Image credit: Dobbies

A favourite for cleaning inside the home, white vinegar is a great alternative to stainless steel cleaner. Use a left-over spray bottle and fill it with half white vinegar and half water. Spray it over the grill, wait five minutes before wiping it off with a clean, dry cloth.

7. Coat the grill in cooking oil

This method might sound counter-productive to cleaning, but it will help prevent food sticking and your grill from going rusty. Each time before you use the BBQ give it a good coating in sunflower oil, and rub it down the same way once you’ve finished. Your BBQ will thank you.

8. Tackle cleaning the BBQ base

Image credit: Future Plc

As soon as your barbecue is cool, tip away leftover ash into a bucket – it will collect moisture and be harder to clean later if you leave it. Use damp kitchen roll to pick up the final bits, alternatively an outdoor vacuum is an easy way to collecting any remaining bits. Then give the base a good wash using warm water and washing-up liquid.

9. Add ketchup to remove rust

Turns out tomato ketchup is not just for saucing up burgers and bangers! We have the Queen of clean Lynsey Crombie to thank for this savvy condiment cleaning hack! She says, ‘Ketchup  is an amazing cleaner for removing rust!’, ideal for the BBQs left out in the elements last summer. Simply apply a small amount to any areas of rust, leave for a few minutes and watch it work its magic.

10. Pour on a splash of beer

Image credit: Future Plc/Charlie Richards

BBQs and beers go hand in hand so if find yourself with a little beer leftover after a BBQ, pour it over the grill while it’s still warm. Then give it a good scrub with a wire brush to get it sparkling. It’s not a waste of good beer don’t fear, it’s a savvy way to get the grill gleaming.  ‘Use beer to clean your BBQ’ advises Lynsey. ‘Using your scrubbing brush pop beer onto the end,’ she demonstrates while presenting on This Morning. ‘The acid in the beer will help clean it (your BBQ).’

11. Soak BBQ tools in coffee

‘Believe it or not, you can use coffee as a cleaner,’ says the team at Home Essentials.’ Try soaking your grill and utensils in coffee (boiling water and coffee grains) for those tough stains that won’t budge. The acid in coffee will loosen up any dirt.’

12. Use tin foil to wipe clean

While you can use a specialist BBQ cleaning pumice stone, you can do just as good a job with the leftover tin foil you’ve been cooking with. ‘If you’ve been using tin foil on your BBQ, screw it into a ball and just scrub away,’ says Lynsey Crombie. ‘That will start to lift off the food.’ We love a good budget alternative to buying a cleaning tool!

13. Wipe the outside

Image credit: Morsø

Using fresh warm water and washing-up liquid, wipe the exterior, then buff the metal shell with a dry cloth. If your barbecue is stainless steel, use a specialist polishing spray. It’s also worth giving your BBQ a light coating of mineral or baby oil to protect it from the elements. This is doubly important if you’re planning to keep your barbecue outside all summer long, and will give it a lovely shine.

‘Weber has a great range of enamel and stainless steel cleaners that will leave your barbecue gleaming, says Dan. ‘For the best shine I use a microfibre cloth for buffing. Once all this is done, you are ready and raring to go!’

14. Always cover up

To keep grime and dirt off all summer long. It may seem like a faff, but covering your grill to protect it from the elements will save you loads of hassle in the long run. Covers are available for most brands of barbecue. You’ll usually have to pay extra for them, but they will ward off rust and keep out extra dirt between cook-outs.

15. Keep on top of things

Now that you’ve got your barbecue looking pristine, ensure it remains in tip-top condition by using a barbecue cleaning product after every use. HG Grill and Barbeque Cleaner,  £5.47 for 500ml at Amazon will do the job perfectly.

16. Cheat to clean a BBQ if time is against you

Try some speedy antibacterial wipes. We like double-sided Landmann Barbecue Cleaning Wipes, £17.99, for 40 at Amazon. Alternatively, you can skip the scrubbing and give the BBQ a hose down with a pressure washer or if it fits pop the grill in the dishwasher.

How to do you clean a BBQ after cooking?

‘Like everything else, your barbecue deserves a little maintenance once in a while and using the right products can extend the lifetime of your barbecue and keep it looking like new all year-round,’ says Dan Cooper, Head Grill Master at Weber.

‘Once your barbecue has cooled down, remove all the grates and internal components, and use a T brush and scraper to clean everything. An initial burn off should have loosened hard to remove carbon deposits from the cook box, and this will make sure all grease channels are clear. I would definitely recommend using rubber gloves for this part! Once complete, place all clean parts back into the barbecues. Make sure you don’t jet wash or put components in the dishwasher as this can cause some parts to rust.’

Wait for your BBQ to cool down a little, but before it becomes stone-cold, get to work with your chosen cleaning product. It might seem like a boring task to do straight away, but your future self will be thankful and it means you’re ready to go next time you have friends over. If you have a charcoal BBQ, you’re in luck as a little cleaning goes a long way. Start by softening the debris on the gates with a grill brush and bucket of soapy water, then give it a good wipe down to remove stubborn grease.

How do you clean the inside of a BBQ?

‘If you haven’t used your barbecue for a while, it is very likely it will need a good and thorough spring clean,’ says Dan. ‘If not regularly maintained, barbecues in general tend to collect all manner of dirt and grime,
especially if left outside for a long period of time. Charcoal, pellet, electric and gas barbecues all require slightly different methods of cleaning depending on the individual components.’

‘First off, it’s important to begin with the right tools. Weber sell a wide range of cleaning utensils and products as well as a selection of full cleaning kits. My personal cleaning arsenal always includes a T brush, barbecue cook box scraper, microfibre cloth, rubber or latex gloves, enamel, and stainless-steel cleaner sprays, and, finally, an onion.’

‘Whatever type of barbecue you have I would always recommend, at the very least, once a year doing a deep clean. Do this when needed and you will have a season of hassle-free grilling.’

If you want to be super on top of things and really give your bbq a good clean after winter, tackling the very inside of a BBQ is a great practise to uphold.

‘A lot of grease and food particles tend to end up inside the grill’s interior, also known as the “grillbox”,’ say the experts at Jeyes. ‘Empty and wash it out with a mild detergent and warm water solution. If the debris has already hardened up from the season before, use an old metal or plastic knife or old spatula to scrape the sides of the grill chamber.’

Additional words: Holly Walsh

The post How to clean a BBQ – 16 ways to get your grill clean after winter appeared first on Ideal Home.

The Aldi gas pizza oven is available now and you’ll need to act fast if you want a ‘pizza’ the action. Aldi has announced that it’s selling the Gardenline Gas Pizza Oven, £199.99, on the SpecialBuys website – perfect for those looking to invest.

The trendy pizza oven is more than £500 cheaper than similar ovens on the high street. So if you’re looking for the best pizza ovens for homemade Margheritas with friends and family this spring, strike while the, er, oven’s hot on this one.

Aldi pizza oven 2022

Image credit: Aldi

Just in time for the warmer weather, Aldi is serving up the Gardenline Gas Pizza Oven in a sleek and stylish black design. It’s also a fraction of the price of other comparable ovens, such as the Lifestyle Verona Deluxe Gas Pizza Oven, which will set you back £769.

The Aldi gas pizza oven will complement your existing outdoor kitchens ideas perfectly. It has a durable design for al fresco dining whatever the weather, a removable pizza stone, and two heat settings.

The wheels also mean you can move it across your garden or patio easily, making it easy to store away when it’s not in use. We’d noticed that it’s already garnering lots of attention on the website, so don’t hang around!

Buy now: Gardeline Gas Pizza Oven, £199.99 at Aldi

Last year’s Aldi pizza ovens

Large Stainless Steel Pizza Oven, £499.99 – no longer available

Equipped with everything shoppers need to create restaurant-quality pizzas, the oven features a built-in door, chimney, a large peel – ideal for transporting the pizza from the oven to the plate. Along with a set of tools including a pizza wheel and mini spatula, perfect for sharing a slice with the whole family!

Although the price doesn’t feel ‘cheap’ it’s a small price for the style of the oven. In a price comparison, this quality stainless steel oven is £500.01 less than the professional Roma Wood Fired Pizza Oven stainless Steel Extra Large, which will set shoppers back £1,000!

Aldi BBQ Pizza Oven

Priced at just £39.99 the barbecue pizza oven at Aldi saves you a fortune on pizza deliveries, as chefs of all levels can master the craft of fine pizza making from home. This pizza oven is also unavailable, but we wonder if it could make a return for spring 2022.

Boasting all the cooking credentials you could need for making award-winning pizza from home, at such a low price tag, it’s easy to see why this oven sold out last year.

This supermarket model is portable, with two carry handles, for easy use. You can use this smart pizza oven on both gas and charcoal barbecues, to cook hearty pizzas of up to 12 inches – in only 10 minutes.

This nifty little BBQ accessory is made of ceramic stone with an easy-to-clean stainless steel interior. The handy temperature gauge will indicate when the ceramic pizza plate is hot enough to cook the pizza to perfection.

The durable steel construction comes with a pizza stone to create the perfect crispy restaurant-worthy pizza. The easy-to-use design is also easy to clean, making it an all-round winner for cooking great pizzas with minimal fuss.

As with all Specialbuys, once the Aldi gas pizza oven is gone, it’s gone. So if you don’t want to be left cheesed off by missing out again, get online and order yours pronto.

The post The Aldi gas pizza oven is available now – and £500 cheaper than similar models appeared first on Ideal Home.

The Otty Pure Plus Hybrid Bamboo & Charcoal Premium mattress is the brand’s first 28cm mattress, with a total of 7 layers of memory foam and springs. It arrives in a box for convenience and Otty offers a 100-night trial when buying direct so that you can test it without fully committing.

Given the fact that the Pure Plus Hybrid is Otty’s most luxurious mattress offering – and therefore their most expensive – we couldn’t wait to review this at home. This mattress is made from 43% springs and 57% foam, and it’s rated 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, so a happy medium. The Pure Plus Hybrid follows a similar design as the brand’s award-winning Hybrid Original mattress, but it’s slightly softer and they’ve added a few health benefits to improve your wellbeing and maintain your mattress’s hygiene. It’s naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial thanks to the charcoal-infused memory foam, and it’s heat-regulating due to the bamboo that’s permeated into the foam. Best of all: it’s a sustainable option that has been created causing less of a strain on the planet than your average mattress.

We had two types of sleepers test this mattress for us, bearing this in mind, one of whom sleeps on their front and the other on their side. Find out how it fared when we tested it, and whether it deserves a slot alongside the other brilliant mattresses on our best mattress list.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Otty Pure Plus Hybrid Bamboo & Charcoal Premium mattress is a base that’s best suited to side sleepers. It’s 57% memory foam, which doesn’t fare well if you sleep face down as you’ll wake up with a stiff neck and back the next morning. However, this high percentage of memory foam does mean this mattress is perfectly suited for side sleepers since it’s what helps the mattress mould its shape as your body curves, keeping your spine straight whilst you snooze. The foam itself is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended) when it comes to its breathability. In fact, the breathability of this mattress is one of the obvious determining factors when it comes to luxury. We noticed how cooling this mattress was from the very first night of sleeping on it.

 The balance of 43% of springs means this mattress has next to no motion transfer, even when people of different weights are moving about. 

Reasons to buy:

• Arrives in a box for your convenience
• Next to no motion transfer
• Great antibacterial properties
• Breathable
• 28cm in depth
• Made using sustainable materials
• Removable cover, although dry clean only
• Approved for use with electric blankets

Reasons to avoid:

• Not the most supportive for front sleepers
• Can’t be flipped, only rotated

OTTY Pure Plus Hybrid Mattress

Image credit: Otty

WIDGET

OTTY Pure Plus Hybrid specifications:

Type: Hybrid

Sizes: Single, Double, King, Super King

Comfort level: Medium – 5.5 out of 10

Construction Materials: Memory foam cover, memory foam, springs

Height: 28cm

MSRP: From £999.99 for a single size

Who will this mattress suit?

This mattress in a box is best suited for those who are after a luxurious, yet convenient, mattress. By convenient, we obviously mean that it arrives in a box, but also don’t forget that it comes with a 100-night trial. Whilst it’s not one of those mattresses you can try out in a shop and sit on, we think that a home trial period allows for better testing of a mattress than if you were to sit on one that’s probably already been broken in by other customers, inside a showroom, and taking into account it’s not sitting atop your actual bed base or tested with your exact pillows. Being able to try it out during an at-home trial period is worth its weight in gold.

Without forgetting its eco-credentials, this mattress will suit anyone who is planet conscious and searching for a green mattress. It’s crafted using eco-friendly properties such as bamboo and charcoal. These two resources are extremely renewable since they both grow at a rapid rate.

When it comes to sleeping positions, we would recommend this mattress to side sleepers and back sleepers. Front sleepers should avoid it at all costs. Saying that, if you are searching for a mattress with essentially zero motion transfer, perhaps if there is a large weight difference between you and whoever you share your bed with, then this is the one for you.

Unboxing: how easy is it to set up the Otty Pure Plus Hybrid?

This mattress arrived rolled inside a box. We had no issues getting it through our front door or any of our interior doors, in fact, it was quite easy to move around when it was inside the box. We set it up in our spare bedroom initially, as we were mid-way through a bedroom renovation, as leaving it in the box is not recommended. We opened it and popped it on top of our very uncomfortable sofa bed. We ended up moving it into our actual bedroom, once the reno was finished only a few weeks later. We didn’t notice much difference between the mattress’ comfortability from being on a sofa bed to an actual bed frame.

Image credit: Annie Collyer

Opening the box revealed that the mattress was wrapped in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag, and inside the box came a green tool for opening this bag. It says to leave the mattress for 4 hours to rise before sitting or sleeping on it. Admittedly, it did settle quite fast, but we did wait a little more than the recommended time to make our bed up and sleep on it. They say to place the mattress on your bed so that the OTTY logo is at the bottom of your bed. Though you will have to rotate this mattress once a month for the first 6 months of use.

The box the mattress came inside can be recycled, whilst the plastic wrap will have to go in your landfill bin. The cutter can be saved and used when it comes to opening other packages if you wish.

Another thing to note is that this mattress in a box is 28cm deep, whilst other box models are usually around 25cm. Be sure to measure your bed frame to ensure this isn’t too high for you. For us, it was the perfect height and in comparison to our previous IKEA mattress, it felt like luxury.

Is the Otty Pure Plus Hybrid comfortable?

This question comes with a very split opinion. Mostly because we had two different types of sleepers test this mattress. These two sleepers tested it whilst sleeping next to each other, for around 6 months in total. On initial sitting, after the four hours had passed, both our testers found this mattress comfortable yet soft to lay on, before dressing the bed and actually sleeping on it for a full 8 hours.

As a front sleeper, I found this mattress uncomfortable from the get-go. Before testing this mattress, I slept with only one pillow. But, once sleeping on this base I soon realised I would need a thicker option, if not then two pillows in total. I spent a lot of time switching pillows around and trying them all, in hope that the issue was with the pillow I was using and not the mattress. Unfortunately, 6 months down the line, I still cannot get used to this mattress. Some nights I do find it comfortable, as I might accidentally roll onto my side during the night, however, in my default sleep position, I cannot get on with this mattress. It’s not all bad, though, as admittedly, from the very first night I noticed how impressively breathable this mattress was from my previous one. We started testing it at the end of August, so the weather was warm which meant I immediately noticed that I was sleeping a lot cooler. I am also super impressed how there is no motion transfer. This is really important to me since the person I share the bed with often wakes earlier than me, and I am a light sleeper. So, it felt more than refreshing to realise that I no longer bounce up and down as they get up in the morning.

Image credit: Annie Collyer

On the other hand, our side sleeper absolutely loved this mattress and still raves about it to this day. If it were up to them, we would have this mattress in every single room of our house. It’s worth noting that our side sleeper loves memory foam, and sleeps with a memory foam pillow, too. They also sometimes roll over to sleep on their back during the night, and they reported this mattress to be comfortable and supportive in this position, too. They said it keeps your spine aligned and straight when asleep on both your side and back. They never once complained about the mattress being uncomfortable, even after rotating. Our side sleeper also noticed the mattress’ breathability in an instant, as they are quite a hot sleeper. Although they still sleep hot, it has definitely improved their temperature regulation at night, especially in warmer months.

Cooling properties

One of the prevalent features of the Otty Pure Pure is its breathability. Both of our reviewers immediately noticed the cooling properties of this mattress, especially in comparison to their last mattress which was on the cheaper side. We’ve tested this mattress throughout all of the seasons, from the end of August until late March. So we can vouch for the fact that it keeps you cool in the spring and summer, and warm in the winter and autumn.

How is it breathable? With 7 layers in total, this mattress’ design has been thoroughly thought out for maximum comfort. A total of 2 layers of pocket springs allow airflow through this mattress, whilst the foam layers are temperature-regulating.

What is the edge support like?

We tested this mattress in a king-size, with two people sleeping on it at all times. Our side sleeper always sleeps on the very edge of the bed, whilst our front sleeper doesn’t. So, our side sleeper who reviewed this mattress has assured us that it keeps them well-balanced at all times. We tested this ourselves using a 3kg dumbbell (the heaviest we had at the time), and you can see the comparison photos below.

Image credit: Otty

Though the dumbbell isn’t heavy enough to offer any indication as to how soft the mattress is, you can compare how deep each of these matching weights sits when they are side by side, but in different places on the mattress. There is an ever so slight dip on the one placed on the edge of the mattress. Even when laying on the edge, you will only feel a slight sense of unbalance, but we are more than happy that it is nothing to worry about if you tend to sleep close to the edge of your bed but want more support when doing so.

What is the Otty Pure Plus Hybrid made from?

The Otty Pure Plus Hybrid, as mentioned above, has a total of 7 layers that make up its construction:

1. The first layer is a memory foam quilted cover that’s washable, though dry-clean only. This cushioned cover has 2cm of memory foam stitched into it to act as protection.
2. The second layer is bamboo memory foam with infused charcoal so it is antibacterial and odour-absorbent.
3. Next comes 2,000 pocket springs, all of which measure 8cm deep. This layer of the mattress is solely designed to minimise motion transfer, and it does its job beautifully.
4. Then you’ll find 2 layers of high density foam. These layers allow the mattress to breathe and they allow for more airflow.
5. Then, there are another 2,000 pocket springs, just for good measure. This time, instead of being for motion transfer purposes, these springs are here to aid support where it’s needed the most. And to sandwich the dense memory foam!
6. The last layer of this mattress, on the very bottom, is more foam, but this time it’s high strength base foam that’s there for stability and durability purposes. In other words, this part of the mattress should ensure that you get a comfortable night’s sleep no matter how hard your bed base is.

Here, you can see the Otty Pure Plus with its cover off.

Image credit: Annie Collyer

Is the Otty Pure Plus Hybrid worth the money?

In our eyes, if you are a side sleeper and you want all of the added bells and whistles with your new mattress, then the Otty Pure Plus is worth the investment if you can afford its high price tag. With its RRP starting from £999.99 for a single size, sometimes you can find it on sale. However in terms of longevity, after sleeping on it for 6 months, this mattress is still essentially like brand new. It’s showing absolutely zero signs of wear, even though it has been moved from one base to another, and it has been moved rooms.

The temperature regulation and breathability of this mattress is second-to-none, and its motion transfer is minimal, making it ideal for anyone who sleeps next to someone who is a little restless. Or if you often have the kids hop into your bed during the night or a pet who sleeps on the end of your bed.

Another reason to invest in this mattress is that thanks to its antibacterial features this mattress actually feels clean. When it comes to changing our sheets, we’ve never noticed our mattress looking dirty, we never noticed any odours (even though one of our reviewers is a hot sleeper) and most important of all: it has never felt unclean. In fact, as we’ve already mentioned, it still looks brand new. The photos in this review in the bedroom with the half-painted wall were taken 6 months into using this mattress.

The only thing we can possibly complain about, apart from it being uncomfortable for our front sleeper, is that its cover is dry clean only. However due to the mattress’ antibacterial properties mentioned above, it’s not like this needs washing weekly, so it’s not a huge issue.

It’s worth us noting that as well as a 100-night trial, this mattress comes with a 10-year warranty and you will get free premium delivery when buying directly from Otty.

How did we test this mattress?

Image credit: Annie Collyer

For more context, it helps to know about me – the reviewer – and my sleep style. I am the Deputy Ecommerce Editor at Ideal Home and I spend my time reviewing a range of products, from exercise bikes to candles. This is my first mattress review, and before this, I was sleeping on a cheap sprung IKEA mattress. Though my prior mattress was comfortable for me, a front sleeper, my husband-to-be who is a side sleeper wasn’t very keen on its firm base. So, we thought we would opt for a happy medium of springs and foam.

Initially, we tested this mattress in our spare bedroom on top of our very uncomfortable sofa bed. Then, a few weeks later we moved it into our bedroom. We have been sleeping on it for 6 months at the time of writing this review, and with very different opinions of it, we definitely feel like we can offer a balanced view.

Our verdict together is that this is a brilliant luxury mattress option for hot sleepers or anyone who wants to opt for something to help regulate their temperature at night. It’s also a brilliant luxurious mattress in a box option, especially for side sleepers. Front sleepers should avoid it at all costs, however. They are best to go for something slightly more firm, with less foam.

This mattress was sent to us free of charge by Otty. They let us keep the mattress for prolonged testing which we carried out between August 2021 and March 2022. We have been allowed to keep the mattress and will be able to update the review over time.

The post Otty Pure Plus Hybrid Bamboo & Charcoal Premium Mattress review appeared first on Ideal Home.

All home buyers need mortgage advice at some point. Perhaps because you’re buying a house for the first time, you want to change to a new deal, or you’re moving up the property ladder. Whichever it is getting the right advice leads to the right mortgage (and best rate). And the right mortgage could mean saving thousands of pounds. So, it’s all the better (and cheaper) if you can find that advice for free. But how can you be sure you’re asking the right people? Here we look at the best places to get free mortgage advice right now.

Where can I get the best free mortgage advice?

Spoiler alert – it doesn’t involve asking your taxi driver, or your best mate. Unless, perhaps, they’re also employed as mortgage advisers.

There’s never a shortage of free advice, but not all advice is worth taking. For best results, ask an expert. If you’re simply looking to get to grips with the topic of mortgages in general, in advance of seeking personalised recommendations, try the free Government-backed website MoneyHelper.

Rachel Springall, finance expert for comparison service Moneyfacts.co.uk, says: ‘It offers online mortgage calculators for consumers curious on how much they could borrow, as well as useful tips. It also has a couch to financial fitness tool – and a stamp duty calculator.’

Image credit: Future PLC/ Holly Jolliffe

When you’re serious about getting a mortgage, it’s time to call in the professionals. Specifically, a mortgage broker or adviser. Brokers will listen to your needs, take stock of your finances, search the market, and recommend appropriate deals.

‘Getting solid financial advice before applying for a mortgage is wise,’ adds Springall. ‘Not only to assess the array of mortgage deals but also to ensure a borrower is prepared for affordability checks.’

Brokers have insight into what lenders want from customer applications. They know the criteria of different lenders, and whether or not you fit it.

This specialist expertise is especially useful for applicants whose circumstances deviate from ‘the norm’ – if you are self-employed, or looking for a buy-to-let mortgage, for example.

Using a broker reduces the risk of your application being rejected, which is a costly and disheartening scenario. Particularly if the mortgage comes with non-refundable application fees.

Website unbiased.co.uk links people with financial advisers – including ones that charge. Its founder and chief executive, Karen Barrett, says: ‘A mortgage broker can maximise your chances of being accepted first time, which is crucial to maintaining a good credit record.’

Mortgage applications show on your credit record, and if there’s a few of them it won’t reassure other lenders.

Who offers free advice?

Fee-free mortgage brokers include companies like London & Country Mortgages and My Mortgage Finder, as well as newer digital brokers like Trussle and Habito.

Digital mortgage brokers can do what traditional advisers do – scan the market for a deal that fits your circumstances. However, it’s largely done online rather than in person or over the phone.

Mortgage advisers at individual banks or lenders also offer free advice.

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore

Is free mortgage advice neutral?

Not always. An adviser from a bank should give professional and helpful advice, but only in relation to the bank’s own brand of mortgages.

They are known as ‘tied’ advisers because of this restriction.

By comparison, independent ‘whole-of-market’ mortgage brokers are neutral. These advisers consider a much broader selection of mortgages from multiple lenders.

They may even be able to access exclusive deals not available to customers applying directly. If you pick a mortgage recommended by a fee-free broker, they will receive commission from that lender. This is how they can provide a free service to customers.

Establish at the outset whether or not your mortgage adviser is fee-free, and whole-of-market.

Any company offering you mortgage advice should be regulated and authorised to do so by the country’s financial regulator – the Financial Conduct Authority. You can check the company you are using is on the FCA register.

Is it ever worth paying for mortgage advice?

The idea is that you save more than an adviser’s fee in the long-run, just by taking advice. This may prove true for a borrower whose finances are more complicated than the average buyer.

Fee-based brokers might also offer a comprehensive service, covering the whole property-buying process.

John Charcol and the Mortgage Advice Bureau are well regarded and charge for their mortgage broker services.

Mortgage Advice Bureau fees can be up to 1 per cent, but are typically 0.3 per cent of the sum borrowed.

Haysto is a specialist digital broker, which can help people who are self-employed or have bad credit. It also charges a fee. For some people, paying for advice could be the difference between getting a mortgage or not.

Co-founder Paul Coss says: ‘The weight of judgement can feel very real from some banks and mortgage brokers as they turn down your application for a mortgage.

‘The good news is that thinking has evolved. Solutions are available.’

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