Kitchen

Kitchens work hardest and forgive least. In most UK homes the problem is not a shortage of cupboards but the shape of them: deep base units you have to kneel into, a corner cupboard that swallows pans, and one drawer doing the job of four.

Our kitchen coverage starts from the zone rather than the gadget. Group what you use daily within one arm's reach of where you use it, move the once-a-month appliances higher or further away, and only then look at whether a riser, a tiered shelf or a set of drawer dividers earns its space. A useful kitchen product is one that turns dead vertical air into usable storage without stopping you seeing what you own.

Measure before you buy anything: internal cupboard depth, the height under a shelf, and the width of a drawer at its narrowest point. Retailer listings vary in accuracy, so always check current dimensions, price and availability on the retailer's own page.