When there are still a few hours to go for iftar, and your to-do list seems to be as long as your arm, make sure you have an arsenal of helpers at hand to help you work smarter, not harder.
We’re talking about smart devices, trending gadgets and multifunctional appliances that help lift the load of household chores, especially in Ramadan. From smart vacuum cleaners that don't need you to sweep, mop or supervise, to smart alarm clocks that gently wake you up for suhour, these little additions can make a world of difference to your daily routine. Leave your to-do list to them, so that you gain the time and energy you need for faith and family, in the holy month.
You can enjoy free, fast delivery with Prime membership and get these items as early as tomorrow.
1. Best Appliance Set: Philips Avance Collection Multifunction Food Processor
Pros
- Choose from 12 speeds
- Easy to clean
- Large, 3.4-litre bowl included
- All accessories included
Cons
- Some reviewers say its parts wear down quickly over time
What if you could chop, slice, shred, knead, whip, blend and juice with one kitchen appliance set? Philips’ Avance Food Processor cuts down not just time spent in the kitchen, but space used on your countertop, as well. The food processor uses PowerChop technology that quickly breaks down both soft and hard ingredients. You can use this appliance to make everything – from cake batter to bread to chopped vegetables to juices. It also includes four stainless steel discs to cut vegetables exactly as you like – a shredding disc (fine or coarse), granulating disc (great for cheeses or potatoes), julienne disc and French fry disc for thick potato strips. Reviewers say the 3.5-litre bowl included is large enough for up to seven portions of soup – perfect for families – and all the accessories are easy to clean since they’re dishwasher-safe.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh56.29 for 12 months with select banks.
2. Best Smart Speaker: Echo Dot (5th Gen) Smart Speaker
Pros
- Easy to use
- Well-balanced sound
- Access to Alexa smart home skills
- Built-in Eero Wi-Fi extender
Cons
- No 3.5mm line output
The busier your day gets, the easier it is to forget important time markers. Let the Echo Dot do all the remembering for you. This smart speaker uses its built-in Alexa smart home system to help with all your daily rituals in Ramadan – you can ask Alexa to recite the Quran (you can even pick the surah or chapter), set prayer reminders, and let you know the date from the Hijri calendar. And when you have a dish in the oven, Alexa can set a timer for you so that you won’t have any cooking mishaps as you rush to prepare iftar. The smart speaker acts as your personal assistant for every smart home functionality as well – you can use it to control your lights, thermostat, Wi-Fi, fan, locks and more. So, leave all the details to the Echo Dot, so that you can focus on more important matters, this Ramadan.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a limited warranty.
3. Best Small Appliance: Philips Essential XL Air Fryer
Pros
- Spacious air fryer
- Choose from seven pre-sets
- Multi-functional appliance
- Reliable, consistent cooking
Cons
- Clunky basket design
Another great appliance that’s going to take care of delicious iftars for you, with minimal work on your end, is the Philips Essential XL Air Fryer. This family-friendly air fryer has a 1.2kg capacity basket that’s spacious enough to accommodate up to five meal portions in one go. You can use it not just to air fry, but also grill, bake, roast and reheat food. Choose from seven pre-sets for quick, one-touch cooking. It’ll do the job with its Rapid Air Technology and unique ‘starfish’ design at the bottom of the basket, which swirls the hot air around to create crisp, evenly cooked food with little to no oil. While some reviewers found the basket design to be on the heavier, clunkier side, they appreciate that all removable parts are dishwasher-safe. Pick up this Ramadan essential for healthier, air-fried meals that are still incredibly delicious.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh50.80 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides 1-year warranty.
4. Best Robot Vacuum: Ecovacs Deebot N8 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop
Pros
- Powerful suction
- Generates interactive map of the house
- Avoids carpet when mopping
- Spot clean select rooms and set times
- Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant
Cons
- Mopping is just average, say reviews
- Doesn't detect cables well
Cleaning the house is likely the last thing you want to do when your energy is flagging. Leave the chore to Ecovacs Deebot N8 – this smart hybrid robot vacuum has a solid suction power of 2,300Pa, and has the ability to mop up any spill. You can operate it by a simple voice command, through Google or Alexa, and schedule cleaning times and no-go zones. Once the Deebot N8 has laser mapped your home, you can even direct it to clean specific rooms. It avoids carpets automatically when its mop function is on, and it returns to its charging dock when it runs out of power. Reviewers rave about the robot vacuum’s performance, and say the post-purchase customer service is helpful, as well. However, don’t leave any charging cables around, since it doesn’t seem to be able to detect them, and the cables may get entangled in the device’s bristles.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh124.92 for 12 months with select banks. You can also apply a coupon and save Dh460.
Warranty: Amazon offers 1-year extended warranty for Dh86 and 2-year extended warranty for Dh121.
5. Best Smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS + Cellular, 45mm)
Pros
- Powerful processor
- Double-tap gesture for hands-free use
- Bright display
- Alerts emergency services in the event of a crash
- Precision Finding for iPhone 15
- IP6X dust resistance, and swimproof in up to 50 metres of depth
Cons
- Familiar design
- Not ideal for Android users
Keep an eye on your health as you progress through Ramadan, to make sure you’re getting enough sleep, clocking in your daily steps, and keeping your blood oxygen and heart rate levels on track. The latest Apple Watch will help you do all this and more. This versatile smartwatch features an intuitive platform with industry-leading health- and activity-tracking tools. It has a dedicated electrocardiogram (ECG) app to generate accurate readings, and it also has the ability to track wrist temperature and help predict women’s monthly cycles more precisely. If you’re carving out time for quick workouts in Ramadan, use the Apple Watch’s Workout app to display your heart rate zone and to craft your fitness schedule for the day. The Watch is all you need when you step out – it doubles as your wallet and your phone, thanks to Apple Pay and cellular connectivity. Reviewers say they love the battery life on its low power mode – it can stay on for 36 hours – but the Watch works best in an Apple ecosystem, so it’s best suited to iPhone users who can sync up with the device seamlessly.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh174.92 for 12 months with select banks. You can also apply a coupon and save Dh460.
Warranty: Amazon offers 1-year extended warranty for Dh125 and 2-year extended warranty for Dh207.
6. Best Smart Display: Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)
Pros
- Loud, clear sound
- Wide range of features
- Improved camera
- Good screen size
Cons
- Few video streaming options
With an eight-inch HD screen, the Amazon Echo Show 8 is a voice-controlled smart display with speaker that will make your daily routine in Ramadan a lot easier to manage. You can ask Alexa to recite the Quran, set prayer time reminders, create timers and alarms, and even control compatible smart home devices, like the thermostat, lights and smart plugs. Some reviewers say they use it to refer to recipes when cooking, while others say they check the smart display to see who is outside the front door, when they hear their video doorbell ring. If you have more than one Echo Show device at home, it even acts as an intercom - perfect for letting members of the household know it’s time for iftar. Overall, reviewers are happy with the device’s ability to understand what they’re saying from across the room. However, some wish the screen had the ability to stream apps like Netflix.
7. Best Earphones: Anker Soundcore Life P3 Bluetooth Earphones
Pros
- Powerful sound
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Crisp, clear calls
- Choose from five colours
Cons
- Finicky touch controls, say reviewers
These pocket-sized pair of Anker Soundcore Life P3 earphones are perfect for listening to Quran recitation and other audio on the go, this Ramadan. With multi-mode noise cancelling technology, you can sync the earphones to your location for an optimised experience - whether you’re in Transport, Indoor or Outdoor mode. The earphones are great for calls too; they include six microphones and use an exclusive algorithm to tune out background noise when you’re on a call. That crisp, clear quality extends to its sound system as well. Reviewers say the earbuds generate excellent audio, with their BassUp mode further intensifying bass in real-time. However, they’ve found the touch controls to be unreliable at times.
Warranty: Amazon offers 1-year extended warranty for Dh18 and 2-year extended warranty for Dh29.
8. Best Smart Clock: Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100
Pros
- User-friendly controls
- Dimmable light
- Customisable light intensity
- Fade-to-off feature
Cons
- Time duration cannot be changed
Lumie’s sunrise alarm clock went viral on social media recently, for the gentle, natural way it wakes up users. This smart clock mimics the sunrise, and increases the intensity of its light over a 30-minute period. The science behind it is that the brightening light prompts your body to reduce the production of melatonin, or sleep hormones, and increase its levels of cortisol, so that you wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy. Similarly, you can set the clock to simulate a fading sunset, so the light dims over a period of 30 minutes - something parents in the comments find handy when putting their children to bed. However, do note that the time duration is fixed at half an hour and cannot be altered. Still, reviewers call the Lumie Spark a gamechanger, so it might very well be something that you’ll find useful when setting your alarm for suhour.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh23, and two-year warranty for Dh33.
9. Best Water Tumbler: Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState
To make sure you stay hydrated post-iftar, consider investing in a Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler. If you’ve been wondering why you’re seeing this specific product everywhere, it’s because it was all over social media in recent months. The rugged tumbler can keep 1.1 litres of liquid cold for up to 11 hours, but if you add ice, it can retain its coolness for up to 48 hours. Since the tumbler has double-wall vacuum insulation, it can even keep your karak tea or filter coffee hot for seven hours. Its three-position lid has a rotating cover and three ways to drink – with a reusable straw, a full-cover top and an opening for sips. The tumbler is available in a variety of colours.
10. Best Purse Hanger: Bagnet Magnetic Purse Hanger
Have you tried purse hangers before, only to have your bag fall to the floor in a heap? When you’re visiting restaurants for iftar, or using public washrooms, try Bagnet’s magnetic purse holder. The viral problem-solver is designed to support bags of all shapes and sizes, up to a weight of 3.6kg. Reviewers have attached it to the metal hinges of restroom stalls, to railings next to outdoor restaurant patio seating and to lockers in the gym – with resounding success. Many are surprised that the metal is so strong. But don't worry, it doesn't harm your electronics or credit cards.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
