Is there anything more disheartening than cutting the perfect slice of freshly baked bread only for it to become completely mangled as you try to spread rock hard butter on to it? I’m not sure there is and that is why I was so happy to discover that David Alfille had invented the temperature controlled butter dish. It automatically heats or cools to the perfect spreadable temperature so it is ready when you want it, with the same consistency every time allowing you to set it to your own preferred level of softness with the temperature gage.

I have really fond memories of power cuts when I was a kid, my dad would come out of the office, my teenage sister would creep out of her bedroom and mum would light lots of candles, make some hot chocolate on the stove and we would play cards, wonderful. Mum however remembers it rather differently, my dad tripping over his bag in the kitchen, my sister panicking because she hated the dark and wax melting all over the coffee table, not so wonderful.

I can already see my dad rolling his eyes at this one but I don’t care, there are two types of gardeners, people like my old man who can grow anything, anywhere and then people like me who can’t keep a cactus alive. The Click & Grow is aimed at the latter type, with a simple idea that can turn the gloomiest of places into a secret garden and the most hapless gardeners into a budding Alan Titchmarsh.

I love the idea of this bulb, not only is it practical but it is really good fun, it converts your lighting appliance into an intelligent piece of equipment that can be controlled in a number of different ways with just the touch of your smart phone.