Review | Mum In The Madhouse

2026 Colouring Calendar!

Subscribe and receive our 2026 Kids Colouring Calendar for Free
Get the 13 Page Calendar by subscribing below.

Subscribe Now

Review

Pong Ipad Case review

Review / By

by directing wireless energy and radiation away from the user by up to 52%. As a parent this is a BIG factor for me.
It increases wifi speed by up to 2.6% thanks to a special patented wafer thin ariel in the case. This also helps boost battery power b y some sort of hocus pocus too!
The case enables you to use the ipad both in portrait and landscape mode and feels really secure.
It closes down you ipad when you close the cover to save on battery life.
It fits really well. The ipad clips firmly into the case without any flexing and feels really secure and safe, which with two destructive boys is a must.

Pong Ipad Case review Read More »

Cut the rope Toys review

Review / By

They received a plush cut the rope OmNom that makes the cut the rope noise, which Mini really loved. As it is a circle the boys took to throwing it at each other and it wasn’t long before Alvin decided that this must be his new toy. This is around £9.99 and has been a big hit with any of the many children that come through my house.

We were also sent a joke book (RRP £4.99). My boys who are now seven and eight really love and understand jokes. This book has been well thumbed and has 64 pages of age appropriate jokes. It is a super book for any reluctant reader and prepare yourself to be inundated with jokes.

We were sent a comic, which is a monthly publication and is £3.99. I find childrens comics quite pricey, but this did have a lot of content and was also filled with puzzles posters, experiments and also things to make and do, so Maxi enjoyed it and as always the boys love the freebies that you get on the front of childrens comics and magazines. This edition came with a small book and pen and some cut the rope stickers.

We were also sent a doodle book, which I actually nabbed to put in the boys summer activity packs for the car. This is £5.99 and is filled with activities including dot to dots and mazes (which are Maxi’s favorite).

Cut the rope Toys review Read More »

Tefal Optigrill – A Review

6 Comments / Review / By

As I am a Tefal Innovator, I was sent the brand new Tefal Optigrill to test. This is a revolutionary new grill that can detect how thick your meat is and tells you when it is cooked to rare, medium or well done.
steak

We like:

It does what is says it will – We had three different cuts of meat all cooked to different specifications and it was delicious.
It takes the guesswork out of cooking – I love that it has an audible beep as well as a visual identification when your meat gets to a certain specification
The cooking plates are removable and dishwasher safe. _ no mess, no stress and no burning your fingers cleaning it.
Large drip pan – We tried burgers on the Tefal Optigrill today and they were either fatty, but the drip tray more than coped and it fits snuggly to the machine
It is versatile with settings for fish, sausages, burgers, bacon, chicken and a manual setting for vegetables. My mushroom today was divine
We weren’t keen:

At £130 is isn’t a cheep bit of kit, however, I have had three of the competitors grills in over two years. So if this lasts then it will be much better value for money than its competitor
It has a large footprint. I know that this is something we will use regularly, so didn’t want to put it in a cupboard, but it takes up two thirds of the top of my microwave where it now lives!
Overview:

The Optigrill has such a familiar look and feel to me. My mum had a tefal grill with removable interchangeable hot plates for over 30 years. She used it a lot and I am hoping that I get just as much use out of this as she did. The grill plate is a great size and could easily cook six burgers on it and is perfect for a family of four. I am looking forward to trying out tuna steaks on it and fish next week.

Don’t just take my word for it, see what my fellow panelists think of the Optigrill

Tefal Optigrill – A Review Read More »

Trash Packs or Trashies for those in the know!

1 Comment / Review / By

Whilst Maxi was at Cub camp last week, Mini and I had lots of fun making up the Slime Trashies. We made gooey, sticky, sewer ooze slime that defies gravity, then we used our ooze to create 3 giant, slime filled Trashies that you can squish, poke and squeeze.
Making them was great fun, Mini had to measure, stir and time his slime and had to wait 30 minutes for it to become fully slimelike, which was great for his patience.

The good thing about trashies is that they are reasonably priced and make great reward and pocket money priced toys.

Trash Packs or Trashies for those in the know! Read More »

Black and Decker Steam Mop Review: Is It Worth the Investment?

7 Comments / Review / By

The Black & Decker® steam-mop™ with Autoselect® digital handle commands and steam burst technology easily gets rid of tough to move marks and germs with minimal effort, ensuring that your floors are sparkling clean. Ready to use in 15 seconds and it will run for 25 minutes on a single tank.

With Autoselect® digital handle command technology, simply push the button to select the specific floor type -hardwood/laminate, tile/ vinyl, or stone/marble – and the mop automatically releases the right amount of steam. Autoselect® helps to assure thorough yet delicate cleaning on all sealed hard floors and is even safe on sealed hardwoods. The addition of steam burst mode removes even the most stubborn dirt – it releases 50% more for steam in a concentrated 5 second burst when you need that extra cleaning power, you don’t get from ordinary steam mops. With the unique and innovative design of the delta lift off head you can, with a quick push of the foot peddle, use the triangular cleaning head to get in to all the corners of your home.

Kills 99% of bacteria and germs – no chemicals required.
Quick dry and streak free, it takes less time and work than a mop and bucket.
Swivel head for ease of use around furniture and awkward areas.
Self standing for convenience with auto shut off when locked in the upright position.
1600 watts.
6m power cord.
0.5 litre water tank capacity.
Ready to use in 15 seconds.
Steam ready indicator.
Steaming time 25 mins per tank.
Machine washable pads.
Suitable for all floor types.
Accessories included.
Weight 3.07kg.

Black and Decker Steam Mop Review: Is It Worth the Investment? Read More »

Keeping hypersensitive heads warm with Zaini hats

1 Comment / Review / By

The boys chose their hats from the Zaini Kids range.

All Zaini Kids hats are fully fleeced lined for the utmost comfort and quality and are made from 100% acrylic which is extremely durable towards rain, snow and wind. It is not waterproof , but it will resist rain without altering the hat. They can be hand washed only at 40 degrees.
The idea of Zaini started in 2010 in a ski resort in Northern France, when Scottish ski instructor Miranda Harper started hand knitting hats for friends because she couldn’t find the kind she liked. Since then Zaini, and Zaini Kids, has become an established brand which sells and distributes hand made products throughout the world.

So back to the hat, how did it fair. Well he has been wearing it for a week, as it is fleece lines it doesn’t itch per say and he is doing much better than he has with any other hat. He loves the pom pom on the top and it has withstood both hail and rain. At £14.99 it is much more than I have ever paid for a hat for him, but as a cost per wear it is the best value hat I have ever had for him too!

Keeping hypersensitive heads warm with Zaini hats Read More »

Simply Swimwear Review – Boys wetsuits

2 Comments / Review / By

I was starting to despair that we would have no sun this summer to be able to review these for you. but finally the sun has come out and so have our supersoakers!

These shorty wet suits are £18.50 each and will see them throughout the summer. The service we received was suburb as the first ones they sent were the wrong ones, so we received a paid return label and the replacements by return. They are much less restrictive that the full neoprene ones, so your children will be more comfortable in them and I like how they cover more of them up than just trunks or swim shorts.

Simply Swimwear Review – Boys wetsuits Read More »

Orchard Toys Football Game – Review

Review / By

The mini mads are very fond of board games. However, at the moment, Mini is an extremely sore loser, which is compounded by the fact that Maxi is older and does tend to win more often when it is a strategic or tactical game. So although we adore Orchard Toys and have never had a bad game (in fact I think we already all their games), I did hold out much hope of the Football Game being placed by just the boys on their own. How wrong could I have been.

The football game is a take on the standard game of snakes and ladders, but with many added extras all linked to football (which my boys loved). In order to win you have to score the first goal, but this is a game of chance as you have to spin the spinner to score the goal and be careful as you could get a red card if you land on the wrong space.

The instructions are clear and concise and very simple to follow. I had one game with the boys and by then they had the hand of things and have played it often ever since on their own.

I adore that this game has leveled the playing field for my boys, th

Orchard Toys Football Game – Review Read More »