By Adrian Justins
Many of us already spend too much time staring at our screens and, increasingly, modern gadgets seem to be operated, or require setting up, with an app or a QR code. But not all. The product types below often fall within the bounds of app-controlled kit but here the focus is on models that simply use an old-school remote control or manual buttons.
There is an air of tradition about the design of the radio and weather clock, while the television, lamp and kettle offer a clean, contemporary look that would contrast nicely with the elegant interior of a property such as this three-bedroom Fifth Avenue apartment in New York, on the market for $14m.
Bang and Olufsen Beovision Contour television, from £6,850
Designed in collaboration with the award-winning Danish designer Torsten Valeur, this 55-inch TV (also main picture) with 4K ultra high definition has OLED technology, which delivers more intense black levels and better colour reproduction than traditional LED-lit screens. The TV can be added to a wireless network and has Bluetooth, but is controlled using the supplied Beoremote One, which can also operate other Bang and Olufsen products. The television is available in black anthracite and gold finishes and its speaker cover is made from wood veneer. Eleven speaker drivers and amplifiers deliver powerful Dolby Atmos sound.
Ruark R1 radio, £229.99
Essex-based Ruark has a 40-year history in luxury hi-fi. The classy looking R1 tabletop radio, available from Selfridges, combines a handmade natural wood grille and gently curved durable polymer casing with an easily readable auto-dimming OLED display. Streaming audio over Bluetooth is an option but the main purpose of the R1 is for listening to FM or DAB radio. Sound quality is refined and powerful. The DAB tuner finds and stores stations quickly using the manually controlled buttons on the top of the unit, with access to up to eight station presets. An optional remote control is available.
Bramwell Brown weather forecast clock, from £360
With an internal barometer, this clock indicates what the weather will be as well as displaying the time. Five charming colourful illustrations move mechanically into position to show either dry, fair, sunshine, rain or changeable according to the air pressure. Just for fun, a button on the base overrides the display to force the illustrations to briefly display one by one. Available in a variety of frame colours and with personalised backgrounds, the 33-cm diameter clock is powered by eight D-cell batteries, which should last roughly two years.
Dualit pour over kettle, £84.99
Filter coffee tastes better when made using a pour-over kettle thanks to a long, thin gooseneck spout and balanced handle that allows the water to be poured slowly, precisely, and evenly over the ground beans. Coffee also tastes better when made with water heated to 90C rather than boiled, and the same applies to non-black teas. The Dulait Pour Over Kettle has a control dial that allows you to set the optimum temperature for your selected drink. A beep sounds when the water in the 800ml capacity chamber has reached the desired temperature, which can be held for up to five minutes.
Groov-e Ares table lamp, £44.99
This stylish, folding LED desk lamp has three light settings: warm, warm white and cool, each of which has five brightness settings, adjusted using the touch-panel on its base. Other features include a temperature display, a built-in 5W wireless phone charging pad and an alarm clock. The lamp is mains powered with a back-up battery to preserve the time and alarm settings if power is lost.
Property photography: Christie’s International Real Estate
