Category Archives: Healthy Lifestyle

b.box flip top insulated water bottle product review

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For my most recent collaboration I have been sent a b.box bottle to test and review. I have really been looking forward to bringing this review to you because this item was a joy to test out, and it has now become my every day go-to reusable bottle.

The b.box flip top insulated bottle is an amazing design, which features a free flowing spout to drink from when the flip top is open. It is leak proof when it is shut. The bottle is seamless and smooth all over, and with a handy silicone carry strap it makes for easy on-the-go hydration.

The bottle I have holds 1 litre of liquid, but they also do it in 690ml size too. Boasting a fabulous 46 hours of chilled beverage certainty that I can attest to having rigorously tested it for the past four days too! This water bottle is a game changer for those of us who pride ourselves on getting our hydration out of the way every single day. And a bottle like this makes it effortless let me tell you more…

No more sharp edged plastic bottles, no more drinks getting warm in the sunshine while you’re out and about. And definitely no more leaking in your bag. We all keep getting told how bad plastics are for as well, so let’s all take a look at how this stainless steel bottle works.

Let me explain how the b.box insulated bottle is created, and show you a few graphics from my collaborative partner detailing their incredible design. So a triple layer helps the water in your bottle to stay cool for up to 46 hours, it does this using a stainless steel inner layer coated then with copper and then a vacuum layer before another layer of stainless steel. The powder coat outer layer is purely for the addition of a colour choice, of which there are 12 to choose from. The layers work in harmony to keep the cool temperature of the bottle stable while you go about your day and keep the warmth of the air out. The silicone elements of the bottle which include the very handy carry strap add another level of sophistication and functionality to this product.

I took the bottle out on several walks and errands over the course of four days, in 20 degree’s Celsius (average) heat because it’s been lovely warm and sunny in the UK this week. And my water stayed cold all day long. Pouring in water and dropping in ice cubes was easy, the large opening at the top is big enough to place them inside, and the opening and closing of the lid itself is simple to do but you can also feel how secure and in place it is when you carry it. No leaks and cool drink for hours on end, perfect.

Image supplied by b.box
Image supplied by b.box

As part of a healthy lifestyle it’s important to choose products that help us to either maintain or better those choices, I believe the b.box brand is helping people to do that with their innovative designs.

b.box Flip Top Insulated Bottle Details:

Stainless Steel Interior Design
Stainless Steel Straw
Flip Top Design
Silicone Carry Strap / Handle
1 litre capacity / 34 fl.oz
Cold water contained within remains cool for 46 hours
12 colours available
Australian Design
BPA Free
Suitable for ages 6 + to adults
Height of bottle 26cm (flip top closed)
Weight (empty) 478 grams
Weight (full of water) 1493 grams
Not suitable for hot beverages nor carbonated

Available to buy on Amazon (LINK)
Price (as of 19/05/2025 for 1 litre) £32.99

Who is this bottle ideal for?

I believe anyone who needs on-the-go hydration would find this bottle an asset. You can use it for Work, Home, Days Out, School, College, University, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Bedside, Gym / Fitness, Camping, Festivals… pretty much anywhere. And because of it’s large 1 litre capacity you will find you won’t need to fill it so often either. The recommended daily allowance for an adult is at least 2 litres of water a day, which means you would only need to fill this bottle twice in a day to get your RDA. It is ideal especially for warmer days in order to stay hydrated and allowing your water to remain both cold and refreshing. Because let’s face it, none of us like to drink lukewarm water.

Designed for ages 6 plus up to adults, these bottles are perfect for those of us who enjoy staying hydrated, but this bottle makes it even more easier than other designs too. With a smooth flip top cap opening that is complimented by the free flowing stainless steel straw within, drinking water couldn’t be simpler. My six year old opened the flip top on this bottle and said it was easier than his school bottle made by another brand. Having been so impressed by b.box as a whole I am now considering getting my son his very own flip top bottle, but likely the smaller version which comes in at 690ml.

Sabrina’s Product Review Scores

Product Overall Quality 5✩
Ease of Use 5✩
Value for Money 5✩
Product as Advertised 5✩

I am giving this product a 10/10 and an overall Sabrina rating of 5✩.

Image supplied by b.box

Summary

Overall I am really happy with this product and I am planning to use it as my go-to bottle from now on. It’s been a joy to test it and I am so glad that I’ve been introduced to b.box as a brand now too.

You can purchase one of their bottles and look at the range over on Amazon. The b.box website is only currently available to order items in certain countries right now, so I would recommend Amazon as your first port of call if you’re looking to purchase an insulated bottle like mine, or just to see what other items are available – they even do a baby and toddler range.
View b.box on Amazon here

I really hope you have enjoyed this product review, and I am going to pop my links to my social media below because I have made a few videos regarding this product which some of you might find useful too.

Sabrina on Instagram Severn_Sabrina
Sabrina on Facebook Severn Wishes Blog

Thank you for visiting my blog today, I wish you a wonderful rest of your day.
Sabrina

Collaboration
I have been supplied this product for the purpose of a review. I get to keep the item once I have fulfilled the test and review parameters as discussed with the company. I have not been paid for this review, and all the words are my own, and all photography is my own unless otherwise stated. I was supplied several images to use for this review ensuring viewers got to see the brand in all it’s detail. As a writer I pride myself on giving my honest opinion, and readers can leave me comments asking about the item if they wish, I am happy to answer them based upon my experience using this product. Please do not copy any information or images without my written permission but feel free to share the link to my blog with people you know if you believe this product would benefit them knowing about it. Thank you.

Sabrina’s Chunky Pasta Sauce Made in 5 Minutes

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Sometimes all we want is a quick evening meal after a long day, so we decide on a fast cooking protein and/or carbohydrate like pasta but we then need a sauce. Only we open up the cupboards and find no jars in sight! Well fear not if this is you every once in a while! Because with my 5 minute sauce you’ll be serving up your food in no time!

Pop your pasta or rice or whatever else on to boil in the background. Then search your fridge and cupboard for any of the following items;

Tomato Puree
Salsa (Mild or Hot)
Chopped Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Italian Herbs or Herbs you like or Garlic too
Vegetables – Frozen or Fridge in rough chunks
Onion – Diced (Optional)

Step 1. If you have any onion fry this off in a saucepan until soft.

Step 2. Add 200ml of water to the saucepan now and add a small cup of chunky vegetables per person, easy if it’s out of your freezer but in case it isn’t… Any veg will do like peas or carrots! Just make sure if it’s fresh it’s washed (and carrots peeled) and then cut into small chunks. Add more water now just enough to cover the vegetables and bring it to the boil.

Step 3. While your veggies cook you need to make the sauce part, take all of your chosen ingredients out and put them next to your cooker, also get a tablespoon to measure with. Open any tins that you have like chopped tomatoes and wait for the veg to soften.

Step 4. Once the Veggies are soft carefully drain the water away from your saucepan, then place it back on to the cooker and begin to add the sauce elements.

Step 5. Add in 2-3 Tablespoons of Salsa, 2-3 Tablespoons of Tomato Puree.
Season to your taste with herbs, pepper, garlic etc. A sprinkle of salt is all you need.

Step 6. Mix this all together and now add in your chopped tomatoes, stir well, then return the saucepan to the heat and cook for another couple of minutes until it is hot throughout.

Step 7. Serve with your chosen accompaniment like Pasta, Rice or a Meat like Chicken.

Sprinkle some (I have Dairy Free) Cheese on top too if you like! Delicious!

Thank you for reading this Recipe Blog Post today!

I hope you have a great start to your week.

If you make my chunky pasta sauce I would love to know what you thought of it!

There are tons of Recipes here on my blog, check out the category here
called Sabrina’s Cooking in Minutes.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Argos Testers Review of the Breville VBL248 Blend Active Personal Blender in Pink

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Hello! I’m Sabrina! And I am an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of an online review. I thoroughly test products and take photographs of them before submitting my findings and honest thoughts over to Argos. This latest campaign was to test a brand new Breville Blender and I jumped at the chance to do so, mainly because I hadn’t replaced an old blender when it broke around three years ago.

#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity


I have written this article about a product that I have been supplied for free, in order to test and then review it. This is my experience with said product and it is my honest review about the product listed below. I have already submitted my review to the Argos Website, and it has been accepted on to live public view when this blog post has been published. Please see my review on this screengrab below from the Argos website. All words and photography below this screengrab are my own.

Product Name: Breville VBL248 Blend Active Personal Blender in Pink (also available in Green)
Product Price: £23.00
Product Link: Argos Website

Product Information: Two 600ml Plastic Bottles BPA Free. Two Super-Seal Leak Preventing Lids with Carry Straps. 350W Blender Unit. Stainless Steel Bladed Bottle Base (Screw on Top), Blades Suitable to Crush Ice and Frozen Fruit. Only Suitable for Cold Liquids and Food Stuffs. One Touch Easy Blending. Bottles are Marked with ml for Ease of Use. Base Unit also available in Green. 0.6 Litre Capacity. Base requires Mains Electricity Supply.

Description from Argos:

Enjoy smoothies, juices, protein shakes and more on the go with the Breville Blend Active. This single-serve blender features a powerful 350W motor that smoothly blends frozen berries and ice with juice and other liquids. The blending occurs in the top of the bottle so nothing gathers in the base, while the one-touch action delivers perfect results in seconds; ideal for busy weekday mornings before you head out to work, school or the gym.

Make healthy, delicious smoothies, frozen juices, protein drinks and more.

One-touch blending action delivers perfect results in seconds; a quick and easy way to your 5-a-day.

My Honest Opinion

I have really enjoyed testing this gadget, and as someone who eats a lot of fruit anyway, it was nice to consume my five a day in a different way for a change. I enjoyed coming up with various smoothies and shakes over the several days of testing this product. I only had one minor issue with it and that was the electric cable from the base unit was a little short, but that’s also my bugbear due to the fact I don’t have many plugs in my kitchen as is. So I have since rearranged my counter top now so that my Blend Active can remain at easy reach. I did my first go on the top of my oven hob which wasn’t going to be practical, so I moved things around. I have used the Breville Active every day so far since I received it. It wasn’t as noisy as I thought it might be, and it was so quick to set up and easy to use too.

The bottles are really nice to hold, and the ml on the sides allows for ease of preparation of the smoothie and also tells you how much you’ve created and drank respectively. You could divide one full smoothie of 600ml into three 200ml glasses and give them to your children in a morning. Or you may wish to consume the entire bottle yourself at home or on the go, the decision is totally up to you.

Due to getting a limited word count when I submit my Argos Review I always like to elaborate some more on my blog. So to answer some of the questions other people have had online; yes the device is only mains powered so you will need access to a plug in order to use it. The blending button needs to be held down in order to blend or to pulse your chosen ingredients, however it also doesn’t take very long at all to blend those items, I think the longest that I did one smoothie (with Vegetables in) was for around 45-50 seconds. Usually 30 seconds was plenty enough time for the fruit I was using to become smooth. If you don’t like fruit seeds you could strain your smoothie through a sieve, into a jug and then pour it back into your (rinsed bottle or spare second) bottle, however it is convenient to simply smoothie up and drink. Finally yes it is going to have some noise to it being a mechanical device, but I have a mini food processor half the size and that is way louder than this Breville blender, so overall the noise for me wasn’t an issue, plus if you’re only making noise for a single minute tops, it’s not going to disrupt the neighbours is it.

Overall I would like to rate the Breville Blend Active 5 stars.

Performance 5✩
Features 5✩
Noise 4✩
Design 5✩
Additional 5✩

Performance is excellent and the quality of the end result is consistently very good.
Features are great such as the leak proof lids and the ml on ergonomic large bottles.
Noise is very good for a loud gadget, it’s not quiet but it’s speed makes up for the noise.
Design is great, a compact base unit and everything fits so well with arrow indicators to help.
Additional star is for BPA Free Plastic and the Recipes in the Booklet to get you started.

Thank you for reading this review, I hope you have enjoyed it. You can purchase this product or read more about it by looking online from Argos, I have left the link in the product description above.

If you have any questions about this Personal Breville Blender then please leave me a comment below or on my social media posts and I will do my best to answer with the knowledge I have gained from reviewing this product.

Don’t forget to check out my social media to see this in action too!

Thank you.

✩ Sabrina ✩