Everyday essentials
Smart, considered picks for everyday life: gadgets, home and fragrance finds, with clear pros, cons and prices.
Tech & Gadgets
The best 20,000 mAh power bank for most people in India is the Xiaomi Power Bank 4i (33W, about ₹1,899). If you want to charge a laptop, the Xiaomi Power Bank 5i (67W, built-in cable) is the best, and the Amazon Basics 20000 mAh (about ₹999) is the safest low-spend pick.
Tech & Gadgets
The best 55-inch 4K TV for most people in India is the Samsung Vision AI Mini LED (about ₹53,900): Mini LED contrast at a mid-range price. Picture purists and PS5 gamers should look at the Sony BRAVIA 3 II, and the Hisense UR8S RGB MiniLED is the flagship to aspire to.
Home & Living
The best air fryer for most Indian homes is the Philips NA120/00 (4.2 L, about ₹4,699), Amazon India's best-seller. For bigger families the Instant Vortex Plus 6 L is the highest-rated, and the Ninja MAX PRO gives the best crisping. To cook two dishes at once, pick the Philips NA352/00 dual basket.
Fashion & Style
The best automatic watch under ₹40,000 in India is the Seiko 5 Sports: proven, tough and great value at about ₹25,000. The Orient Bambino is the best dress automatic for less, Titan's skeletal automatics are the best Indian pick (Akio wears one), and the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is the one to stretch for.
Fragrance & Beauty
The best beard trimmer for most men in India is the Philips BT3441/30: 90 minutes of runtime, 20 length settings and a 2+1 year warranty for about ₹1,550. The Xiaomi Beard Trimmer 2C is the best value, and the Philips OneBlade is best if you want to trim and shave with one tool.
Tech & Gadgets
The best earbuds under ₹2,000 in India are the boAt Airdopes Prime 701 ANC: 46 dB hybrid ANC, up to 50 hours of battery and multipoint. For the strongest noise cancelling pick the Moto Buds Bass (50 dB, LDAC); for the best ANC value, the Realme Buds N1.
Home & Living
The best ergonomic office chair under ₹15,000 in India is the Green Soul Jupiter Pro: 4D armrests, a seat slider and a 5-year warranty for about ₹11,990. For the best build pick the Vergo Ease Premium, and for the best value the Wakefit Gravita (about ₹6,397).
Fragrance & Beauty
The best all-round perfume for men in India is Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man Pure Parfum: a bold, Aventus-style scent at a fraction of the price. For a refined classic, pick Versace Pour Homme; for great value, Ajmal Silver Shade or Wild Stone Edge. Six of these ten have been tested by Akio.
Tech & Gadgets
For most people the best smartwatch under ₹5,000 is a well-rounded AMOLED watch with Bluetooth calling, like the boAt Valour Watch 1R or Noise ColorFit Pro 5. Pick the Amazfit Bip 5 if you want built-in GPS, and the Redmi Move if battery life matters most.
Fashion & Style
The best white sneakers for men in India are the Nike Court Vision Low: a clean, classic court shoe that often sells for about ₹3,250–3,500. For comfort pick the Adidas Grand Court 2.0 (Cloudfoam), for value the Puma Court Shatter Low, and for the lowest spend the Campus OG-17.
Tech & Gadgets
Hisense opened a store at Vardhman Electronics, Sector 62, Gurgaon. The highlight was an RGB Mini LED TV unveiled by Shefali Bagga, alongside Hisense washing machines and ACs under one roof.
Fragrance & Beauty
Ajmal Silver Shade is one of the most talked-about affordable alternatives to Creed Silver Mountain Water. It opens with sharp, fresh citrus and dries down clean, woody and musky. Fresh, slightly metallic and surprisingly sophisticated for the price.
Fragrance & Beauty
Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man Pure Parfum is the fragrance most often compared to Creed Aventus, which costs ₹25,000 or more. It opens with a powerful citrus blast and settles into a smoky, woody, masculine dry down. I liked it enough to buy a second bottle.
General Lifestyle
I ordered a Fitspire whey protein and the box came with a complete performance stack: whey, nano creatine and protein bars. A pleasant surprise, and worth a look if you're stocking up on supplements.
Food & Cafes
I tried McDonald's India's Super Sixer Meal with the Protein Bun upgrade, and got a Hardik Pandya collectible that took me straight back to my Happy Meal days. Comfort food with a nostalgic twist.
Fashion & Style
The Zouk Executive Laptop Bag is subtle enough not to shout and distinct enough to get noticed. A clean, black work bag from an Indian brand, where the small details make the biggest difference.
Tech & Gadgets
The Digitek DTR-260 GT is a flexible gorilla tripod with a Bluetooth remote. Its MRP is ₹995, but it usually sells for far less. It wraps around poles, railings and bikes, holds up to 1 kg, and is one of the most useful accessories in my setup. Rated 9/10 for everyday content creators.
Fashion & Style
I got a first look at the new The Bear House store in Gurgaon, Sector 29, and the collection is absolutely insane. The hype is 100% real.
Tech & Gadgets
The 'best deal' you see during Big Billion Days or the Great Indian Festival isn't always the real best deal. Check the price history first, and you'll see how real the discount actually is.
Home & Living
The Solara 650 ml insulated bottle keeps drinks hot or cold, with solid build quality and a classy look. It's perfect for the gym, the office and travel.
Fashion & Style
White Crocs are a blank canvas. Add cute and quirky Jibbitz charms to make them yours. I ordered mine from Flipkart, Myntra, Meesho and a hidden gem site, QuestSoul, where you can pick single charms or bundles.
Home & Living
The PATPAT Slicker Pet Comb Brush is dual-sided, with 22 teeth for knots and 90 for shedding. It massages without scratching and suits medium to large dogs and cats. Listed at an MRP of ₹866, it was selling for ₹232 when I posted.
Fragrance & Beauty
Wild Stone Edge opens with zesty lemon and aquatic freshness and dries down to patchouli, amber and musk. With an MRP of ₹399 for 50 ml or ₹799 for 100 ml, and usually sold for less, it's a pocket-friendly fragrance that works for the office and date night.
Fashion & Style
The Copser funky sneakers, from my viral Best Buy Sneaker Collection video, were selling for just ₹398. The look is great, the quality is decent, and the price is hard to beat.
Fragrance & Beauty
Raw by Skinn is a citrusy, woody fragrance made for your daily vibe. A French-made eau de parfum from Titan's fragrance brand, available on Flipkart.
Fashion & Style
I researched Flipkart's bestselling sneakers and made a top 10 list, with prices starting at ₹369 and going up to ₹2,000. Here's how to pick a good pair in that range.
Tech & Gadgets
In 2018, Vietnamese brand Mobiistar launched two aggressively priced smartphones in India: the XQ at ₹7,999 and the CQ at ₹4,999, both with a 13 MP selfie camera and sold exclusively on Flipkart.
Tech & Gadgets
The Honor 9 Lite launched in India in January 2018 with four cameras (13 MP + 2 MP on both front and back), a glass unibody design and EMUI 8.0, from ₹10,999 for 3 GB/32 GB, exclusively on Flipkart.