Gifts for a female friend

There are three pens of each tip, told apart by the barrel: blue for hard, black for soft. The hard tip holds its point for small, tidy writing and the soft one swells wider for headings. The ink is water-based pigment, and smooth paper such as a marker pad wears the tips far less than textured card.

• Hard and soft brush tips
• Water-based black pigment ink
• Neat writing to bold headings

What owners say: Owners call them smooth-flowing and close to a real calligraphy brush, with tips that last and plenty of pens in the pack. No complaint recurs.

The single hammock is 2.7 by 1.5 m (108 by 60 in) in quick-drying nylon and holds up to 181 kg (400 lb). The 2.5 m (8 ft) straps have ten adjustment points across the two, the carabiners are stainless steel, and everything rolls into the attached sack, 794 g (28 oz) in all.

• Tree straps included
• Holds 181 kg (400 lb)
• No knots to tie

What owners say: Easy to hang, light and compact once packed, it suits a hike or a camping trip, and owners find it good value.

The widths go by code, from 005 (0.20 mm) for hatching to 08 (0.50 mm) for outlines and headings. Sakura’s Pigma ink is fade-resistant and quick-drying, won’t bleed through most papers and sits happily under a watercolour wash; give it a moment before rubbing out the pencil underneath.

• 6 black widths, 0.20–0.50 mm
• Waterproof, fade-resistant pigment ink
• Fine enough for hatching

What owners say: Owners use them for writing, drawing and outlining, with no bleeding or feathering, and like the spread of tip sizes. How long the ink lasts is the mixed point.

The light, medium and heavy bands run from about 9 to 32 kg (20 to 70 lb). Sit one on the thighs just over the knees for squats and side steps, or move it down to the ankles for kickbacks once the lighter band feels easy. A small carry case keeps all three together, so the set can live in a backpack, the car or a drawer at work.

• Resistance about 9–32 kg
• Woven fabric loops
• Won’t roll up or pinch

What owners say: The bands stay put without sliding, owners say, and inner and outer thigh work is where they feel them most, moving up a band as they get stronger. How long they last is the one thing that divides them.

Heads up: All three bands are black, and the listing mentions no labels, so mark each one’s strength with a tag or a dab of fabric marker when the set arrives.

It holds 473 mL (16 oz) and keeps drinks hot for up to 11 hours, or cold for 24, by Contigo’s figures. One hand holds, sips and locks it. A hook inside the lid keeps a tea bag’s string tidy, the lid goes on the dishwasher’s top rack, and the steel body is washed by hand.

• Hot up to 11 hours
• Push-button lid that locks
• Tea-bag hook in the lid

What owners say: Coffee stays hot for a long time and nothing leaks or spills, owners say, and they like the lock button; it travels well and cleans easily.

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Two tiers of teeth share the work: long ones loosen the knots and short ones smooth. Tangle Teezer makes it for straight, wavy and curly hair, and for adults and children alike. Take it for a second pass on towel-dried hair too, but keep it away from the blow-dryer: Tangle Teezer says not to use its brushes with direct heat.

• Two tiers of flexible teeth
• Straight, wavy or curly hair
• Special-edition chrome finish

What owners say: Morning knots come out without pulling or snapping and with little pressure, owners report, and they like the gold finish and how easily it cleans.

WoodWick’s medium hourglass holds 275 g (9.7 oz) of soy and paraffin wax and burns for up to 60 hours, by the maker’s figure, with a wooden lid to keep dust off between evenings. Break off the blackened tip of the wick before each lighting so the flame catches cleanly. At about 11.5 cm (4.5 in) tall, it fits a bedside table or a desk.

• Crackling wooden wick
• Burns up to 60 hours
• Wooden lid keeps dust off

What owners say: Owners love the warm vanilla and the comforting crackle, and say it burns for days on end, longer than other candles.

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It brews about four mugs at a time. The filter has three layers of steel mesh, and two spare screens come in the box: stack one on for a cleaner cup when the grind is on the fine side. The handle and knob stay cool, and every part, filter included, goes in the dishwasher.

• Double-walled steel, 1 litre
• 3-layer filter, 2 spare screens
• Won’t crack like glass

What owners say: Owners say it keeps coffee hot well after pressing, looks smart on the counter and is easy to clean, and they find it sturdy.

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The 750 mL (25 oz) martini shaker has a strainer in its lid, and a separate Hawthorne strainer, a 15/30 mL (½/1 oz) double jigger, ice tongs, a corkscrew, three pourers and two steel straws with a cleaning brush complete the 15 pieces, with a recipe guide. KITESSENSU suggests washing the tools by hand in warm water.

• Martini shaker on a stand
• 15/30 mL (½/1 oz) jigger
• Muddler for mint

What owners say: Its shine and good looks win praise, and owners find the kit has all a cocktail needs and is reliable and well made; no complaint recurs.

It weighs 5.4 kg (12 lb) and is sized for one person rather than the whole bed. Fine glass beads sit in small stitched pockets so the weight stays even, it goes in a home washer and dryer on low, and Mr. Sandman backs it with a 12-month guarantee.

• 5.4 kg (12 lb)
• Minky-dot and smooth sides
• Weight stays even, no bunching

What owners say: Owners describe it as luxuriously soft with the weight spread nicely, say they sleep deeply under it and feel it’s good value.

Heads up: The listing calls it queen size, but at 122 × 183 cm (48 × 72 in) it’s cut for one sleeper rather than to cover a queen bed.

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