8 most popular things IndyBest readers bought in July 2021

From fans to gas barbecues, these were the big hitters from the past month (iStock/The Independent)
From fans to gas barbecues, these were the big hitters from the past month (iStock/The Independent)

July seemed to come and go in a flash of an eye, and what a month it was. Southgate’s England team reached their first final in 55 years, we experienced some much-needed sunny, hot weather and lockdown measures were eased.

Undoubtedly, these factors influenced our shopping habits. Euro fever meant England football shirts sold out and the heatwave caused a shortage of fans. On that same ilk retailers also saw a surge in people buying everything from barbecues and outdoor pizza ovens to sunscreens and sunglasses – for men, women and children.

Speaking of kids and warm weather, the summer holidays started, which meant we saw an uptake in interest in paddling pools and swimming aids.

Warm weather aside, our health, beauty and wellness content was a big hit in July, perhaps owing to lockdown easing and people searching for ways to give themselves some extra TLC. Notably, our guide to the best probiotic and prebiotic supplements proved popular, along with teeth whitening kits and silk pillowcases.

If you’re still intrigued to see how everyone else spent their money during the past month, read on to find out what the most popular purchases were in July 2021.

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John Lewis & Partners 3 burner: £279, Johnlewis.com

 (John Lewis & Partners)
(John Lewis & Partners)

With a warm, sunny spell during July, interest in barbecues inevitably went through the roof – and our guide to the best gas barbecues shone supreme. This three-burner from John Lewis & Partners proved popular with our readers this month, most likely owing to its glowing reviews.

“All levels of outdoor chef would be happy with the John Lewis & Partners 3 burner because it allows for total control as soon as your ingredients hit the grill”, praised our writer. “A quality product that will consistently produce delicious morsels at a mouth-watering price”, they added.

With an August heatwave on the horizon, beat the crowds and secure yours now – we predict it’ll be just as popular this month.

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Ooni fyra 12: £249, Ooni.com

 (Ooni)
(Ooni)

To really make the most of the heatwave, it was a big month for Ooni thanks to the fact we featured not one, but two of its pizza ovens in our review of the best. This one proved the most popular from our review and our writer praised it for simplifying the whole process of creating authentic wood-fired pizza.

“Within 15 minutes of igniting the pellets in the hopper, we were ready to cook”, noted our writer. “When it came to the pizzas themselves, they were mouth-wateringly smoky”. We’ll be adding to our basket right now.

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Tower Scandi 16in metal pedestal fan grey: £59.99, Towerhousewares.co.uk

 (Tower)
(Tower)

With the weather proving too hot to handle for many, the IndyBest team shared their heatwave essentials, but a feature that really proved popular was our guide to the best cooling fans (and for good reason too). With just under 7,000 clicks and a whole lot of purchases, this Tower was a saviour for many.

“We were blown away (excuse the pun) by Tower’s Scandi 16 inch metal pedestal fan, which ticked all the boxes without any compromise: it did a brilliant job of keeping us feeling as cool as this pedestal fan looked, and it was both incredibly light and refreshingly easy to assemble”, praised our writer.

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La Roche-Posay anthelios ultra-light invisible fluid sun cream SPF50+: £13.50, Boots.com

 (La Roche-Posay)
(La Roche-Posay)

Of course, you should wear sun protection all year round, but the summer days in July sparked a surge in people buying face SPF, with this one, in particular, a firm favourite.

“You’ll struggle to find a dermatologist or beauty editor who wouldn’t recommend this cult product for its brilliant finish and bargain price”, noted our writer in the review of the best face sunscreens. “It’s a lightweight, thin SPF that melts into skin easily leaving no white streaks”, and it’s a “great base for make-up”, she praised.

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John Lewis & Partners the ultimate collection silk pillowcase: £45, Johnlewis.com

 (John Lewis & Partners)
(John Lewis & Partners)

It wasn’t all sunny weather-appropriate buys though because this silk pillowcase was up there as the most bought product in July. While nothing new, silk pillowcases have exploded in popularity of late and are credited with delivering smooth, shiny hair and wrinkle-free skin.

This one from John Lewis & Partners took the top spot in our review of the best silk pillowcases since it served as a “reminder that you don’t have to blow the budget to sleep on quality silk”. Our writer also said, “We loved the wide range of colours and the minimalist design – it was extremely comfortable to sleep on, with none of the added face-tickling extras sported by many silk pillowcases.”

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John Lewis & Partners synthetic soft touch washable standard pillow: £10, Johnlewis.com

 (John Lewis & Partners)
(John Lewis & Partners)

If you’re looking for a new pillow to complement your new silk pillowcase, this pocket-friendly pillow was the most bought item in the last 30 days after it was featured in our round-up of the best. You can expect “a lofty, plump microfibre pillow that is streets above others at this price when it comes to comfort”, noted our writer.

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Spotlight Oral Care teeth whitening system set: £39.95, Beautybay.com

 (Spotlight)
(Spotlight)

With this product coming out top in our review of the best teeth whitening kits, it’s no surprise it was one of the most bought products in July 2021. Heralded as an “overnight transformation”, the kit contains “hydrogen peroxide, aka the key to dazzling teeth”. After just two day’s use, our writer noticed “the beginnings of a glowing smile” and in just two week’s, she barely recognised her gnashers.

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Garden of Life raw microbiome ultimate care: £37.95, Amazon.co.uk

 (Garden of Life)
(Garden of Life)

Another health and beauty related purchase, albeit a little more wellness-focused, is this supplement, which took the top spot in our guide to the best probiotics and prebiotics.

“There is much to consider when looking for the right gut health supplement for your individual needs,” noted our writer. “We think Garden of Life’s raw microbiome ultimate care is an excellent probiotic and the most potent we found, with an astonishing 100 billion CFU and 34 strains of good bacteria”.

So, if like your fellow IndyBest readers you want to improve your gut health, we’d recommend giving them a try.

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