A kids car seat, a pushchair, and health monitors were all on a Which? list of products that shoppers should completely avoid, because they were either dangerous… or just rubbish
A child’s car seat, which was found to have a “serious” failing in tests, was among products slapped with a “don’t buy” warning by consumer group Which?.
Researchers were so concerned about The Kinderkraft Mink Pro 2 and Mink FX 2 Isofix Base that Which? gave the product a 0% score. The product, costing £79 with the seat base, was put through a crash test, that goes beyond legal requirements. The seat shell was found to come loose from the Isofix base and flew through the test vehicle.
“This represents a real safety risk for your baby in the event of a crash, and is why we have reduced the score to 0%, irrespective of how it scores in the other parts of our test,” Which? said. “When installed using the vehicle seatbelt, the seat gets 50%.”
Although the product has not been recalled, Which? was advising anyone who owned it to contact the retailer or manufacturer to discuss their options, including a replacement or refund.
It was among products named and shamed in the group’s “don’t buy” list for 2026.
While some products were deemed potentially dangerous, others on the list were judged to simply be duds.
Another that raised safety concerns was the £95 Red Kite Push Me Explor Stroller. It scored 43% after one of its wheels came off during durability testing on uneven surfaces. Which? recommended the Joie MyDrift, with a score of 74%. Despite considerably more, at £250, it was given a “great value” endorsement and performed well in tests for safety and ease-of-use tests.
Researchers who carried out tests on health gadgets gave the £80 Braun ExactFit 5 Connect Blood Pressure Monitor the thumbs down. Which? found it provided false high or low readings that could lead to unnecessary anxiety or potential misdiagnosis. Instead, it recommended the much cheaper £35 Boots Multi-User Blood Pressure Monitor that was found to deliver accurate readings in under a minute.
Another test on the Silentnight Airmax 800 Air Purifier (£69) earned a lowly score of 37%. While quiet to operate, Which? said it struggled to remove small particles from the air compared to other products in this category. In contrast, the £59 Blueair Mini Max achieved a 65% score after performing well in removing airborne particles such as dust, pollen and smoke.
Harry Rose, Which? Magazine Editor, said: “Shoppers shouldn’t have to gamble on whether a product will perform as promised. Our 2026 Don’t Buys show that a well-known brand or premium price tag is no guarantee of quality, safety or performance.
“Independent testing is more important than ever, helping people avoid wasting money on products that simply don’t make the grade.
“With household budgets already stretched, people expect – and deserve – products that deliver on their promises. Whether it’s a product that could put a child’s safety at risk or one that simply doesn’t do the job it was bought for, shoppers shouldn’t be left out of pocket because a product falls short.”
A Kinderkraft spokesperson previously said: “We declare full compliance of the Mink Pro 2 and Mink FX 2 with the requirements of Regulation R129, which is confirmed by numerous verification tests conducted both before the product was launched at the beginning of 2025, as well as after its introduction.
“(We are) offering customers the opportunity to exchange the product or receive a full refund. Customer safety is of the utmost importance to us, and we are committed to meeting and exceeding customer expectations, even though our product fully complies with R129 standards.”
A Braun spokesperson said: We feel your analysis does not accurately represent the reality of the rigorous and independent testing we put our product through.”
A spokesperson for RedKite previously said its products previously passed independent testing to BS EN 1888 standards, “and we have received no reports of issues in everyday use. We are nevertheless investigating urgently, including further independent testing and a full product review.”
A Silentnight spokesperson said: “The Silentnight Airmax 800 Air Purifier is designed to remove airborne particles using a HEPA filter. It has never been marketed or claimed to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which require a dedicated activated carbon filter that this product does not contain.”
