BestPicks UK
Matthew Smart, founder and editor of BestPicks UK

Founder & Editor

Matthew Smart

  • 20+ years working in home and garden maintenance
  • Exeter, Devon, UK
  • 75 articles and 102 product reviews on BestPicks UK

Background

I’ve spent more than 20 years working in home and garden maintenance in the South West. I started as a landscape gardener with my own business, Smart Gardens. Over time the work moved indoors as well — kitchens, heating, ventilation and appliances — and the business became Smart Homes and Gardens.

That work meant recommending products to real customers, then going back to the same houses months and years later. You learn quickly which things get used, which get returned, and which quietly fail just after the warranty runs out. BestPicks UK is where I put that judgement to work for UK homeowners and renters.

To be clear about how I work: most reviews on this site are research-led rather than hands-on. I compare the manufacturer’s specifications, verified UK owner feedback and independent test data, then weigh it up using what I know from the trade. The full process is on the how we review page.

Specialisms

What I focus on, what I check, and the articles where that knowledge is put to use.

Maintenance

Two decades of looking after other people’s homes and gardens means I judge products on what they need from you after the box is opened.

What I check

  • Cleaning, descaling and filter routines
  • Winter storage and lay-up
  • Spare parts and consumables you will keep buying

Read my maintenance articles

Plus 4 more below.

Garden equipment

I started out as a landscape gardener, so outdoor kit is where I began: mowers, structures, cooking and outdoor living.

What I check

  • How it copes with UK lawns, slopes and weather
  • Footprint, access and ground preparation
  • What a garden actually needs versus the spec sheet

Read my garden equipment articles

Plus 18 more below.

Home appliances

As the business moved indoors, kitchens, heating, ventilation and appliances became a big part of the work.

What I check

  • Real-world performance against stated figures
  • Noise, controls and day-to-day usability
  • Whether it suits a typical UK home

Read my home appliances articles

Plus 43 more below.

Practical installation

Sizing, siting and setting up correctly matters as much as the product you choose — and it is where most buying mistakes happen.

What I check

  • Sizing for the room, garden or household
  • Power, drainage, ventilation and access
  • Planning rules and what to sort before delivery

Read my practical installation articles

Plus 8 more below.

Running costs

I work out what a product costs to run in pounds and pence, at the current Ofgem price cap rate, with the assumptions shown.

What I check

  • Wattage and realistic daily use
  • Cost per day, month and year
  • Payback against the alternative

Read my running costs articles

Plus 12 more below.

Build quality & reliability

Years of recommending products to paying customers taught me what lasts, and what comes back after a month.

What I check

  • Materials, seals and weak points
  • Warranty terms and UK support
  • Long-term owner feedback

Read my build quality & reliability articles

Plus 41 more below.

Categories I review

My editorial standards

  • Running costs use the current Ofgem price cap unit rate, and every assumption is shown.
  • Prices are quoted “at our last check” because they change daily.
  • Pages say clearly when a product hasn’t been tested hands-on.
  • Affiliate commission never changes a score or a ranking. If I wouldn’t recommend it to a customer, it doesn’t make the list.

About BestPicks UK · Contact me

Everything I’ve written (75)