With winter fast approaching, now’s the perfect time to give your kitchen a boost in time for Christmas and there’s plenty to inspire this month, with everything from sleek new sinks and taps to time-saving gadgets and recipe ideas…

Hotpoint has teamed up with BBC Good Food magazine and TV chef Lisa Faulkner to offer a series of cooking shortcuts to make life simpler in the kitchen. Hotpoint #Hothacks will be shared across all BBC Good Food channels; with recipes and tips in the magazine and on the website from now until February. I can’t wait to try out the classic Toffee Apple Layer Cake and Chunky Chill-Con-Carne Casserole with Corn Bread Dumplings, made in the Hotpoint all-in-one steam blender. Check it out at www.bbcgoodfood.com/hotpoint-hothacks/

Lisa Faulkner…

Toffee Apple Layer Cake…

Chunky Chilli-Con-Carne…

Another handy helper this winter would be the brand new Triple Slow Cooker and Warming Station from Bella Housewares. Priced £99.99, it’s ideal for entertaining with three 1.3L cooking bowls that can all be used at the same time at varying temperatures. It can also keep food warm and comes in a neat chrome and black design.

The Triple Slow Cooker and Warming Station from Bella Housewares (www.bellahousewares.com)

Caple has added two new granite sink collections to its portfolio with two sizes and four colours – Desert Sand, Anthracite, Chalk White and Pebble Grey. My favourite is the Leesti, which is pure simplicity in a single or 1.5 bowl design. It can be inset or undermounted and comes with accessory options including wooden chopping bowl, main bowl basket and basket strainer waste decorative cover. Prices start from £200.

Caple has added two new granite sink collections to its portfolio (www.caple.co.uk)

In a bid to prevent coach potato syndrome seeping in, I am determined to get in on the superfood action this season and what better way than with the new Nutri Blitzer™ from JML, which creates nutritious smoothies in seconds. I’ve always been a bit wary of these things but this is such a simple way to get your five-a-day and it won’t break the bank at £79.99. It breaks down stems, seeds, nuts, leaves, skin, peel and ice, so there are no bits – just plenty of all the good stuff. Simply wash your fruit or veg and pop it in. It has a 700W motor and comes in black, lime or berry to add a touch of colour to your worksurface.

The new Nutri Blitzer™ from JML (www.jmldirect.com)

Another worktop winner is the new Charlene Mullen designed panel pack for the Architect toaster and kettle collection from Dualit. The design draws on elements from Charlene’s existing London collection with a striking new skyline featuring iconic points of interest such as Tower Bridge, the London Eye and River Thames. Dualit’s interchangeable panels are an industry first, allowing for easy customisation thanks to two screws on the sides of the appliances. The panel packs cost £24.95; the kettle, £79.96 and toasters, from £79.95.

The new Charlene Mullen designed panel pack for the Architect toaster and kettle collection (www.dualit.com)

There’s plenty happening in the world of taps this month, too. Waterworks, the USA’s premier luxury bathroom brand, which launched its first UK showroom in 2014, is now entering the kitchen market with hardware, lighting, surfaces, fittings, furniture, flooring, accessories, sinks and taps – inspired by transitional American design and incorporating mid-century modern and updated traditional elements. The Regulator gooseneck double spout tap in nickel is priced £9,025.

Waterworks regulator gooseneck double spout tap in nickel (www.uk.waterworks.com)

Also new is Franke’s innovative Omni 4-in-1 tap – the world’s first lever-operated 4-in-1 kitchen mixer tap that delivers 100˚C filtered boiling, filtered cold and standard mains hot and cold water. Priced £1,350, it also comes with triple safety action with optional child clip to prevent accidental operation. Check out the video showing it in action at: www.franke.co.uk/omni

Also new is Franke’s innovative Omni 4-in-1 tap (www.franke.co.uk/omni)