Desk research, not testing. Look Into has not used any of these products. Every figure is a price read on Amazon UK on 16 October 2026, divided by a stated number of uses. Change the number of uses and the answer changes, so we show both. This page carries no affiliate links.
Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 16 October 2026 · next check 20 November 2026 · how we picked
The short version
- Best value: Oral-B iO2 electric toothbrush, 7.3p a use in year one, including three replacement heads (£53.30 ÷ 730 brushes).
- Worst value per use: Philips Lumea 9900 IPL, £28.29 a session in year one (£339.50 ÷ 12). It is the only product here that costs pounds per use rather than pence.
- Same price, very different value: the £18.98 icicle lights and the £40.00 heated throw both cost 51.3p a use in year one. The lights get 37 nights a year, while the throw gets 78 evenings.
- What the listings leave out: only 1 of the 8 states a wattage in watts, and only 2 of the 8 state a warranty with a length. One of those two states two different lengths.
- One line for most gift buyers: the cheapest gifts per use are the dull ones used every day. The sticker price tells you very little.
Look Into's 2026 Amazon Christmas Gift Cost Index
Ranked by cost per use in year one. Prices read on Amazon UK on 16 October 2026.
| Rank | Product | Price | Uses in year one | Refill tail (year one) | Cost per use, year one | Demand on 16 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oral-B iO2 electric toothbrush | £39.99 | 730 | £13.31 (3 heads) | 7.3p | 10,000+ bought, #52 Health & Personal Care |
| 2 | Remington S8500 straighteners | £25.00 | 156 | none | 16.0p | 10,000+ bought, #60 Beauty |
| 3 | OUTJUT hand warmers, 2 pack | £18.99 | 100 | none | 19.0p | 200+ bought |
| 4 | Revolution Pro Miracle LED mask | £44.99 | 156 | none | 28.8p | 2,000+ bought |
| 5 | Silentnight heated throw | £40.00 | 78 | electricity, see below | 51.3p | 3,000+ bought, #1 Electric Throws |
| 6 | MAGGIFT 10m icicle lights | £18.98 | 37 nights | 35p electricity | 51.3p | 10,131 ratings |
| 7 | Yoton Y3 mini projector | £29.98 | 52 | not calculable | 57.7p | 2,000+ bought, #2 Projectors |
| 8 | Philips Lumea 9900 IPL | £339.50 | 12 | none | £28.29 | 900+ bought |
The working
- Oral-B iO2: heads are replaced every three months, so four a year, one of them in the box. Three extra heads at £4.44 each (£17.75 ÷ 4) = £13.31. (£39.99 + £13.31) ÷ 730 = 7.3p.
- Remington S8500: £25.00 ÷ 156 = 16.0p.
- OUTJUT hand warmers: £18.99 ÷ 100 = 19.0p.
- Revolution Pro Miracle: £44.99 ÷ 156 = 28.8p. This matches the 29p in Look Into's UK At-Home Beauty Device Cost Index, which uses the same three-a-week basis.
- Silentnight throw: £40.00 ÷ 78 = 51.3p. Electricity on top: the listing gives no wattage. At 120W, a three-hour evening is 0.36 kWh × 26.32p = 9.5p, or £7.39 across 78 evenings.
- MAGGIFT icicle lights: £18.98 ÷ 37 nights = 51.3p. Electricity: 6W × 222 hours = 1.33 kWh × 26.32p = 35p for the season. If the set lasts three seasons, the cost falls to 17.1p a night (£18.98 ÷ 111).
- Yoton Y3: £29.98 ÷ 52 = 57.7p. The listing gives its power as "38 Watt-hours", which is a unit of energy, not power, so we cannot work out the electricity cost.
- Philips Lumea 9900: £339.50 ÷ 12 = £28.29. Over three years of monthly use it falls to £9.43 a session (£339.50 ÷ 36).
Year one against year three
Most of these gifts get cheaper the longer they last. These are the products where a three-year view changes the order.
| Product | Year one | Three years (same rate of use, nothing else to pay) |
|---|---|---|
| Remington S8500 | 16.0p | 5.3p |
| Revolution Pro Miracle | 28.8p | 9.6p |
| MAGGIFT icicle lights | 51.3p a night | 17.1p a night |
| Philips Lumea 9900 | £28.29 | £9.43 |
Three-year figures assume the product still works and still gets used. That is a big assumption for a Christmas gift.
What the listings leave out
We read each listing's title, bullet points and spec tables on 16 October 2026.
| Product | Wattage stated? | Warranty stated? | What else is missing or odd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral-B iO2 | n/a (battery) | No | Head cost not shown. The 8 pack of heads (£5.00 each) is dearer per head than the 4 pack (£4.44) |
| Remington S8500 | No | Yes, twice | Bullets say 5 years plus 1 for registering. Spec table says 3 years |
| OUTJUT hand warmers | n/a (battery) | No | Heat time given as "up to 8.5-20 hours" |
| Revolution Pro Miracle | No | No | No wavelength stated (see our LED mask guide) |
| Silentnight heated throw | No | "Quality Guarantee", no length | The "120W" in the spec table is the width in cm |
| MAGGIFT icicle lights | Yes, 6W | No | IP44, which covers splashes, not jets |
| Yoton Y3 projector | No (gives Wh) | Yes, 2 years | Claims "7500 lumen" and "6500 ANSI Lumens" on one listing for a native 720p unit |
| Philips Lumea 9900 | No | No | Flash count not stated |
The count: 1 of 8 states a usable wattage in watts (the icicle lights). 2 of 8 state a warranty with a length (the Remington and the Yoton), and the Remington states two lengths. 0 of 8 state the year-one cost of their own consumables.
FAQ
Which Christmas gift is the best value per use?
The Oral-B iO2 electric toothbrush, at 7.3p a brush in year one including three replacement heads, on Amazon UK prices from 16 October 2026.
Which popular gift is the worst value per use?
The Philips Lumea 9900 IPL, at £28.29 a session in year one, because it is used about once a month. Over three years it falls to £9.43.
How much does it cost to run outdoor Christmas lights?
About 35p for the whole season for a 6W set run six hours a night from 1 December to 6 January, at 26.32p per kWh.
How much does a heated throw cost to run?
About 9.5p for a three-hour evening if it draws 120W, at 26.32p per kWh. The best-selling throws we checked do not state their wattage, so check the box or the plug label.
Are cheap mini projectors worth it?
Only for casual use. The Yoton Y3 costs 57.7p a film in year one, but its listing gives two different brightness figures, and both are implausible for a 317g, native 720p unit.
Can I quote these numbers?
Yes. Please credit "Look Into's 2026 Amazon Christmas Gift Cost Index (lookinto.co.uk), prices checked 16 October 2026".
Method, and how to check any of this
- Products. Eight high-demand Christmas products on Amazon UK, chosen on review count, "bought in past month" and Best Sellers Rank, all read on 16 October 2026.
- Prices. The buy-box price that day. Prices change daily and will change for Black Friday on 27 November.
- Uses. The fixed frequencies in the table above. They are assumptions, not measurements.
- Consumables and electricity. Added only where a published price or wattage allows it. Electricity at 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem cap rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026.
- Listing audit. Title, bullet points and the spec tables only, so that "customers also viewed" text cannot count as a claim.
- To check any figure: take today's price, add any consumables, then divide by how often you will actually use it.
This is a dated, one-off index. It will not be rebased. A 2027 edition would be a new page.
The practical recommendation
For most gift buyers: favour gifts used daily or weekly. A £40 toothbrush works out at 7.3p a use, while a £340 IPL device costs £28.29 a session in its first year. Before buying anything that plugs in, look for the wattage on the box, because most listings leave it out.
Internal links: Gift guide (page 1), Outdoor lights (page 3), Beauty gifts (page 4), Kids gifts (page 5), UK At-Home Beauty Device Cost Index, LED mask guide, IPL guide, mini projector guide. No Amazon links on this page.