From linen bed sheets and bright pink bags to glitter polish and velvet doorstops, here’s what made us part with our hard-earned cash in January.

Heston Blumenthal Hibachi grill, $249

This was a present for my husband and I’ll go out on a limb here and say it’s the most successful present I’ve ever given him (I don’t have a great strike rate, tbh). Food has never tasted better than it does when cooked on this. Whether it’s a whole chicken, seared red meat, or grilled summer vege and stone fruit, everything is unbelievably delicious. Plus it’s ultra-portable and very stylish. - Rebecca Wadey, Ensemble co-founder

Lilac linen duvet cover, $230

My sister-in-law came to stay with us at a bach in the Coromandel over summer, and bought her own bedding as instructed. I completely fell in love with her lilac duvet cover and immediately ordered one for myself. - RW

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Strobe Light glitter nail polish, $7.50

This nail polish has been my favourite purchase so far this year. After a glum few months of lockdown, looking at my sparkly, glittery nails as I hit the keys has been that small joy-inducing moment we all need in our day. On the fingers, I layered this polish over a light lavender hue to create a vibe reminiscent of those sequinned crochet tops that were popular when I was a youth (think y2k). On the toes I kept it simple with the sparkle only. 10/10 recommend. - Natalia Deyr, editorial assistant

Georgia Jay bag, $490

A gift to myself. I saw this hot pink bag teased and previewed on Georgia’s Instagram a while back, and it had been on my mind - and in my saved folder - ever since. So when it was finally available to buy, I knew that I needed it. I have a couple of other Georgia Jay bags and love them for their no-fuss simplicity; they’re small bags that fit a lot, and attract many ‘I love your bag!’ comments. This one has that minimalist take that I love but is a vibrant pink, the opposite of a ‘practical’ investment bag in black or brown. I love that it’s both practical and completely frivolous. - Zoe Walker Ahwa, Ensemble co-founder

Mood velvet door stop, $35 (also available here)

Okay this sounds dull AF (it’s a…door stop) but hear me out. We like to keep all our doors and windows open, but our bedroom door often slams shut in the faintest wind. Over summer I became fixated on finding a nice new door stop for it, but everything was either a cutesy animal (so many animals?!) or purely functional. This, from a local brand, was the only one I could find that was simple, pretty in rose velvet, and sturdy enough to do the job. So here I am, recommending a door stop to you all! - ZWA

Espolòn Reposado Tequila, $70

On a recent trip out to Ada I realised that the common factor in my favourite cocktails is tequila. Now, I’m not a big drinker, which you have likely deduced from the fact that this realisation is recent. I am 30-years-old for context. That said, I do know bad alcohol so when I set out to purchase a tequila to recreate these tasty cocktails at home I made sure to do my research. And I arrived at Espolòn’s reposado tequila. There are three kinds of tequila - silver or blanc, reposado and añejo. Silver or blanco is clear in colour (surprise) and has not been aged, while reposado and anejo have a golden hue due to being, you guessed it, aged in oak barrels for 2-12 months and 1-4 years respectively. Hence, reposado and añejo have more flavour, and according to a bona fide Mexican, are the preferred tipple in Mexico. Lesson aside, this is one tasty tequila. Not too pungent with the alcohol (like another tequila I bought..) and perfect in a chilli marg or paloma. - ND