Merry Christmas from the Kettler team! #ChristmasJumperDay We have all dug out our Christmas jumpers and headwear for Christmas Jumper Day. From the warehouse team and transport team to accounts and our customer service team, we’ve all dressed up to keep warm this festive season. Our office shuts from Saturday 22nd December and reopens on the 2nd January. We at Kettler all hope you have a happy holiday season and fun new year.

This year, Kettler entered one of our most popular Go-Karts into the annual Outdoor Toy Awards. Hundreds of the latest and greatest toys for kids entered the summer competition. The toy awards are split into many categories, including Pre-School, Flying Toys and Trampolines or Inflatable bouncing toys. Daytona Air Go Kart Reaches Final Kettler submitted the Daytona Air Go-Kart for the Ride-On Category. The Daytona Air go-kart is suitable for children from 4-8 years. The high quality steel tubing frame is scratch-resistant while the moulded seat has a spinal support. The tyres are air fill and include sporty hubs. The Outdoor Toy Awards are organised by renowned industry experts, Toyology. Teen YouTubers Jaadin the Kid and Amazing Arabella were among the judges who spent the day having fun playing with all the toys and putting them through their paces. The winners were announced via a live-stream on Facebook. Kettler’s Daytona Air go kart made it to the final of the competition where it received a commendation from the judges. The Ride On group is the toughest category of the awards and we are over the moon with the result. Christmas Present Ideas for Kids Buy the Daytona Air Go-Kart now and save 20% on the Kettler website. Our pedal go-kart is the perfect Christmas present for kids from 4 to 8 years. Discover our full range of go karts or buy a kid’s wheeled toy online today. For help choosing the right toy for your child this Christmas, try our handy ride-on toy buying guides full of helpful tips.

ITV’s Love Your Garden is a prime-time television show currently in its 8th series. Alan Titchmarsh and his team of professional gardeners’ surprise people across Britain by transforming their home gardens into luxury outdoor living spaces. Watch green-fingered experts turn neglected grounds into spectacular gardens all in time for the big reveal to close the show. The Love Your Garden team came to us, asking to donate Kettler garden furniture for the show. Each episode includes a family deserving of a luxury garden to enjoy time together outdoors. We love the look on their faces when presented with their new outdoor spaces as well as the handy gardening hints and tips given each episode in our own gardens. Luxury Wood & Wicker Patio Furniture In episode 4 of series 8, Alan and his team redesigned the garden of a young family with a mother fighting stage 3 secondary cancer. The couple wanted a natural garden full of colour and space for their 3-year-old daughter, Ivy to play in. Our Cora Round wooden dining table and Cora round back dining chairs were chosen for the garden. The modern mix of handwoven wicker with natural acacia wood was a perfect contrast to the midnight slate patio. Each episode comes with a “Get the Look” guide to help with your garden design. Ezra Casual Dining Corner Set We also donated our Ezra Corner set to a garden in Hackney for episode 8. The Ezra corner set is one of our most luxurious garden furniture sets from the Casual Dining range and we loved seeing what Alan, David Domoney and Katie Rushworth did with the garden lounge set and the garden around it. Take a look at the “Get the Look” guide for this episode.

This summer we gave customers an opportunity to win a Michelin Star BBQ Experience at home. Chefs from Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck Group will cook a unique meal on an Everdure BBQ for the lucky winner and 10 friends. The competition ran in retailers stocking the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal range over the summer. Michelin Star Barbecues The Fat Duck Group are a team of chefs with Heston Blumenthal as their fearless leader. The Berkshire restaurant, The Fat Duck has won international accolades and been awarded 3 Michelin stars. The Fat Duck Group travel the world as a team, promoting Heston’s unique cooking style at events such as the Waitrose Summer Festival, annual trade shows and at the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal UK launch event. In 2017 Heston launched the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal BBQ range in the UK. The range of charcoal and gas barbecues are designed to make it easy for anyone who enjoys outdoor cooking. Who better to re-imagine the barbecue, than a chef who inspires millions. And the winner is… The submissions for the competition have been collected and a name has been picked. We are excited to announce that the winner of the Michelin star BBQ experience in their garden is Alison Walsh. Members of the Fat Duck Group will visit her house for her very own BBQ experience, cooked on an Everdure HUB charcoal BBQ. Congratulations Alison and we hope you enjoy your experience. For inspiration on how to cook like a Michelin star chef, there are plenty of BBQ recipe ideas on the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal website to try at home.

The annual trade show for garden furniture and outdoor living took place at the NEC this July. SOLEX is the best place for industry buyers to see what Kettler will be offering in 2019. New Garden Furniture Trends So, what can you look forward to? The Palma range will continue to impress with a new table design set to fire up the garden furniture market. Our wicker range will expand, with a new family going into garden centres across the UK. We have new furniture blends, mixing two materials to make one modern set. Our RHS range is set to grow after the success of the wooden garden furniture and Harlow Carr wicker sets (pictured above). Our new accessories will help you unwind outdoors. We are dipping our toe in new territory, continuing to innovate and improve the garden experience. The Future of Outdoor Cooking We introduced the BBQ accessories from the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal range to buyers. The accessories will improve your cooking prowess and inspire your BBQ recipe repertoire. Chefs from Heston’s Fat Duck Group visited the show for the first time ever and cooked delicious tasters for our guests. They cooked prawns on the Furnace gas BBQ and chicken souvlaki (pictured above) on the spit of the HUB charcoal BBQ. Not only that, but our customers had a special, private look at the ultimate outdoor cooking machine. 4,000 years in the making, the future of outdoor cooking is coming to the UK…   Were You Prepared for the Heatwave? SOLEX is always a great time for Kettler to not only look forward to the new year’s garden trends, but also reflect on the past year. We saw people flock to their garden furniture when the summer heatwave hit this year. We are proud to help you be ready to relax in these high temperatures on high-quality luxury garden furniture.

The triathlon season is now underway with races and competitions taking place across the nation. The sport attracts people of all ages who want to test their endurance in three different disciplines – swimming, cycling and running. 2018 British Triathlon Championships Last summer we sponsored Mireille Cook, a 42-year-old working mother of 2 and a triathlete. She had a successful year, winning bronze in the Triathlon World Championships. She became European Champion for Standard Distance Triathlon as well as England Sprint Distance Champion in her age group. This year she hopes to build on the success of the previous summer. On June 10th she entered the Women’s (ages 40-44) British Age-Group Standard Distance Championship race at the British Triathlon National Championships in Leeds. She gave a fantastic performance and won Gold! 370 ladies participated in the triathlon over several age groups. Mireille was the fastest lady on the 36km cycle section in her age group and was the 5th lady overall. Mireille said of her win, “I am thrilled to be National Champion. I hadn’t competed in a National championship before so I didn’t know what to expect and I know in the UK the field is very competitive. I had been training hard throughout Spring but it was worth it!” Mireille trained for triathlon competition over the Winter and Spring months using her Kettler Racer S Indoor Training Bike. She used her indoor bike for interval training to improve her performance and fitness, ready for the new season. You can read our post on her training for the triathlon season. The Half Iron Triathlon and Beyond Her next big event is in early September at the Triathlon England National Championship for Half Iron Distance. The distance of a half iron triathlon is a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile cycle and a 13.11-mile run (the distance of a half marathon). Mireille is used to running Olympic distance races but a half iron triathlon is a much bigger and therefore more challenging undertaking. Furthermore, she has qualified for the 2019 European Triathlon Championships in Holland and the 2019 World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland. With a busy 12 months ahead, we will report back on how Mireille’s training, how she performed and what will come next. We wish her good luck and look forward to hearing about her experiences in the coming months.

A portable BBQ is ideal for an impromptu outdoor meal. They allow you to easily enjoy an al fresco meal in the privacy of your garden or socialise at the nearby park. Wherever you use it a portable BBQ is the perfect sunshine accessory. How to Select the Best Portable BBQ A portable BBQ should include everything you need for outdoor cooking. The perfect mini BBQ would include a space to store and prepare food as well as a lid for securely closing the BBQ during transit. Portable BBQs come in different styles and sizes. Although many lack the added extras of a larger BBQ, portable models make up for it in design. Some can be placed safely on any surfaces, such as table tops, for added convenience. It is important to clean the ash out of a portable charcoal BBQ after use. Selecting one with a removable charcoal tray will make this much easier. After you’ve finished the BBQ, douse the hot coals with water to make sure they are cool, wrap them in tin foil, and bin them. However, portable gas BBQs are more convenient with less mess. Just like using a cooker at home, simply turn the gas on and you’re ready to cook. Camping and Caravanning BBQs A small camping BBQ brings people together in the great outdoors. Pack your portable BBQ and cook a meal for the family with ease. You can cook an authentic meal over charcoal next to your tent or caravan. Check the campsite guidelines for rules on cooking on a BBQ. Don’t put the fire too close to your caravan or tent and consider the direction of the wind when placing your BBQ. DO NOT light your BBQ inside your tent – it can not only cause a fire, but it may also create a build-up of carbon dioxide. BBQ in the City Got limited space? A portable BBQ can easily be placed on your balcony or set up in a local park to enjoy an urban al fresco meal. Outdoor living is in, regardless of when and where; put the cider on ice and mix the gin cocktails for the perfect summer party. Invite your friends and head to the park to heat up the portable grill. Parks in the summer have a great atmosphere, filled with plenty of sun-worshippers out to have fun. Beware of people around you – the smell of a good barbecue may cause jealousy. But do make sure you check local guidelines about using a BBQ in a local park before heading out. BBQ on the Beach Recreate an Australian BBQ by cooking on the beach. Raised portable BBQs are the best style for beaches as cooking on the sand or pebbles creates lasting heat that can burn other people’s feet once you’ve left. After you have finished cooking, make sure to cover the hot stones or sand. Disposable vs Portable BBQs The disposable BBQs at petrol stations are cheap, cheerful, and will work for cooking a bacon sandwich. Although to enjoy the perfect outdoor meal, you’ll need something more substantial. A disposable BBQ is more likely to char as the food sits close to the fire. Dripping fat will increase the risk of flare-ups which can result in the food looking black instead of brown. You may also find that food sticks to the grill. Disposable BBQs can also burn the grass underneath them and aren’t currently environmentally friendly. Portable BBQs are easier to use, light, and often include a larger cooking area as well as heat resistant handles. In addition, portable BBQs are more environmentally friendly and some have a very stylish appearance. Quick and Easy Meals on a Portable Barbecue Heston’s Cheeseburger Enjoy a classic burger with Heston Blumenthal’s own recipe cooked on a CUBE BBQ. Melt cheese slices onto beef burgers and serve up with a delicious sauce, vegetables, and brioche burger bun. Romaine Lettuce Vegetable Wedge Cook a vegetarian or vegan BBQ meal with the Romaine lettuce vegetable wedge. This delicious, healthy side includes peppers and mushroom as well as a tasty dressing. Open Face Steak Sandwich Serve a delicious steak on top of a pain de campagne. Finish with a mustard vinaigrette and blue cheese. Easy to prepare and simple to cook, it is the perfect summer lunchtime meal.

If you’re keen to learn more about the future of BBQs and have a love of exciting and unique food, you won’t want to miss our UK tour of FREE live BBQ demonstrations of the Everdure by Heston Blumenthal range. From Dorset to Cumbria, the talented team behind the UK’s newest innovation in both gas and charcoal BBQs will be touring UK garden centres and department stores providing live cooking demonstrations. In addition to all of the sumptuous food, there will be exclusive offers, cooking tips and insights into how to get the best from your BBQ and, of course, the finest recipes to sample – such as Chicken chipotle, delicious breakfast muffins and mouth-watering steak with coffee rub. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal represents the very best in outdoor cooking and comes with the seal of approval from the three-star Michelin chef, who used his 20 years of professional experience in helping design the BBQs. With the first event starting on May 12th at Beetham Nurseries, Cumbria, to the last demonstration at Brigg Garden Centre in Lincoln on June 1st, the full list of venues, dates and times can be found below. Whether you’re a newbie to the world of outdoor cooking or a veteran with seasoning, there is no need to book, just turn up and enjoy the flexibility of these state-of-the-art BBQs, as they cook everything from all-day breakfasts to sweet desserts, including Heston’s own unique cuisine! Those looking to get a head start on the pop-ups can watch BBQ cooking videos here, featuring the impressive BBQs at work and cooking tips (we don’t advise doing so if you’re hungry).

Planning a barbecue? With a bit of imagination and some trusty staples, it's easy to knock up delicious barbecue meals and sides for guests who follow special diets.

Garden Centres and Department stores from across the UK received an invitation to Bray in Maidenhead to enjoy a hands-on cooking experience with an Everdure by Heston Blumenthal BBQ range. Hosted in the garden of The Crown, Heston’s very own gastropub, the event included chefs from the award-winning Fat Duck Team. A Hands-On BBQ Experience The Everdure by Heston Blumenthal range was on full show over the two-day event. Heston’s usual, unique cuisine was cooked on gas and charcoal barbeques. From all-day breakfasts to sweet desserts, guests were taught how to harness these impressive outdoor cooking machines with tasty results. Staff from John Lewis, Notcutts and other garden centres attended the event. Despite the cold and wet British weather, the enthusiasm on the day showed our passion for a good old-fashioned BBQ. Unique BBQ Recipes The event included four cooking stations, each with their own recipe and BBQ. Steak with blue cheese and watercress on toast was cooked on a Fusion charcoal BBQ. Guests cooked an apple tart and full English breakfast on the Force and Furnace gas BBQs. While we learnt, a suckling pig cooked throughout the day on the built-in rotisserie system of a HUB charcoal BBQ. We then closed the event with pulled pork sliders, with a brioche bun, specially made BBQ sauce and coleslaw. See the full recipe here. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Ambassadors Our aim for the event was to show our customers just what you can achieve on our unique BBQs. Look out for our new Everdure “Ambassadors”, ready to inform you of what delicious food they made at our event. We would like to thank all who attended our BBQ experience. Also, a big thank you to the chefs from the Fat Duck team. They arranged the delicious recipes and imparted their extensive knowledge. We hope this will inspire the whole of the UK to go out and master the heat on their BBQ.

Kettler is now officially LOFAssured. LOFA is the Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association, and we are a member. They give us advice and services to ensure our products are compliant with official regulations so we can create the best furniture for the end consumer. Fire Safety The LOFAssured scheme is an audit process which all LOFA members must pass. The scheme ensures we adhere to best business practices. The LOFAssured label means we do everything in our power to comply with the Flammability Regulations. We perform ample due diligence during the manufacturing process, therefore, ensuring our products come readymade for your home. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 set levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture, furnishings and other products containing upholstery. It is illegal for furniture not to comply with these regulations. What is covered? All filling material in upholstered furniture must meet the specified ignition requirement. Upholstery composites must be Cigarette Resistant. Covers/Outer Material must be Match Resistant. Every item of furniture must have a permanent label. A display label must be present at the point of sale. Safe Garden Furniture The initiative ensures all cushions comply with Trading Standards as well as FIRA’s (Furniture Industry Research Association) fire safety regulations. With the LOFAssured tag on our garden furniture, you can take comfort in the knowledge that our cushions are up to standard.

Last year Kettler sponsored Triathlon athlete Mireille Cook. Mireille competes for Great Britain on an international level. Last summer she won the bronze medal in her age group at the Triathlon World Championships. Her journey from beginner to competitor took two years. Here is her guide to training for a triathlon: First Triathlon Experience I have always been sporty, having played hockey since I was a teenager. But I was always a jack of all trades, master of none! Hockey gave me a great base fitness for running, which is probably my strongest part of triathlon now. The main drive for doing sport though is that I am massively competitive (mainly against myself) and exercise is how I relax. In the Summer of 2014, (always up for a new challenge!) I decided to take part in a local Sprint Distance Triathlon in my hometown of Newbury. After a few of my friends had done one I was intrigued to try a triathlon. I had no real swim experience but knew that I probably had enough basic fitness to manage the bike and run sections. I did no training for it and had no proper triathlon kit back then so cobbled together some bits and pieces to be able to do the race. I did the 600m Lido swim in some cycling shorts and a sports bra, then stuck on a t-shirt for the 20k cycle and 5k run. Without a proper road bike, I used my Mountain bike (decidedly non-aerodynamic!) for the bike section. I absolutely LOVED the event – it was fun, informal, friendly and I really enjoyed the challenge of changing from 1 discipline to another. I don’t know where I finished but it certainly was nowhere near the Podium! Why triathlon? Triathlon was something I was aware of, but it wasn’t until friends recommended it that I decided to get involved. There is so much variety with triathlon it is easy to enjoy. Nor do you have to be amazing at 1 particular sport, which was great for me as I was more of an all-rounder. Triathlon: Beginner to Competitor The great thing about Triathlon is that anyone can do them, especially the shorter distance events. You just need to be able to swim (any stroke), own a pair of trainers and a bike! This meant I could take up competing straight away. After the Newbury Triathlon in 2014, I decided I would like to be more competitive. I realised I would need to get better in all 3 disciplines – especially swimming. I started training properly in the Spring of 2015, which basically consisted of lots of short sessions at the pool, reading/youtube research on swimming and a few lessons. At that point, I started to really enjoy swimming so I joined a club. It all went on from there! Before I knew it, I was fitting in a couple of swim sessions, run sessions and bike rides a week. I just had to learn the art of waking at 6am and getting it done before the family awoke! The triathlon diet One of the main advantages of training for triathlon is that you generally have a licence to eat as much as you like! It’s definitely a motivator! The only change to my diet is that I make sure I drink lots of water and eat plenty of protein. The hardest thing is that during the race season I tend not to drink much and I do miss being able to enjoy a glass or 2 of wine! Do you take a break during Christmas? OH yes! I definitely take a break around Christmas! I think it’s important not to train hard all the time and have a bit of downtime. There is no real routine around Christmas so I just tend to pop out for the odd run to blow away the cobwebs and if the weather is bad I use my Kettler Racer S Indoor training bike, which is perfect for working out whilst watching a movie!

Don't let your conservatory be forgotten during the cold months. It is a great space to mix both indoors and outdoors. Read some of our ideas here.

Meet Mireille Cook: a 42-year-old working mother of 2. 2 years ago, Mireille discovered a love of triathlon. She now represents Great Britain on an international level for her age group (40-44 years) and Kettler Fitness are proud to sponsor her. This summer she was crowned the European Champion for Standard Distance Triathlon and England Sprint Distance Champion in her age group. Triathlon World Championships Most recently, she represented GB in the World Championships in Rotterdam. Over 90 women took part from nations across the world; from USA to Mexico, Japan and Australia. Mireille crossed the finish line at the impressive time of 02:12:59. Mireille swam, cycled and ran to a bronze medal! She said of her win, “I am thrilled to have been able to represent my country and winning the Bronze medal was worth every second of training! I am extremely grateful to Kettler GB for their sponsorship which helped make competing for Team GB possible.” With the triathlon season coming to an end over the winter time, Mireille is currently training for Duathlon (cycling and running) as well as cross country events. She will be taking part in the Southern Masters Cross Country Championships on Saturday 9th December. We wish Mireille good luck and look forward to checking in on her during her winter training.

It’s always exciting to hear about old Kettler products. We design our products to last and received a customer’s story about a DIY project with a 50-year-old Kettler truck. From Kettler Truck to Garden Feature As a family, we were stationed at R.A.F. Gutersloh, Germany between 1968 and 1970. Whilst there we bought the truck as a present for our three boys. It was much loved and used by not only our boys but other children as well for many years. Over the bank holiday weekend we were clearing out the garage and came across the truck, very rusty, top of the handle missing but otherwise all intact – even the tyres were still in good condition. Having kept it all these years, I was reluctant to part with it. So we transformed it into a mini-garden and am hoping it will last another 50 years. It shows how well made this truck was to withstand all the fun and games, and neglect over the years. As we sell both garden furniture and outdoors toys, this kind of ingenuity is great to see. Decoration like this would look fantastic in a traditional garden and includes a fun story to tell every new visitor.

The third week of August saw Kettler and Everdure by Heston Blumenthal on show at the Waitrose Summer Festival. Held at the Leckford Estate, on the sprawling green fields of Hampshire, the 3 day festival included celebrity chefs, food stalls and cooking schools. Delicious BBQ Food on Sale Heston Blumenthal’s team at the Fat Duck restaurant in Bray cooked up a storm as queues and queues of people waited in anticipation. The menu included the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger and the Ultimate Smokey Hot Dog, all cooked on the HUB charcoal BBQ. Kettler Furniture on Display Festival goers could rest on the Kettler Palma Corner and Palma Mini Corner sofas while beatboxers and soul singers from the streets of Covent Garden serenaded them. Gorgeous cocktails, designed by Heston Blumenthal, were on sale at the bar. Drinks included the wickedly tempting Cherry Bakewell Vodka (available at Waitrose). After tucking into their meal, people could then take a closer look at the BBQ’s on display. Staff stood on hand to answer any questions. The full range was on show: from Force and Furnace Gas BBQ’s to the HUB, Fusion and CUBE charcoal BBQ’s. Despite the odd spell of rain and occasional patch of mud, the Waitrose Summer Festival was a success. We had so much fun showing off the fantastic Everdure by Heston Blumenthal charcoal and gas barbeques. We are sure that watching the professional chefs at work inspired the many who came to our stand. And yes, the food tasted amazing.

We love to hear people’s Kettler stories. There’s nothing better than reading customer’s comments on how our garden furniture or our go-karts have been a part of their lives. When we received an email from an owner of a 40 year old Kettler Go-Kart, we had to tell people. Here is their story: Kettler Christmas Present “I used to ride my Kettler go-kart 40 years ago when I was a kid. It has been used by: My older brother, me, my 2 nephews and finally (as pictured) my own little girl using it (and eventually her sister!)… Bit battered now, lost its front number sticker and its rear tyres would probably fail its MOT. But it has had a repaint and with a little bit of oil on the chain it lives on! My dad still remembers building it in the early 70’s. It was Christmas eve; all the instructions were in German and there was a bolt missing. So, he rummaged around in his jar of spares to find one to fit so there wasn’t a disappointed boy on Christmas day!” Tell Us Your Story We believe in promoting the Best of Times and sharing magical memories through the years. If you have a 40 year old kettler go-kart or some classic garden furniture, passed on through the family, you can share your story with us. Go to the Contact Us section on our website or on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and message us. We can’t wait to hear more memories.

SOLEX (Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition) is an annual trade show Kettler attends to show off the new 2018 garden furniture coming next summer, as well as what will continue on from this year’s range. Solex is one of the most exciting times of the year for us as we meet garden centres and retailers from around the country. Just like other years, this year did not disappoint. We felt delighted when we received the Solex Stand of the Year Award. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal BBQ’s This year saw the first year Everdure by Heston Blumenthal BBQ’s featured at Solex. It was fantastic seeing all the BBQ’s and accessories from the range on show for people to see. With new accessories for next year, we cannot wait to see how people push barbecuing even further. New 2018 Garden Furniture Unfortunately we cannot tell you what new products we showed at Solex just yet. But we can reveal our Casual Dining and Cora ranges will be seeing some exciting new additions…just don’t tell anyone.

Thanks to everyone who entered our Best of Times blogger competitions. You’ll find the lucky winners on this page.

Last year we wrote about our experiences making Kettler videos for some of our fitness and garden furniture products. You can read that post and see behind the scenes photos here. Now our videos are available for you to enjoy. You can find videos on product pages as well as our Garden Furniture Videos page. We hope that our new videos will help bring our products to life for customers looking to see more of our high quality products. Below are some of the videos as well as more behind the scenes photos. Ezra Corner Set Find out more about the Ezra Corner Set here K2 High Incline Treadmill Find out more about the benefits of High Incline Treadmills RHS Chelsea Garden Furniture Find out more about the RHS Chelsea range here You can see all Kettler Garden Furniture videos here You can also watch our videos on Vimeo and YouTube where we post all Kettler videos from past to present.