Sauerkraut, forever flowers and really good coffee: 11 things you loved most last month

Spring might be on the way, but your February favourites prove you’re still in your nesting era – for now

Other than the fact that it’s mercifully short, February doesn’t have a lot to boast about. Spring’s not yet in full bloom, and the twinkly lights of Christmas and new year optimism have long since faded.

And indeed, your favourites this month suggest that the nesting continues, from sponges for the spring clean to a machine that makes really good coffee at home. Of course, it was also the month of love – and it’s lovely to see that a date-night card game was your favourite thing this month. Perhaps the promise of romance was behind the popularity of an eco-friendly deodorant and Ben Fogle’s favourite toothpaste, too.

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The date-night card game

What’s My Jam?

£14.99 at Amazon

“Prove how well you know each other with this cute card game that’s all about guessing each other’s loves and hates,” wrote Lily Smith in our Valentine’s Day gift guide – and it was your favourite from the piece. It’s a great date-night activity, but can be played by up to eight players, so it would also be fun with family or friends.

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The machine that helps you make great coffee

Sage Oracle Jet coffee machine

£1,699 at John Lewis

There’s no getting around the fact that this machine is “devilishly expensive” – roughly the price of a cow, as our reviewer Sasha Muller points out – but for many of you, it was worth the cost. As Sasha explains in his Sage Oracle Jet review, “This is an assisted espresso machine that guides users from coffee bean to espresso cup (hence the ‘Oracle’), froths milk to silken perfection, and heats up in seconds because of the use of fast-heating ThermoJet technology (yep, ‘Jet’).” This is the “kind of coffee that would give any top-notch independent coffee shop a good run for its money”.

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The compostable sponges

Seep sponge scourers, pack of four

£10.80 on subscription at Seep

This month, Hannah Rochell recommended 12 cleaning and toiletry subscriptions that help you make more sustainable choices. Not for the first time, Seep sponges were your favourite – and with many of us trying to remove unnecessary plastic from our lives, it’s clear to see why. “You can wash them in the dishwasher to clean them, and when they finally wear out, just pop them out with the compost,” wrote Hannah.

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The rainy-day boots

On Cloudrock Mid waterproof

£210 at Tiso

These gorpcore-coded weatherproof boots were your favourite from Peter Bevan’s recent roundup of the best men’s boots. They “have a chunky tread for extra grip when it’s slippy,” wrote Peter, and they’re “actually intended for hiking, but they’d work just as well when it’s rainy in the city”.

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The 24-hour earrings

Mini chain huggie hoops

£20 at Orelia

These hoops were the Filter team’s favourite from Jess Cartner-Morley’s February fashion edit – and they were your favourite too (even briefly going out of stock). “There are lots of times when fragile jewellery is impractical and/or rigid post-backed earrings uncomfortable – pilates class, long flight – and I’m way too forgetful to be taking them off on the fly,” wrote Jess. “I rely a lot on huggie hoops, which snap closed in a circular shape and never get in the way.”

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Ben Fogle’s favourite toothpaste

Marvis whitening toothpaste

£9 at Lookfantastic

“It isn’t easy to find and costs a little more than ordinary toothpaste, but it’s my treat,” Ben Fogle told us in his recent How I Shop column. Clearly its £9 cost wasn’t enough to put you off having a mouth that tastes like a celebrity’s.

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The sustainable dishwasher tablets

Smol dishwasher tablets, pack of 30

£6.50 at Smol

Another favourite from our guide to sustainable subscriptions, this was actually the first product Hannah Rochell subscribed to, more than a decade ago. “These effective lower-chemical tablets don’t require companion products such as salt, rinse aid or glass protector, and get everything as clean as regular tablets (even on short washes),” she wrote. “Once you get the subscription frequency right, it just arrives when you need it with the post.”

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The gut-friendly fermented cabbage

Biona Organic golden turmeric sauerkraut, 350g

£2.50 at Ocado

It’s not often that a product from the food filter makes it into your monthly favourites, but it feels pleasingly Guardian for an organic sauerkraut to be the breakout star. “Incredible value for an organic product,” wrote chef Tom Hunt in our guide to the best supermarket sauerkraut. “Very finely shredded sauerkraut with an incredible aroma of fresh turmeric and warming ginger, with a savoury undertone.”

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The forever flowers

Stained-glass flowers

£25.48 each at Etsy

February isn’t the best month to buy cut flowers without the airmiles, and many of you were taken by the idea of these beautiful alternatives in our Valentine’s Day gift guide. “These stained-glass flowers are works of art and will last for ever,” wrote Lily Smith. “Buy them their birth flower as a small token or build a larger bouquet for a more standout gift.” This would make an equally lovely gift for Mother’s Day or anyone deserving of a little joy.

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The first-aid-kit cream

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast balm, 40ml

£11 at Boots

Do you have a cica cream in your first aid kit? Sali Hughes, “a good handful of consultant dermatologists”, and now a good number of you do. “A rich, no-frills, multipurpose emollient is essential family kit to support the soothing and healing of scalds, grazes, rashes and any other signs of vexed skin,” wrote Sali in a recent column. “And what the best ones generally have in common is the inclusion of cica … known for its skin-calming benefits and ability to support a skin barrier compromised by illness, everyday injury and lifestyle.” This La Roche-Posay “thick, unctuous and instantly comforting balm” is Sali’s go-to.

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The refillable deodorant

Fussy deodorant starter pack

£12 on subscription at Fussy

Another returning reader favourite, Fussy deodorant comes inside a recycled plastic refillable case that’s “designed to last a lifetime”, wrote Hannah Rochell. The natural deodorant is effective, and you can get refills on subscription. They’re also widely available in supermarkets, though, so “you don’t need to panic-buy a plastic alternative”.