The Health Puzzle Awards 2027 winners and why they won
Gold, silver, and bronze across 27 categories, from air purifiers to shampoo bars, every one tested by Josie or the THP team.
These are The Health Puzzle Awards 2027 winners: the products we’ve tested over the past year and would recommend to a friend without hesitation.
I’m Josie, founder of The Health Puzzle and a nutritional therapist, and every winner here has been used by me or someone on the THP team, in a real home, for long enough to know whether it earns its place.
Some categories hold products I’ve relied on for years; others reflect what we discovered in 2026. As the directory grows and we test more, some of these medals will change hands, and that’s exactly as it should be.
Below you’ll find gold, silver, and bronze across 27 categories, from air purifiers and water filters to shampoo bars and period pants, with a short note from me on why each one won. Where a product sits at silver or bronze, I’ve said why, because a medal only means something if the reasoning is open. The full methodology is here.
Congratulations to every brand on this list.
Air Purification: The Health Puzzle Awards 2027 winners & why they won
The air purifier I bought in 2021 after finding mould in the loft above my bedroom, and have run every day since. It won gold because five years on it’s still doing exactly what I bought it for: the UltraHEPA filter captures particles down to 0.003 microns, about 100 times finer than standard HEPA, and the difference in the air after an hour is unmistakable. It cleared the dust from this year’s chimney sweep in hours rather than days, runs quietly enough on its lowest setting to sleep beside, needs no app or installation, and has never needed a repair.
The compact AirDoctor, with the same filtration technology in a unit that fits an average UK bedroom or office. It took silver because, after a year of using one, it’s the model I’d now buy for a single room: it costs less, takes up less space.
A peace lily is a different kind of purifier from a machine: a living, inexpensive, good-looking addition to a bedroom or bathroom, and the one I’d suggest to anyone not ready to spend on a unit. It’s bronze because it’s the easiest first step into cleaner air, and Patch deliver theirs well packed and healthy with clear care instructions.
Water Purification
A countertop distiller where nothing but glass and stainless steel touches your water, with a carbon filter stage at the end that many distillers don’t have. It won gold because it’s the option with the least plastic contact of anything I’ve tested, and the only true ongoing costs are electricity and an occasional clean with citric acid. Be aware that the fan and heater are noticeable while it runs (about four hours a batch), so it suits a utility room or running overnight in the kitchen, and it’s ideal if you have solar panels.
A countertop reverse osmosis filter that delivers straight into a glass carafe you can put on the table or in the fridge. It took silver because it’s one of the most highly rated filters around and a favourite among practitioners, with none of the noise or run time of the distiller. The trade-off is filter costs, which add up for a household of more than two, so larger families should read my in-depth review and consider the under-sink model.
The simple, portable option. We took it to Cornwall this summer rather than packing a distiller or RO unit, and it meant no bottled water for the whole trip. For holidays, rentals, or a first step away from tap water, the glass version is the one to buy, and that’s what earned it bronze.
Healthy Bedroom
A deep, soft wool topper that turned a firm mattress into one I look forward to getting into. It won gold because almost every alternative is memory foam or synthetic fill, and the few natural toppers around tend to be thin. This one is generously filled, British made, fits the bed exactly without sliding, and stayed comfortable through warm nights. I was worried wool might bunch up over time, and it hasn’t.
The same natural fill and British making as the topper, in a duvet that comes in a full range of sizes and tog weights. It took silver rather than gold only because there are more good natural duvets on the market than there are natural toppers. If you want to move away from synthetic bedding, this is the easiest place to start.
A handmade British mattress with natural fillings, a long guarantee, and customer service to match, which is a rare combination. It sits at bronze because it’s a serious investment and, for me, a touch firmer than I’d choose. A firmer mattress will last longer, and paired with the wool topper it’s the most comfortable bed I’ve slept in.
Healthy Bathroom
Gold goes to the soap dish that finally made bar soap work in my bathroom. Its ridges and drainage holes let the bar dry properly, so it lasts longer and lifts off cleanly, something no metal, wooden, or plastic dish I’d tried could manage. Made from recycled plant-based bioplastic, in 18 colours with icons to tell your bars apart, and still going strong after more than a year of daily use.
The ideal travel soap case for bar soaps. Featuring a draining base, finger cut-outs, and a lid that vents one way and seals the other mean the bar arrives dry and intact, and it doubles as an open dish once you’re there. Four sizes, dropped more than once, held up brilliantly.
Possibly the most fun essential in the bathroom. Tap it, float it, and it gives an instant reading and flashes red if the water is too hot, so an Epsom salt bath comes out at the right temperature every time. Inexpensive, practical, and as useful for adults as for families with young children.
Kitchen & Dining
For years I carried a heavy glass bottle everywhere because every stainless steel bottle I tried left my water tasting of metal. Then someone recommended Elephant Box, and I now own all three sizes. It won gold because the quality of the 304 stainless steel makes a real difference: the smooth interior has never once given me a metallic taste, the wide mouth makes it easy to fill, clean, and dry fully between uses, and the removable silicone seal means nothing builds up around the lid. Each bottle comes with a 15-year guarantee and replaceable parts. I’ve picked the 750ml as the size most people will carry day to day, with the 500ml and 1.2L there if you want smaller or bigger.
A retro-styled cordless kettle with a 100% food-grade 304 stainless steel interior, lid, and spout, so no plastic touches the water as it boils. It took silver because a plastic-free kettle is surprisingly hard to find, and this one is a pleasure to use: it boils quickly and quietly, the handle stays cool, and the build feels solid. I use the plain stainless steel version, and it also comes in cream, black, blue, green, and white. When a family member’s developed a fault, Ascot replaced it without fuss, which matters for something you use several times a day.
The best stainless steel hot chocolate maker I’ve found. I loved my Velvetiser, but when it needed replacing I wanted one without the non-stick coating and the large plastic whisk, and the first alternative I tried left my drinks tasting burnt. The ProCook does everything the Velvetiser did, with a stainless steel jug that suits a clean kitchen, and that’s what earned it bronze. The only plastic is a small amount in the whisk attachment, far less than the others use, so for now it’s the best option I’ve come across.
Healthy Office
My go-to blanket for any time I’m using a laptop or phone on my lap away from the desk. It’s designed to shield the body from the device’s radio frequency and low-frequency emissions, it’s soft enough to want on the sofa anyway, and it has become part of how I work. For anyone who does a lot of laptop-on-the-knees evenings, this is the easiest low-EMF habit to add.
A compact wired keyboard with a 2-in-1 USB-A and USB-C connector, so it plugs straight into older and newer MacBooks alike. A delight to type on, with a solid, well thought out feel that punches well above its modest price, and the UK Mac layout means nothing to relearn. The keyboard I use every day for a wired, lower-EMF desk.
A wired USB mouse that keeps Bluetooth out of the workspace, and the mouse both my partner and I reach for. Responsive and precise, with quiet buttons that are still satisfying to press, a symmetrical shape for either hand, and no batteries to charge. A small USB-A to USB-C adaptor from UGREEN sorts it for newer laptops.
Interiors & Lighting
A 100% blue-light-free, flicker-free, low-EMF bulb designed as the main light for bedrooms and evening spaces. Where conventional bulbs sit high on the blue end of the spectrum, the Sweet Dreams gives a warm amber light that sits between daylight and deep red, so the room feels relaxing without going too dark or changing how colours look. Available in B22, E27, E14, GU10, and downlight fittings, so it can go in every lamp in the house.
A Christmas present from my partner, and one of the best-chosen gifts I’ve had. I’d always wanted a wool blanket but worried it would be itchy, and this merino check in Burnished could not be softer. Made in Britain, in plenty of colours and patterns, and a lovely gift for anyone moving towards natural materials at home.
A low-EMF, flicker-free lamp with five modes that move from bright daylight through warm low-blue settings to a fully blue-light-free amber for the evening, designed to follow the natural light of the day. It’s as happy as a reading lamp in the living room or a bedside light as it is on a desk. The one lamp I’d point to for anyone who wants their lighting to change with the time of day.
Cleaning & Laundry
The plastic-free swap for the most-used thing in the kitchen. Made from food-grade 304 stainless steel, it won’t stain, crack, warp, or hold on to the grease that makes plastic bowls so unpleasant over time, and it’s lighter than you’d expect and sized for a standard sink. Just as easy to fill, wash, and empty as the one it replaces, and good for hand washing wool jumpers too. One to buy once and keep for life.
A concentrated, non-bio laundry liquid built on soap nuts, shikakai, and aloe vera, Soil Association certified organic and free from SLS, enzymes, optical brighteners, and artificial fragrance. It took silver because it’s natural and it works, which is a harder combination to find in laundry than it should be. Comes in a refillable amber glass bottle in lavender, citrus, minty, fragrance-free, and a baby version, with 5L refills you can send back for reuse.
A 97% organic produce wash made from soap nuts, shikakai, aloe vera, and cider vinegar, designed to lift surface dirt, wax, and residue from fruit, vegetables, and salad. As a nutritional therapist I always knew I should wash produce properly and only ever gave it a quick rinse; having this by the sink finally made it a habit. I use the citrus version, which has a light scent and no aftertaste, and there’s a non-scented option too.
Face Care
A COSMOS certified organic daily moisturiser made in small batches in the UK, with organic argan oil, hyaluronic acid, pomegranate seed, apricot kernel, and shea butter, and a soft vanilla and coconut scent. It warms and spreads with the heat of your hands, so a little goes a long way, and it leaves skin glowing rather than oily, with no white residue and none of the heaviness you’d expect from something this rich. My everyday cream, and it wears beautifully under makeup.
After years of searching for a plastic-free face wash that didn’t leave my skin dry and stripped, this handmade bar from Provence was a revelation. The ingredients drew me in first, rosehip, grape seed, and coconut oils with French green clay and aloe vera, and it does exactly what it promises, leaving skin clean and balanced. Suits all skin types, and it’s the cleanser I’d hand to anyone going plastic free. Read my full review.
The cleanser I keep by the bed and in the camping bag, for the nights I can’t face a proper wash or there’s no sink. A few pumps onto a reusable pad cleans my face and takes off makeup, and the light natural scent makes me pause and take a slow breath every time. The pump dispenses exactly the right amount, which I didn’t expect to love as much as I do. COSMOS organic, vegan, and handmade in Hertfordshire.
Body Care
A mineral, non-nano zinc oxide sun cream with a base of over 60% organic aloe vera, olive oil, and cocoa butter, which sets it apart from the chemical-filter formulas that fill the high street. It has a gentle aloe scent, rubs into dry skin easily, and dries to a clear matte finish that works on the face with or without makeup as well as on the body. It’s a premium price, but for the largest and most porous surface of the body, choosing the cleanest option I could find felt like the right call.
A handmade magnesium chloride body butter from Frome in Somerset, blended with shea, coconut, and mango seed butters and scented with lavender, with a fragrance-free version too. It took silver because it turns magnesium into part of a bedtime routine: a grape-sized amount rubbed into the feet and calves about twenty minutes before bed, which is the kind of habit that sticks. Made to UK organic cosmetic standards, in a trial size, a 30-day pot, and a 60-day pot.
A UK-made, aluminium-free deodorant balm in a glass jar that has become my partner’s favourite. A fingertip’s worth warms on the skin and goes on cleanly, the mint and eucalyptus scent is fresh without being overpowering, and it holds up through a working day and a workout. Plastic free and vegan, from a small British brand doing natural deodorant properly.
Hand Care
A body butter in the hand care category might look odd, but this is the hand cream both my partner and I reach for most. It’s a rich, Soil Association certified butter built on shea, cocoa, and sunflower oils, with 89% organic ingredients, and it works just as well as an intensive hand treatment as it does on the rest of you. The light scent is like a simple honey yoghurt, and it really does smell good enough to eat.
A natural hand sanitiser for when you’re out and can’t get to a sink. It gives a fine, quick-drying mist that doesn’t leave your hands feeling dry, and instead of synthetic fragrance it’s scented with doTERRA’s On Guard blend of wild orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. My go-to for train travel and holidays. The cinnamon and clove mean sensitive skin should patch test first.
A Danish organic hand wash with lavender, chamomile, aloe vera, and a touch of hyaluronic acid, certified by Ecocert COSMOS and the Vegan Society, and 100% natural origin. It took bronze because it’s the hand wash that lives by our sink: it smells of real lavender rather than a copy of it, lathers well, and doesn’t leave hands tight or dry. A pump bottle you can refill, in the 300ml size.
Hair Care
A certified organic, vegan shampoo with baobab protein, pomegranate extract, and aloe vera, and a calm floral and citrus scent that’s there without being overpowering. It won gold because for my naturally curly hair it has been a real find: good curl definition, surfy waves, minimal frizz, and longer between washes, from a small amount that lathers well. The bottle is plastic rather than glass, which is the sensible choice for a bathroom and for travel, but worth knowing if you’re going plastic free.
A thick, deep-conditioning mask made with organic coconut oil and shea butter, suited to dry or combination hair and scalp. It took silver because it’s the only thing besides shampoo I use on my thick, curly hair: combed through with a wide-tooth comb, more at the roots, rinsed out, and then the curls left alone until the next wash for a beachy, frizz-free shine. I use more when my hair feels dry and less when my own oils are doing the work. It smells lovely and I get plenty of compliments, so it’s a win from me. It sits below the shampoo only because a mask because of the superb ingredients list from Evolve.
A compact, five-ingredient solid shampoo bar from UK brand Gruum, built around coconut oil, with a pleasant scent and a far more generous lather than you’d expect from something this small. It’s bronze because it’s the cleanest, simplest travel option I’ve found: no bottle, no leaks, nothing to decant, and it lives in my swimming bag. Compared with conventional shampoos and their long lists of synthetic surfactants, silicones, and undisclosed fragrance, this is a much shorter ingredients list that still gives a proper wash. The Evolve is my everyday shampoo, so this is the one for the bag rather than the bathroom shelf.
Menstrual Care
A medical-grade silicone cup that can be worn for up to 12 hours, holds more than a tampon, lasts up to 10 years, and contains none of the plastics or fragrances found in most mainstream period products. After more than five years of use, the Ruby Cup still stands out for its soft, flexible silicone that sits comfortably without leaking, where earlier cups I tried were too rigid and large to work well. The product you can forget you’re wearing, that saves money every month, and that replaces years of disposables.
After testing a range of period pants made from natural materials, these were the only pair that stayed soft and comfortable wash after wash. The outer is bamboo viscose with a little nylon and elastane, but the double-layer gusset against your skin is 100% cotton, rated at 15ml (around three regular tampons), and I’ve never leaked overnight. Cold rinse, then a normal 30 to 40 degree wash. Five shapes, from full brief to thong, so there’s a cut for everyone.
The pair that replaced my disposable panty liners. Rated at 10ml (around two regular tampons), I wear them as back-up with my cup for that extra feeling of security, and they look like ordinary pants. Same bamboo viscose outer and 100% cotton gusset as the moderate-heavy pair, and in a side-by-side trial they stayed soft where the more natural pairs stiffened and rubbed. Buy the bigger pack and the price per pair drops.
Supplements
A firm favourite since I trained as a nutritional therapist, and one I’ve taken for years. Each serving gives 1,100mg EPA and 500mg DHA from sustainably caught sardine, anchovy, and mackerel, the mini softgels go down easily with no fishy repeat, and the dark glass bottle protects the oil from oxidation. Just fish oil, mixed tocopherols, and a fish gelatin capsule, with third-party purity testing that many brands skip. A high-strength omega-3 you’ll actually keep taking.
A liquid electrolyte concentrate made from the inland sea water of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, with no sugar, sweeteners, or flavour, so a few drops go into any water bottle without changing the taste. It took silver because it’s the simplest way I’ve found to add electrolytes to plain water every day, and the small pocket bottle with a larger refill means you can try it before committing and then carry it anywhere. The one I recommend in our hydration course.
A third-party batch-tested oral spray in dark glass, with just four ingredients: algae-derived Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, MCT oil, and peppermint. Three sprays give 4,000 IU of plant-based D3 with 100µg of K2, and you can drop to one or two sprays for a lower dose. No sweeteners, thickeners, or preservatives, no tablets, and no need to keep it in the fridge.
First Aid
A pre-diluted roller of peppermint, lavender, frankincense, and copaiba in fractionated coconut oil, made for the neck, shoulders, and temples. Where many roller blends are bulked out with synthetic carriers, this one is just coconut oil and pure essential oils. I keep one to hand and roll it across the base of my skull when I feel tension building, for the cooling hit of peppermint under the soft, herbaceous lavender and frankincense. Potent, so patch test, keep it away from eyes and children, and check with your practitioner in pregnancy.
A cooling muscle rub built around menthol with wintergreen, peppermint, eucalyptus, copaiba, and blue tansy, and the product I recommend most to friends and family, who then recommend it to theirs. I reach for it after a long day on my feet or in the days after a long hike or run, for the warming and cooling sensation it gives. It stands out clearly against the synthetic muscle rubs it sits beside on the shelf. The scent is strong, and because of the wintergreen it’s best patch tested and avoided in pregnancy.
Reusable knitted wristbands with a small stud that sits on the Nei-Kuan point of the inner wrist, the spot traditional Chinese medicine associates with travel sickness. Drug free, latex free, and suitable from age three. As someone who gets travel sick in cars and on backward-facing train seats, and a long-time sceptic who used to rely on tablets, I now pack a pair for every journey. Simple, cheap, and they’ve earned their place in my bag.
Clothing & Footwear
A grounded barefoot training shoe built for the move from cushioned trainers to minimal footwear. The 14mm stack gives enough cushioning to take the sting out of impact while still letting you feel the ground, and the wide toe box, zero drop, and grippy sole make it as good on trails as on the road. Lightweight, soft underfoot, and in men’s and women’s sizing, it’s the shoe I’d hand to anyone who wants to go barefoot without going cold turkey. Read my full review.
After several months of testing pyjama bottoms, these came out on top. Made from 95% GOTS certified organic cotton jersey, they’re roomy over the hips and tapered through the calf, comfortable for side sleeping, breathable, and not see-through, with none of the high-waisted bagginess that lets most PJ bottoms down. Kite changes its prints each season, but the Lyme fit and the organic cotton stay the same.
A running sock knitted from 55% merino with recycled nylon and a little elastane, so you get wool’s natural wicking, temperature control, and odour resistance in a sock that survives the washing machine. Thick enough for winter, breathable enough for summer tennis, with cushioning where it counts and an ankle height that clears the shoe without rubbing. Not all-natural, but a hard-wearing, mostly natural sock with none of the hand-washing faff.
Books
A Sunday Times bestseller from a GP who has become one of the clearest voices for lifestyle medicine, built around four pillars: body, mind, relationships, and purpose. The idea that stayed with me is micro stressors, the small daily triggers that quietly add up, from a loud alarm clock to digital overload. Practical, evidence-based, and the book I’d put in the hands of anyone who feels overwhelmed by modern life and wants a calmer routine they can actually keep.
The book that makes the science of sleep readable. Neuroscientist Matthew Walker works through the questions a curious reader actually has, what sleep is, what happens during the night, how much we need, and why night owls and morning larks are real, drawing on twenty years of research. For anyone who wants to understand sleep rather than simply be told to get more of it.
A set of clear reference guides to reading blood test results from a functional nutrition perspective, written by a registered nutritional therapist, with separate titles for fatigue, hormones, cardiovascular markers, allergies and intolerances, autoimmune markers, and children. Each one explains the difference between a standard lab range and an optimal one, which makes the series a strong starting point for practitioners new to bloods and for anyone curious about the bigger picture behind a result.
Watch & Listen
The world’s most popular free yoga channel, led by Texas-based teacher Adriene Mishler, with more than 700 classes from gentle morning flows and restorative sessions to full-body practices and sequences built around specific needs. With studio classes getting pricier and harder to fit in, Adriene offers a high-quality alternative you can do at home at any hour, with new videos added regularly and a warm, encouraging style that makes every level feel welcome. The channel that has kept me practising.
A documentary following six couples through a 90-day experiment to cut their exposure to plastic-related chemicals, guided by reproductive epidemiologist Dr Shanna Swan and based on a peer-reviewed study. It looks at the everyday sources most of us never think about, from food packaging and cookware to clothing and personal care, and at what the research suggests about their effects on hormones and development. Sobering, eye-opening, and as relevant to anyone interested in low-tox living as it is to those trying to conceive.
Alan and Katie Donegan, British Empire Medal recipients for services to financial education, cover personal finance, investing, and financial independence in a way that’s clear, jargon-free, and actually enjoyable to watch. Money stress is one of the biggest and least talked about parts of the health puzzle, and understanding your finances belongs alongside nutrition and sleep. For anyone taking control of their money for the first time, or wanting it to work harder for them.
To be announced shortly
The following categories will be announced shortly: lip care, oral care, bath & shower, makeup, intimate care, essential oils, food & drink, private testing, apps.
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