A Hot Pack yields almost an hour of steady, finger-reviving warmth once activated. Or if you're not too keen on showing the cold getting to you, just leave it in a pocket close to your body for a blast of secret, relatively-high temperature pleasure.

The concept is very simple. Inside the tough plastic shell of a Hot Pack is a thick, clear liquid and a small metal disc. 'Click' the disc and you start a chemical reaction which heats the liquid to a toasty 130F in about five seconds. That's very fast.

Once warm, the Hot Pack remains at a constant temperature for roughly 45 minutes before losing its power of heat. After use, the liquid will have solidified, and all that's required to regenerate a Hot Pack is to heat it in a pan of boiling water until the solid turns back into a liquid. Boil-in-the-bag hotness magic.

There are plenty of times one of these will come in, ahem, handy. On the touchline, on the journey to work, those romantic winter walks accompanied by classic hits during movie montages and many more. Quite simply, warm hands are better than cold ones. Ask any man who's had to drop 'em and cough…

Hot Packs are available from Firebox priced at £4.95 

If you hate games that take donkey's years to learn you're gonna love Batik. That's because the concept behind this ridiculously compelling two-player game takes about ten seconds to grasp. Basically, two players take turns dropping irregular wooden shapes into a transparent upright board. The idea is to force your opponent to play a piece that sticks out above the top edge of the game board. And that's about it. Simple, eh?

But before you scoff at Batik's nursery-like gameplay it's worth mentioning that this extremely novel plaything has won several prestigious gaming awards around the globe. In fact we're thinking of awarding it a special Firebox gong for its outstanding contribution to plummeting productivity, because we've all gone Batik bananas.

Batik's one-more-go factor is virtually off the scale. And once you go head-to-head slotting shapes you'll understand why. The pesky pieces often slip into unexpected positions, particularly when the board gets crowded. That's why you have to plan ahead. Imagine Connect Four crossed with lopsided Tetris and that puzzle game off The Krypton Factor (youngsters, ask your parents) and you're almost there.

Batik matchplay introduces an additional element of strategy as you must force your opponent to run out of pieces. This is achieved by removing the piece left sticking out at the end of each game. The match ends when one of you is unable to continue the current game.

Batik is a great game to crack out at parties as you won't have to waste time explaining the rules to divvy guests. And unlike many newfangled games it won't end up collecting dust in the cupboard marked 'Couldn't work out how to play it'. Best of all it's one of those games that feels like a classic the minute you start playing. So what are you waiting for? Get shape-shifting with Batik, and make it sharpish!

Batik is available from Firebox priced at £24.95 

We love funfairs. Sadly they're not quite what they used to be. These days a trip to the fairground involves a muddy slog around local wasteland littered with rickety rides manned by chariot-twirling wideboys doing their darndest to make punters heave. Add to this the heady aroma of fried onions, cremated candy floss and raw diesel and you're looking at a great day out. Not!

Maybe we're reminiscing with rose-tinted glasses, but we remember when fairs were all about colourful carousels, whimsical steam organs and blokes with wax moustaches flogging miracle hair elixir. Or maybe we've been watching too many ancient Dick Van Dyke movies.

The point is, retro-fairgrounds rule. And no funfair would be complete without a good old fashioned Candy Grabber. And it's with this very thought in mind that we ask you to roll up, roll up and feast your eyes upon this gorgeous model.

Yes siree, giving your home or office a hint of Coney Island chic is easy with our fantabulous Candy Grabber because it's every bit as entertaining as the one you fed with 5ps as a kid. Simply fill it with your favourite grabbable treats, drop in a coin or token and attempt to capture your prize before the whimsical music stops.

The Candy Grabber is just as infuriatingly addictive as you remember and the one-more-go factor is totally off the scale. The difference is you won't have to keep begging your mum for more change - you can play with this Candy Grabber forever. Although this updated version boasts three gleaming joysticks the cumbersome claw still requires some seriously dexterous manoeuvering, and mastering the whole picking up/dropping off process is almost as difficult as knitting candy floss wearing boxing gloves.

The Candy Grabber is brilliant at shindigs as everyone will want to try their luck, especially if the treats inside are worth a good old grab. You can put almost anything in there (within reason) and if your guests choose to use coins you might even make a few quid. So step right up and grab yours today.

The Candy Grabber is available from Firebox priced at £19.95 

When it comes to word puzzles we're pretty clueless. We've never guessed the Countdown conundrum (well there's nothing else on apart from Columbo repeats when you're taking a sickie, is there?). And as for crosswords, given a newspaper and a pen, we'd sooner doodle moustaches and rotten teeth on world leaders than attempt a cryptic clue.

But all this was before we clapped eyes on the awe-inspiring World's Largest Crossword. The clue's in the name, because at 49 sq ft this vast puzzle is indeed the largest crossword ever produced. With over 28,000 clues and 91,000 squares it really is a sight to behold. But more than that it's a seriously entertaining puzzle that no wannabe wordsmith should be without. And even if crosswords leave you cold, this behemoth brainteaser will keep you utterly riveted as it is, quite literally, impossible to ignore.

Spanning a mighty 7ftx7ft, the World's Largest Crossword can be spread across the floor, stuck on the wall or folded for traditional tabletop solving. Handy, as facing this gargantuan puzzle in all its unfurled glory can be somewhat daunting. The clues come via an accompanying 104-page book and are described as easy to moderate. Quite possibly but we're still struggling with the word search game in last year's Bob the Builder annual.

The World's Largest Crossword can take months to complete so it's an ideal distraction for anyone who thinks they have a way with words. Better still, because it's so big, you can team up with a few friends to try and complete it. As well as some rather devious clues the puzzle's obvious challenge lies in its size, as you always have to consider the bigger picture; one small section can take hours to complete but once you start you'll find it impossible to disengage your brain and put your pen down. It really is that addictive. Which isn't surprising because unlike many of today's micro brainteasers the World's Largest Crossword is big and it is clever!

The World's Largest Crossword is available from Firebox priced at £19.95 

Because much as we love state-of-the-art thingamabobs it's impossible to resist the allure of a seriously engrossing board game. Especially when it's as tooth-itchingly addictive as Gobblet.

In fact, this simple but seductive two-player hour-cruncher is so fiendishly playable we can't believe it hasn't been around for centuries. It feels like a classic the minute you start gobbling up your opponent's pieces. Yes, gobbling!

Of course we don't mean that literally (the gorgeously crafted wooden pieces are far too filling). You see the idea of Gobblet is to line up four of your playing pieces, or Gobblets, in a row. On each turn you must play a new Gobblet or move one around the 16 square board.

But here's the tricky bit; the Gobblets are hollow and come in four sizes. This means your opponent can 'gobble' your pieces with bigger Gobblets and steal your place. All of which plays a pivotal part in the game's strategy as you have to figure out which size piece to play and when to use larger pieces to steal. It also means you can lose by uncovering a Gobblet and revealing your opponent's winning row. It's a bit like noughts and crosses meets draughts by way of chess and Connect 4.

If you think this sounds shoulder-shruggingly mundane you'd be seriously wrong. Give Gobblet just one go and you'll be utterly obsessed. It's so full of one-more-go factor we've had to ban it from the office. Hardly surprising as Gobblet has won 10 best toy awards around the globe. A modern classic? Quite possibly, but if you'll excuse us we're sneaking off for a few more gobbles just to be sure. Gulp!

Gobblet is available from Firebox priced at £24.95 

It's not easy describing something as weird and wonderful as iZ. The boffins behind this impossibly cute creature call it an "interactive animatronic DJ/speaker" - which it is, but you're probably still baffled, aren't you?

Allow us to explain. iZ (pronounced "is") is a bizarre, battery-operated being that functions as a quality audio speaker, compatible with almost any music source. Simply plug in your MP3/CD player using the supplied cable and you're away.

But - and this is a big, fat, hugely entertaining but - you can also use iZ to compose your own wacky tunes. How? By pressing and twisting his various body parts, of course! Confused? You should be, because iZ is one of the strangest musical thingamabobs we've ever had the pleasure to play with.

Standing 9" tall, with three posable legs, two goggly eyes, trombone-shaped ears and a light-up nosecone, iZ looks like it has just stepped out of a cartoon drawn by an escaped lunatic from the Planet Tharg. Playing your music collection through iZ is entertaining enough, as his nose changes colour and his eyes bounce to the beat. But press iZ's belly and the fun really starts.

That's because this activates one of seven toe-tapping electronic beats. Turning iZ's right ear triggers one of seven additional rhythms whilst his left ear plays seven melodies. A special "flicker" switch dangling above iZ's head allows you to add "scratch-style" sound effects. And if all that's not enough to mark iZ out as the quirkiest DJ since Timmy hung up his Mallett, we don't know what is. Actually we do, because iZ also spouts his own gibberish language, at random, to any tune. See, we told you it was strange.

The jovial tunes you can create with iZ are devilishly catchy (some of the high-energy blip-bloppery we've composed would give the Gorillaz a run for their money), and he makes a brilliant desktop companion for all ages. In fact, we think iZ is going to be absolutely huge. The cutest, quirkiest, animatronic DJ in history? Course it iZ!

The iZ is available from Firebox priced at £29.95 

When we heard about an amazing new mood light called the Eclipse we were initially a bit blasé about it. Because the last time we witnessed a real eclipse we were so spectacularly underwhelmed we binned our industrial-strength sunglasses and bits of white card in some field in Cornwall and vowed never to waste time on the silly things again.

But that was before we had witnessed the truly mesmerising Mathmos Eclipse in action. This hypnotically beautiful blown glass globe is one of the most unusual pieces of ambient lighting we've ever seen, and it's the ideal way to add a seductive, ever-changing glow to your home.

Basically the chameleon-like Mathmos Eclipse works in a similar way to a lighthouse lens because its light effect engages the eye by coming in and out of view as you move around the lamp. But unlike a lighthouse the Eclipse gently cycles through a kaleidoscope of glorious colours. How? Well, various hidden LEDs are reflected into the focal point of the silvered sphere to create an utterly spellbinding effect that's unlike anything you've ever seen. It's a bit like staring into an electric psychedelic fish bowl. We imagine.

The Eclipse is available in two different versions, the Solar and the Lunar. The former gently phases through the warm colours of the sunset whilst the latter cycles through the darker colours of a lunar sky. Both variants really do make the aforementioned eclipse of '99 seem about as engaging as a blown lightbulb and they're guaranteed to captivate all who encounter their space-age glow.

To add to the hi-tech feel there are no switches or buttons on the Eclipse; you simply press down on the globe to turn it on and off - an action you'll be carrying out on a regular basis, because once you see this hypnotic sphere in all its glowing glory you'll be Eclipsing-it every single night.

The Mathmos Eclipse Lights are available from Firebox priced at £34.95 

Despite the fanciful claims of toiletry manufacturers, most exotic bodywashes are formulated and controlled in some factory in Slough. For this reason, until recently, shower time involved a brisk once over with a block of coal tar soap. We say until recently because our cynicism regarding all things exotic has been well and truly rinsed down the plughole by the invigorating and sophisticated Apothecary range of natural bodywashes. And when we say natural, we really mean it!

Made by our good friends at Edible (the people who brought you a whole host of outlandish but delicious delights), the luxurious Apothecary range has been created with the nature-loving bathroom-goer in mind. Indeed, you might feel like wearing a pith helmet and fig leaf when you first venture into the shower clutching your 75ml bottle of Apothecary bodywash - which would be a shame as all four varieties double up as shampoo.

So what makes these weird and wonderful bodywashes so different from the ones you see on supermarket shelves? Well basically, some of Mother Nature's rarest ingredients - from sought-after scorpion extract and queen ant royal jelly to much-coveted monkey-picked tea and whale ambergris - have been tracked down and utilised to create a range of exotic concoctions that are designed to invigorate, stimulate, relax, cleanse and tone. But don't say urgh, say aah, because they make lathering up with most of today's chemical-heavy bodywashes seem about as natural as brushing your teeth with toxic waste.

The special ingredients within each Apothecary product are sourced from the four corners of the globe and you can rest assured you're lathering-up with nature's finest fauna and flora every time you deposit a dollop on your shower puff.

Apothecary Wash is available from Firebox priced at £10.95 

When we first heard rumours about an exciting new game called Razzle Dazzle we thought we'd need to put our shades on to play it. After all, with a name like that you'd expect a bit of glitz and glamour. So imagine our surprise when we clapped eyes on a no-frills wooden board game; no buzzers, no lights, no beeps - not even a few obligatory sequins!

Thankfully, a quick go of this fast-paced game of strategy was all it took to remind us that truly great board games require none of the above, because Razzle Dazzle shines in a way only the classics, or soon to be classics, can. Besides, a glance in the dictionary reveals that the term Razzle Dazzle actually describes 'elaborate actions designed to deceive an opponent'. And that sums up the gameplay of this fiendishly compelling 2-player game to perfection.

Razzle Dazzle consists of a draughts-style playing board, 10 wooden blocks (5 light and 5 dark) and two little marbles. The idea is to manoeuvre your marble to the opposite end of the board before your opponent, using your blocks to pass and obstruct. It's a bit like basketball minus the bling-clad beanpoles.

Your marble can be moved in any direction, but the blocks must be moved like knights on a chessboard. With marbles being passed backward, forward, over and around, Razzle Dazzle becomes a skill-fest of offence and defence that's so addictive you'll wonder why nobody thought of the concept years ago. It feels like a classic the minute you start playing.

Perfect for a quick game or a marathon matchplay session, we reckon Razzle Dazzle could soon be as well-known and adored as draughts and noughts and crosses. So go on, give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle. It won't make you a star, but it'll keep you gripped for hours on end.

Razzle Dazzle is available from Firebox priced at £24.95 

Experts reckon that regular exercise can add five years to your life. The trouble is they're the final five years, and by that time your mind's gone to mush, your bladder's got a mind of its own and you spend most days staring at the gogglebox waiting for meals-on-wheels to turn up!

As you can tell, we're not massive exercise enthusiasts here at Firebox. We're too busy playing with the latest gizmos to waste time working up a sweat. But all that's about to change thanks to the ingenious PIX Sports. This tiny exercise assistant is all set to take the lycra-clad world of working-out by storm, as it really is one of the most useful gym-friendly gadgets we've ever seen.

Basically the PIX Sports is a wearable, multifunctional LED sporting assistant. It won't spot you doing bench presses or soap you up in the shower, but it will perform six invaluable functions. The extremely trendy PIX Sports is a watch, stopwatch, stepometer, night signal, scrolling text message display and motion response display. All this and you can wear it around your neck or clip it to your clothing with the supplied clip. It's even showerproof (although we're not quite sure where you'd hang it sans clothing).

As well as its gym-based uses the PIX Sports is a brilliant visibility tool. Clip it to your sleeve or the back of your bike and you'll be flashing as you're dashing and pulsating as you're pedalling. That's because the PIX Sports features a motion sensor which causes the LEDs to contract and expand across the screen. In signal mode the PIX Sports will display several animations, including a solid bar of all 75 LEDs, a large arrow and various other patterns formed by the blinking lights.

And then there's our favourite function: message mode. This allows you to program the PIX Sports to display the scrolling text of your choice (up to 30 characters), including numbers, letters, symbols and spaces. Ideal if you want to attract attention whilst out and about ("My other bicycle's a Ferrari", "Guess what's in my lunchbox", "Legwarmers for sale", "Young, free and single" - you get the idea).

Although it's the perfect exercise companion we think the sleek PIX Sports will also appeal to all you clubbers out there, as you can flirt, flash and still keep track of your moves per minute. Despite its multifunctionality the PIX Sports is a doddle to use: two titchy buttons give you access to all its fantastic features. And once you get the hang of it you'll be flashing, blinking, texting and timing like there's no tomorrow. So hurry up and get ordering - the PIX Sports is blinking brilliant.

PIX Sports is available from Firebox priced at £19.95