Search volumes and click-through data from Shopping.co.uk tell a clear story this week: shoppers are spending seriously. From a £100 running shoe punching well above its weight to a £529 flagship phone that’s generating more buzz than anything else in the smartphone category, the basket sizes are up and the intent is real. Here’s what’s moving.

The Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is Samsung’s mid-range flagship for 2026, sitting at £529 for the 256GB Awesome Gray variant. That’s a significant jump from the Galaxy A56, which launched at a lower price point and is still available new for £249 in 128GB trim. The A57’s search volume is running roughly three times higher than the A56 this week, suggesting shoppers are actively choosing to spend more rather than settle. At £529, it competes directly with the Google Pixel 8a, which offers a different software experience but similar hardware ambitions. The 256GB storage is a practical reason to stretch the budget if you shoot a lot of video.

Compare Samsung Galaxy A57 5G prices

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are Bose’s top-tier over-ear headphones, currently listed at £294 in black. They sit above the standard QuietComfort 45 (around £220 new) and compete head-to-head with the Sony WH-1000XM5, which typically retails at £280-£320 depending on the retailer. The “Ultra” designation gets you Bose’s Immersive Audio spatial processing on top of the class-leading noise cancellation the QC range is known for. At £294, this is close to the lowest we’ve tracked this model since launch. If you’ve been waiting for the price to soften before committing, this week’s figure is worth acting on.

Compare Bose QuietComfort Ultra prices

The On Cloudswift is On Running’s everyday road trainer, priced at £100 in black. That’s notably affordable for the On brand — the Cloudmonster and Cloudsurfer both sit at £140-£160 , and it puts the Cloudswift in direct competition with the Nike Pegasus 41 and Asics Gel-Nimbus, both of which hover around £110-£130. May is peak running season in the UK as half-marathon and 10K events fill the calendar, which explains the spike in clicks this week. The CloudTec sole is the same technology found in On’s pricier models. For runners who want the brand without paying for the top-end cushioning stack, this is the entry point that makes sense.

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The Apple Watch Series 11 is Apple’s current mainstream smartwatch, priced at £331 for the 42mm Grey aluminium model. The Series 10 launched at a similar price and is now available refurbished from around £260, so the premium for the Series 11 is roughly £70 in real terms. Against the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (around £230 new), the Apple Watch costs more but is the only option for iPhone users who want full integration with iOS health features and Apple Intelligence notifications. The 42mm case is the mid-size option; the 46mm Ultra 2 starts at £799 if you need the larger display and longer battery life.

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The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute is Dyson’s top cordless vacuum, listed at £519 in yellow. It’s the most expensive model in Dyson’s V-series lineup , the V12 Detect Slim sits around £380 and the V11 can be found new for under £300. What justifies the price gap is the laser dust detection and the piezo sensor that counts and sizes particles in real time, giving you a live read on the floor rather than guesswork. At £519, it’s £80 cheaper than the V15s Submarine, which adds a wet-floor head. If you don’t need wet cleaning, the standard V15 Detect Absolute remains the strongest argument for spending this much on a cordless vacuum.

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The KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer is KitchenAid’s entry-level tilt-head model, priced at £350 in black. It sits below the Artisan (around £499) and is the most affordable route into the KitchenAid ecosystem. The Kenwood Chef XL, its closest rival, retails at around £300 and offers a larger 6.7-litre bowl versus the Classic’s 4.3 litres. The KitchenAid wins on aesthetics and brand recognition; the Kenwood wins on capacity. At £350, the Classic makes most sense for home bakers doing standard batch sizes rather than anyone regularly doubling recipes. The spike in searches this week likely reflects a combination of post-Easter baking interest and the black colourway back in stock after a period of limited availability.

Compare KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer prices

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is Sonos’s compact soundbar, designed for TVs up to 55 inches and priced at £449 in black. The Gen 1 Beam can be found refurbished for around £180, so the Gen 2 premium is substantial , but the upgrade brings Dolby Atmos support, which the original lacks entirely. Its main competitor at this price is the Samsung HW-Q600C (around £300), which offers more raw volume but less integration with other smart speakers. If you already own Sonos kit elsewhere in the house, the Beam Gen 2 is the obvious choice for the living room. If you’re starting fresh, the £150 price gap versus Samsung is worth thinking about carefully.

Compare Sonos Beam Gen 2 prices

The Samsung Galaxy A57 5G at £529 is this week’s standout value pick in the upper mid-range smartphone space, offering 256GB of storage at a price that undercuts comparable fully-specced Android flagships by £100 or more.

Best place to buy: We’re tracking prices across UK retailers on Shopping.co.uk , compare the latest Samsung Galaxy A57 5G deals here, where the current lowest price includes free delivery.

vs. the Samsung Galaxy A56: The A56 at £249 (128GB) is still a strong phone and the better buy if storage isn’t a priority, but the A57 doubles the storage and adds a generation of camera and processing improvements for £280 more , a gap that’s easier to justify at this price tier than it would be in the £700+ flagship bracket.

Our take: Buy the A57 if you keep your phone for three or more years; pick up the A56 if you’re budget-conscious and happy to manage storage more carefully. Keep an eye on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra at £294 , that price is close to a 12-month low and won’t hold indefinitely.

Is the Samsung Galaxy A57 worth the extra money over the A56?
Yes, for most buyers. The A57 offers double the storage (256GB vs 128GB), a newer processor, and improved cameras. At £529 versus £249, the gap is £280 , significant, but the A57 is positioned to stay relevant for longer if you’re keeping it for several years.

Are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones better than the Sony WH-1000XM5?
Both are among the best noise-cancelling headphones available in the UK right now. The Bose edges ahead on comfort for long listening sessions and the Immersive Audio feature, while Sony’s XM5 offers slightly better call quality and a marginally wider soundstage. At similar price points (£294 vs £280-£320 depending on retailer), the choice often comes down to fit preference.

Is the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute worth £519?
For most households, yes , but only if you have a mix of hard floors and carpet. The laser detection and particle sensor are useful on hard floors, less so on carpet where the results are less visible. If your home is predominantly carpeted, the V11 at under £300 does the core job well enough.

Does the Sonos Beam Gen 2 work with non-Sonos TVs?
Yes. The Beam Gen 2 connects via HDMI ARC or optical adapter and works with any modern TV. The Sonos app handles setup and sound settings. You don’t need any other Sonos products to use it, though it integrates with existing Sonos systems if you have them.