Moderna Hipster Carrier Hot

Getting a cat into a carrier through a small door at one end is a two-person job that ends with a cat wedged sideways across the opening and everybody late. Lowering one in from above is a one-person job. On the morning of an appointment that difference is worth more than anything printed on the box.

The Hipster's lid opens clear of the body, so the animal goes in downwards rather than being posted in horizontally, and the lid is clear so you can see what you are doing. It is moulded plastic, which Moderna describe as high quality and 100% recyclable, ventilated through the sides, with holes a water bottle can be attached to. External size is L40 x W25.8 x H22.4cm and the stated maximum weight of pet is 4kg. It assembles simply, stacks with others of its kind, and cleans with warm soapy water.

• External size L40 x W25.8 x H22.4cm
• Maximum weight of pet: 4kg
• Clear opening lid on the top, for lowering a pet in
• Ventilated sides, with holes for attaching a water bottle
• Made from plastic described as 100% recyclable
• Cleans with warm soapy water; stackable and simple to assemble

The number that decides it: maximum weight of pet, 4kg. That is Moderna's own figure and it is the first thing to check, because a good many adult cats and most small dogs are over it — this is a carrier for kittens, small cats and genuinely small breeds rather than a general-purpose box. No internal measurement and no door aperture is published, and nothing has been supplied about whether it meets any airline's cabin rules, so do not buy it for a flight on the assumption that it does.

Who it's for: owners of kittens, small cats and toy breeds who want a carrier that loads from the top, and anyone who has spent ten minutes trying to reverse an unwilling cat through an end door.