A noisy exercise wheel is a problem for the owner as much as the animal, especially when the cage is anywhere near a bedroom and the animal is, as most small pets are, most active at night.

Sharples' Silent Spinner is a 14cm plastic exercise wheel built specifically to run with low noise, so a hamster or similar small animal can use it through the night without it becoming an audible nuisance in the next room. Being plastic rather than wire also makes it straightforward to wipe down and keep clean.

• 14cm size
• Plastic construction
• Designed for low noise running
• Easy to clean

What isn't confirmed. No specific species weight limit or axle bearing detail is given beyond "small animal", so it's worth checking a 14cm wheel is genuinely large enough for your particular pet's size rather than assuming any wheel will do — an undersized wheel can be uncomfortable for a bigger hamster's back.

Who it's for: owners of small, nocturnal animals in or near a bedroom, who want the exercise a wheel provides without the rattling that comes with a cheaper wire version.