7 household appliances you didn’t know you needed
From air fryers to robot vacuums and everything in between.
Image: Amazon
So you’ve got the basics covered; the fridge, the microwave, the steam mop. But what about all the other household gadgets that make your life a little easier, and a lot more enjoyable? Well, we’ve got you covered and summed up 7 appliances that you didn’t realise you’re in desperate need of.
Bean-to-cup coffee machine
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If you’re crazy for coffee then don’t restrict yourself to an average coffee machine, or worse… instant coffee. Treat yourself to barista-style coffee every day at the touch of a button with a bean-to-cup machine.
The good thing about bean-to-cup machines compared to others is that the most work you’ll do is pour in the water and coffee beans. It also reduces the time between grinding the coffee beans and brewing, which means a lot more flavour. Best of all, each cup of coffee will only cost you an average of 15p!
Our choice
The De’Longhi Magnifica, £293, is one of the cheaper bean-to-cup coffee machines and one of the most impressive for its price category. It can make a wide range of popular coffee drinks at varying strengths and volumes and is easy to clean once you’re done. It also comes with a milk frother and can make two cups at a time, so no fighting over who gets the first cup in the morning.
Soda maker
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Soda makers are one of the best ways to reduce plastic waste as it enables you to make sparkling water drinks from the comfort of your home using tap water. You only have to press the button a few times and you’ll immediately have a perfectly carbonated drink, much more refreshing than your average glass of tap water.
Our choice
SodaStream Spirit, £66.66, has a sleek design that wouldn’t look out of place on your countertop. One cannister can make up to 60 Litres of sparkling drinks and is easy to replace once it’s empty. It promises to save up to 1300 bottles and cans a year, as well as save you from lugging heavy bottles and storing plastic in your house.
Electric chopper
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Everyone knows that it’s the food prep that takes up the most time when trying to cook dinner for family and friends. If your knife skills aren’t on point, chopping vegetables can take forever. That’s where an electric chopper can help you out. It only takes a few pulses to chop, mince, slice, grind or cube vegetables – perfect for when you’re short on time (which I’m guessing is a lot of the time).
However, electric choppers aren’t just reserved for veggies. These handy appliances can also save you time on chopping up fruit, cheese, nuts and meat.
Our choice
The NINJA NJ1002UKBK Chopper, £24.99, has unique blades that allow you to chop, mince and puree with precision in a matter of seconds. It also comes with 2 stackable containers and lids that are good for storing any excess in the fridge or cupboards.
Air fryer
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Air fryers cook food with hot air and a small amount of oil, or sometimes none at all, making them a low-fat alternative to deep-fat fryers. This also means there’s no faffing around with disposing excess oil or meticulously watching over the cooking to avoid burning.
Although they are most often used for cooking cripsy chips, air fryers can be used to cook meat, fish, vegetables and even frozen food.
Our choice
The main benefit of the Tefal Actifry Original, £99.99, is that it has a unique stirring paddle for even cooking, so no need to shake or stir half way through cooking like with most other models. It also has a detachable timer so you can relax in another room and leave the fryer to do its thing.
With a capacity of 1kg there’s enough room to make 4 portions – whether that’s chips, curry, sausages or even dessert! But if that’s not enough for your family, it could be worth investing in the Tefal Actifry Original Plus, £134.99, which has 20% more capacity.
Handheld steamer
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You might agree that ironing is one of the more boring chores. So why not invest in a handheld steamer which can get rid of wrinkles in a fraction of the time? Steamers don’t make contact with the garments, making them ideal for delicate fabrics like silk and satin which irons can easily ruin. Handheld steamers are also a lot more lightweight making them easy to use, store and travel with.
Our choice
The ProBreeze, £24.99, is a perfectly portable handheld steamer which even comes with its own travel pouch. It takes less than a minute to heat up and be ready for use and has a nozzle that evenly distributes steam to remove winkles from all types of clothing, furniture upholstery, bedding, table liners and more.
Clothes straightener
Image: Lakeland
Ever tried ironing your clothes with your hair straighteners when you’re in a rush? It can be a bit tricky and some spots can be tough to reach, but the idea of it is genius. That’s why some companies have developed similar ‘straightener’ appliances that can be used on clothes, curtains and other garments. These allow you to iron both sides at once while they’re hanging up, so no need for bulky irons and fiddly ironing boards.
Our choice
Lakeland have brought out their EazzyPress Quick Iron, £39.99, which has an ergonomic handle with large gaps in the middle that allow you to reach all areas of your clothes. It also has an adjustable dial which outlines specific settings for nylon (low), silk (medium), wool (high) and cotton/linen (max), so you can be confident that you’re choosing the right setting for each garment. It’s also fairly compact and lightweight, making it easy to take with you on your travels.
Robot vacuum
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Robot vacuums have been around for a while now but only in recent years have they started to be perfected with better cleaning power, navigation and more smart technology capabilities. These are great household appliances to have when you don’t have time to give your house the once-over.
These clever robots are able to sense obstacles, as well as drops, and avoid them – preventing any damage to the vacuum. They can even sense tough spots that need more attention and adapt from hard to carpeted floors.
Our choice
The Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S (Slim), £199.99, is great at getting under low-hanging furniture and has up to 100 minutes of continuous cleaning without the need for emptying in between. It may be thin, but it still has 1300Pa of suction power, and then once it’s done it will return to its base and auto-charge, so it’s always ready to go. It also has multiple cleaning modes and you can pre-set a vacuuming time to ensure a thorough clean while you’re busy with other things.
What household appliances can you not live without? Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post on our Facebook page.