I can only have two of these three things. Help me choose?

[AngeloMysterioso]

DH and I have just over £300 in JL gift vouchers left over from our wedding. I also have £240 “treat money” from this year’s bonus with which to get something “for myself”. So here are my options-

Thing 1 - £229
We recently moved into a fairly small flat which has largely been furnished with hideous, chunky, black Ikea furniture - bought when DH was furnishing his bachelor flat (before I showed up). At the moment we are stuck with a dining table not dissimilar to this, with 4 matching chairs. We can’t fit all 4 chairs under the table at once and DH is using the table as his desk atm (new one due to arrive in a few weeks and it will go in our bedroom) so his office chair is in the sitting room and two of the chairs are currently in our bedroom.
One of the three things I have my eye on is this table and chairs set- it is pretty perfect for us in that it folds up nice and compactly and will look much nicer in the space than the awkward black one we have now. If I used the gift vouchers to get it we’d have roughly £80 left.

Thing 2 - £449-£675
I have wanted a Vitamix for so long. At least 7 years. I have watched the videos on YouTube more times than I’d like to admit. I have a Pinterest board full of delicious recipes I would make with one. Baby DS is also weaning at the moment and I would love to be able to make lots of lovely homemade things for him. I know there are other, cheaper blenders out there but I want one so badly!!
The Explorian is out of stock at JL atm so in order to get one of the more expensive better ones I would have to combine both gift vouchers and treat money. If I wanted the most fancy pants one I’d have to save up a bit more on top as well. DH is happy for me to get one with the gift vouchers and would probably use it too but to him any blender would do so he’s not fussed really.

Thing 3 - £240
I recently completed my first half marathon 5 months after having my first baby and have well and truly caught the running bug. I’ve been using my phone for tracking, listening to music etc but would love a proper fitness watch, and really like the look of the Garmin Vivoactive 4S. Of the three things, this is the only thing that would really be just for me is. The dining table, while being something only I really want, would be used by the whole family, the blender too but the fact that it’s a Vitamix is what makes it a treat for me.

My options are

A- get the table and the watch, spend the remaining vouchers on a shitty cheaper blender and continue to lust over a Vitamix for the rest of my days.

B- wait for the cheapest Vitamix to come back in stock, get that and the table or watch

C- combine vouchers and treat money for a more expensive Vitamix, make my peace with the ugly table, get a cheaper fitness watch for my birthday in a few months time.

What would Mumsnet do??

A.

£600 on a blender is obscene. Nobody needs it.

Table and the watch. Sell your table and chairs and put that money towards a blender. I couldn't spend that much on one though. I'm sure you could get a good quality one for less.

My friend has the same set - the chairs are really very uncomfortable to sit on after 5/10 minutes so need a fat cushion.

A nice table cloth wood cover most of the darkness of the table, which would lighten it up? I don’t see the point in buying a table you don’t really like just because you like it a bit more than what you have.

A. No brainer

Well actually no, the table doesn't look comfy so I'd shop around for another. The blender is unnecessary

We used to have that table and chairs. It's really wobbly and the chairs are very hard for fidgety children to sit on.

I haven't opened any of the links but from what you have posted you sound like you want the vitamix the most out of all those things. I would go with the thing I wanted the most. It's treat money after all.

I'd also not compromise on the model I wanted. And If that meant I didn't have enough left for the particular table you mentioned, I'd start searching FB marketplace and gumtree for a second hand one that was similar. Life is too short to always compromise

Option D if you can stretch the cash theres a couple of Vitamix E320 new boxed on eBay that are £329.95 (theres a 20% off voucher bringing it down from £379).

Then get the watch.

Get some seat pads from homebargains/ B&M/ Ikea for the chairs for a few pounds each. Replace at some point in the future. Dont stress about little one colouring, painting, using playdough/ glitter/ slime on a decent table whilst they're a toddler.

The vita mix - your heart is set on it.

I would pick A.

A decent table that you can actually fit chairs around will be far more useful as your family grows/grows up.

Agree that no blender is worth that much.

Also, I have a fitness watch, and it does the same stuff as the Garmin and other big brands. Why spend that amount of money? Mine is a fabulous alarm clock, wakes me up and not the household, given as I'm partly deaf and often can't hear the alarm. Didn't see the need to spend silly amounts on a fitness watch.

Had the same table set when it was plain instead of with the white paint. We sold it on Ebay as my 3 year old can't climb safely on to the chairs and they are dangerous for the 1 year old even just to be up in the same room as they could just fold up if she tried to hold on. It saved space and lasted fine but wasn't that comfortable and wouldn't choose it with young children in the house.

Option A because the blender is hideously, outrageously overpriced and it pains me that someone would willingly pay that.

I bought DH a fancy Garmin watch and it is pretty great so I do like the idea of that for you.

For the table, of its not exactly right don't get that one but keep looking. It sounds like the one you have isnt suitable. As your DS gets older you will use a table more, for eating at all together as a family, for him to draw, playdough etc.

Get the table and the watch.

(And I have a vitamix)

Definitely wouldn't choose that table and chairs set. We have almost similar and the chairs are very uncomfortable. The backrest starts to dig in very quickly if you lean back against it.

Option A.

I do understand about the Vitamix. My equivalent kitchen lust was for a KitchenAid in pistachio green. I wanted it for years, and finally bought it with bonus money I'd squirrelled away. However, it now gathers dust. I used it almost every day for a few months, then the sheen wore off and I realised cakes come out just as well made with a handheld electric whisk and then the beaters can go in the dishwasher! The Vitamix won't be as life changing as you expect.

Option D - Buy the watch with your treat money and put the vouchers towards the entry level blender.
Then look on Ebay/FB Marketplace/Gumtree for a pre owned drop-leaf table in that you can upcycle yourself. I can totally recommend Ducal as a brand that responds well to refurbishing. Bargains are out there! (I don't believe in buying new furniture!)

Get the blender. You've wanted one for 7 years! Doesn't matter if no one else understands. It's your treat money and your blender and your husband has agreed.

The table and chairs set is really lovely so I'd definitely go for A.

I know you have wanted a Vitamix for ages but it really is just way too expensive for something that is just a bit fancier than other blenders and the money seems to be all about a few little built-in hacks that aren't really necessary. Oh, it will stop automatically so you can multitask. How important is that in the greater scheme of things really? You can buy another fancy blender that looks good for less than half and still have something that you can use all the stuff you see on YouTube videos.

The watch sounds like a good thing for you and while I wouldn't spend that much on it that's me and I don't run half marathons or indeed run at all so if it would make you happy you should really go for it.

I'd go for A and C if you can afford it with your extra cash. Please forget B. I doubt it will give you anywhere near the pleasure you think it will and get that and you won't be able to get a really nice new table and chair set.

Wrt the hideous, chunky furniture, you can fancy it up by painting it, really easily with so many paints for that sort of thing on the market now and customise handles, knobs, etc to make it less hideous while you wait to have the money to buy stuff that you really like. Also, look for stuff on Facebook MarketPlace, GumTree, second-hand shops, etc and you'll find some really lovely stuff.

Get a Bamix! And then decide whether table or watch.

B&C.
Remember seeing Vitamix 12 years ago and thinking it is the most overpriced stupid thing ever but dozens of blenders later i came to understand it’s value and quality- it’s indeed worth it. Maybe wait for a cheeper model though.

Watch- because it’s fun.

If you can’t afford furniture you really want, what’s the point. It’s the same as getting a crap blender.

Get the garmin. Definately worth the money. I really wouldn't bother with the vitamix. I used a cheap blender mil gave us for pureeing. It kicked the bucket and dh very kindly bought me a magimix for my birthday. It's a pain in the bum to use. I dont know why people list after them. All the pieces need washing every time I use it. The components box takes up loads of space. If you really really want it I would try and demo it first.
The table is not really right for you. Look for a small second hand one.
If you live in such a small house you need a folding table, wouldn't it be better to treat yourself to the garmin and save the rest?

Well as we all have Garmin watch's in this house I maybe slightly biased.

Get the watch it's just for you and they work well.

Ditch the idea of the blender. I thought kitchenaid where overpriced but you could buy one of their blenders and still have change and they are a good solid make.
Note I never needed a blender for weaning as we did baby led weaning so no mushing required.

I agree with what a few people have said, while having folding table in a small house is great we have one. That set doesnt look so good so I'd look elsewhere.

I’ve got that table and while handy for Size. It’s not as good as it looks. Because of the cupboard for the chairs you can’t sit four people around it at comfortably equal distances. Also the chairs, while sturdy, are still folding so they’re uncomfortable. One that we had in daily regular use broke eventually.

PS - Just an example of a pre-owned table (this one comes with 4 chairs) - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DUCAL-DROPLEAF-TABLE-4-LADDER-BACK-CHAIRS/324120000974?hash=item4b770eb9ce:g:nvAAAOSw-89eQY1H

A