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

291 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 05/06/2020 17:06

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??

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Rosieposy4 · 05/06/2020 21:19

Definitely not B
I have reared 4 big strong athletes with a stick blender at about £15-20 ( and yes I home cook from scratch every day of the year, make my own soup, grow my own veg) that much money on ablender is insane.

safariboot · 05/06/2020 21:22

Have you already got, and regularly use, a blender? If you do then the Vitamix is a good upgrade, but if not then £500 is a lot to spend on a kitchen gadget that might end up hardly ever used.

The table and the fitness gadget you know will get used.

TheExterminatingAngel · 05/06/2020 21:23

A. No competition.

The blender will end up in the charity shop, having been used approximately once.

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Runkle · 05/06/2020 21:25

600 for a fucking blender?! Someone's having a right laugh.

Tardigrade001 · 05/06/2020 21:25

Not that table. It looks clunky and uncomfortable and not child-friendly at all. You can find much nicer tables secomd hand if you look.
If you really want it, get the Vitamix. The cheaper one. Sounds like you really want it.
Vouchers are exactly for that - things you wouldn't normally buy.
And get the watch too, if you can.

matchboxtwentyunwell · 05/06/2020 21:27

A

I'm sorry, but I think you'd be insane to buy a blender for that kind of money.

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 05/06/2020 21:29

Get a table & chairs & Garmin watch.
Save up for your blender.
If you can afford to put £10 a week away then add it to the money left you could have your Vitamix in a year or less.

Dougalthesyrianhamster · 05/06/2020 21:30

What about something your husband wants? Hmm

Dozer · 05/06/2020 21:31

Ditch the vitamix!

Dozer · 05/06/2020 21:32

Wouldn’t bother with furniture either, would just get the garmin!

Nonnymum · 05/06/2020 21:33

Definitely A for me the blender seems a ridiculous price. Is it really that much better than cheaper brands?
But that is me. It sounds as though you really want the blender so you should get that.

Twillow · 05/06/2020 21:35

Great Post. I have a Vitamix (combined gift for special birthday) after listing over it for years.
Nil regrets.
Nothing else makes a smoothie so smooth.
Or also cooks fresh soup from cold.
Or makes icing sugar or peanut butter or oat milk in seconds.
Lasts forever with fantastic customer service
And practically cleans itself.
But you know all this...
You could use it several times a day. You probably won't, but whenever you do you'll be happy.
The only thing I'll say is it doesn't really do small portions, so a single serving of baby food might be tricky (but bulk up and freeze!)

Meh to the watch, but the fact its the amount of your bonus is tempting.

Then the table is an ideal 'wedding present' purchase, and could improve your living room.

I'm no help, sorry.

RuthW · 05/06/2020 21:36

Definitely c. The watch will be most useful.

Blender too expensive.

Old table is much nicer than the new table.

RiftGibbon · 05/06/2020 21:37

Get the table. Or a different table that costs more?
A blender is a blender is a blender. And the watch - in six months there'll be something else that does even more things.

fluffi · 05/06/2020 21:40

Option A. Easy!

movealongnothingheretogawpat · 05/06/2020 21:47

B you've wanted it for ever and now you could have it - blenders and other gadgets ARE worth the money if you are into them and get the use out of them ( cheap ones are not worth the effort )

C it's something you fancy and would use

A I wouldn't get this , swapping one table you already have for another you don't much like sounds crazy and whilst it's probably well made as it's John Lewis it's not very nice to look at imo

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 05/06/2020 21:48

Definitely a table, but must admit I don't like that one much.

Twillow · 05/06/2020 21:56

To all the posters saying it's an overpriced blender - it's a VITAMIX, it really does do things ordinary blenders don't. It's a real workhorse - they're what the use in the coffee shops for the iced drinks.
I have a stick blender which is useful for pureeing soup in the pan, and a magimix for occasional cakes and grating stuff. But the vitamix is the one I keep out and have used almost daily for 5 years. I wanted one for years and haven't ever regretted it!

YinMnBlue · 05/06/2020 21:58

Magimix Powerblend.

speakout · 05/06/2020 22:01

What does a Vitamix do? I can't imagine having a use for such a thing.

3LittleMonkeyz · 05/06/2020 22:05

Don't get the table.

3LittleMonkeyz · 05/06/2020 22:07

You can just paint it if your main gripe is the colour. Paint and reupholster chairs.

The other two are investments in yourself and your life, do that. A table is just a table

quicknameymcnamechange · 05/06/2020 22:16

A

XingMing · 05/06/2020 22:19

Any one who cooks a lot and makes purees will wear out a stick blender fast. I've had several, but my grandmother's Bamix (now 45 years old, at least) is going strong and it's still the one professional kitchens buy and recommend. Buy well, once. Cheaper than replacing it for £30 every two years. The Bamix is robust and reliable, if not fancy.

speakout · 05/06/2020 22:22

I must live in an alternative universe. Do people eat a lot of purees?
I can understand babies , invalids and TV chefs but do people eat that at home?