What’s been the most useful/boring thing you’ve bought this year?

[CanIGetALattaaaaay]

For me it’s an plug-in heated foot warmer for under my desk. It’s made my whole day a million times more pleasant and comfortable.

We also got a shoe rack that fits over our hallway door - the days of tripping over shoes are over and it was worth every penny.

A pizza steel for our oven. We had a pizza stone but it cracked in half mid-year.

I love to make bread and pizza. Have some brioche burger buns rising right now. We always struggled to get crisp cooked pizza bottoms even with the stone.

The pizza steel is amazing! Crisp cooked pizza bottoms and lovely bread crusts. A revolution! Highly recommend.

@LoveFall

A pizza steel for our oven. We had a pizza stone but it cracked in half mid-year.

I love to make bread and pizza. Have some brioche burger buns rising right now. We always struggled to get crisp cooked pizza bottoms even with the stone.

The pizza steel is amazing! Crisp cooked pizza bottoms and lovely bread crusts. A revolution! Highly recommend.

Can you tell us more about your pizza steel please ? I admit it's not something I've heard of before. I also make my own pizzas and get pretty decent results with a round baking tray but I'm always looking to improve.

@JimmyTheBrave I like the sound of that which make was it please ?

It is a rectangular piece of steel about 1/4" thick. It covers about 3/4 of our bottom oven rack. We just leave it in the oven all the time.

You preheat the oven to very hot.

It absorbs heat much better than a ceramic pizza stone and won't crack. You put the pizza straight on it after pre-heating. It transfers heat very quickly which is why the bottom crust cooks so well.

I first read about them on a website called the Perfect Loaf which is mainly about sourdough. The fellow who runs that website uses a steel.

We bought ours online from a company in the US (we are in Canada). They were great, good price, free shipping and very quick. There are lots on Amazon too but I found them more expensive. We paid about $100 Canadian.

shop.bakingsteel.com

Thankyou LoveFall.

You are most welcome wildrosie! Happy pizza baking. 👩‍🍳😊

A padded dinner tray to put my laptop on whilst working from home

I thinking late last year but a heated throw. I just love it! Also blue light glasses (I think the company is Fokuss). Not very expensive but they've saved me so much eye strain and headache from a heavy year's studying.

A fan for on top of my wood burner complete game changer. My room is now roasting when it is lit and the heat travels further to back of room

An extra long charging cable for my phone and a stick on clip to hold it in place on my bedside table.

A sharpener for my bread knife.

A water flosser.

I tried a heated throw and it was lovely but I fell asleep every time I used it, so it went on the bed

@TrackandTrain can I ask what the tile stickers are? I’m forever losing my keys. Tia 💐

Air fryer

A dehumidifier for our very old house which had been standing empty for over a year.

I was considering getting a robot vacuum until I read this story about a dog pooing on the floor in the night and the vac had spread it all over the whole of the downstairs floor! There's no way I would want to clean that vacuum after, that would be going straight in the bin (outside bin!)

A tumble dryer. I snapped after 3 weeks of rain and sent DH out to buy one after finding that none of my jeans had dried after 3 days on the pulley. It lives in the garage because there’s no space indoors but I love it.

My Eufy can’t cope with office chairs and keeps getting stuck in the wheels. It’s driving me bonkers.

Tall standing fan. When I was heavily pregnant in august it was the most amazing thing ever.

An Instant Pot, an extra mixing bowl, and a new fan to replace the useless one I put up with all through the summer of 2019.

A dyson air wrap. I have been lusting after one since they were released but couldn't justify the price. Working from home as meant a huge saving on commuting so I treated myself to it and definitely haven't regretted it!

Yy to Whistlefish cards!
I got 2 skisuits (is that what theyre called in english? Outdoor onsies). One is like a ski jacket so thick, warm, water and windproof. The other is lighter and great for autumn/spring. Brilliant for Guides and family Scouts with dd. Im not totally exhausted when I come home!

[quote ladybird69]@TrackandTrain can I ask what the tile stickers are? I’m forever losing my keys. Tia 💐[/quote]
Tile Essentials (2020) Bluetooth Item Finder Set - 4 Pack (2 Stickers, 1 Mate, 1 Slim). Works with Alexa and Google Smart Home. iOS and Android Compatible. Find your Keys, Wallets, Remotes & More. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W86T94T/ref=cmswwrcppapifabcc_dvkYFbQ58MW1R

You can attach them to anything, so I have them on my keys (the fob) and remote(round sticker). Each have a button on so if you press one the others ring. It's also linked to an app on my phone, so they can make my phone ring even if it's on silent, or my phone can make them ring. I've also got it hooked up to Alexa so she can make ring them for me. So as long as you have one item you can find the rest!

Thanks @TrackandTrain sounds just what I need. 😊

My weighted blanket! Calms me instantly when I'm stressed and is super snuggly on cold nights. Wasn't cheap but definitely worth it.

Useful : office desk and chair for wfh

Useless : slow cooker

A potato ricer. Complete game changer! I can now make great mashed potatoes!