Stuff that is supposed to make your life easier (but doesn't)

[Slub]

DH recently installed a light in the downstairs windowless loo which is motion sensitive.
Great!
When having a wee I now have to wave my arm around at least twice when plunged into total darkness

Dishwashers

You must be doing something very wrong, because they are more than a time and sanity saver.

Manual specifically state NOT to rinse dishes on mine for a start.

@HurryUpBetelgeuse

Definitely alexa, I wanted it to do a sum, shouldn't have specified £ and before I'd even gotten to the amount I wanted deducting, Alexa stated "x lbs is y kg" noooooooooo. Alexa, when is rain expected in Y tomorrow? "Tomorrow, in Y, you can expect rain" Yes but when?

Erm, Alexa, what time will it rain tomorrow?

@Time40 that’s what I came on here to say! I think garlic presses are the most useless and fiddly pieces of rubbish. They ruin the garlic too; no real cooks I know use them. The Guardian agrees with me! www.google.lu/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/feb/01/garlic-press-chefs-method

Yes, disagree with dishwasher, we scrape into the bin as we would for normal washing up, no rinsing (our manual says not to as well), everything is dry at the end except on the odd occasion something has flipped over. Salt and rinse aid once every few weeks, ditto filter cleaning.

I do agree about Alexa though, we stuck it for about a month before putting it back in its box.

I nominate the Nest thermostat and its annoying way of thinking it knows better than us when we want the heating on or off. Once we disabled all that and started using it just as a programmable thermostat it was OK though.

Autocorrect.

And so agree about wireless printers.

The awful memories thing on your 'smart' phone .

No thanks I don't want to remember my dying parent this time last year complete with sad photos. Just piss off you stupid insensitive twat.

@EversoDelighted I think our Nest is channeling my mum. "Put a jumper on!"

You must have a rubbish dishwasher!!

We don't rinse ever, just a scrape into bin, and not had a single issue in 5 years.

I love these threads as they have so far saved me from spending money on alexas, instant pots and god knows what else.

But the dishwasher? No. I very much want, need and love my dishwasher and I don’t find it any hassle at all.

DP.

Childcare provided by MIL

I love our Alexas for what it's worth.

The children listen to audiobooks on one at bedtime and I use the one in the kitchen to listen to the radio/ music/ podcasts/ make shopping lists/ set reminders (e.g every Tuesday morning at 7.30 am it reminds me to find the book bags)

I've also got it set up so the children can ask it to 'ring mum' and they can talk to me on my phone through Alexa e.g if I'm at work and MIL has an accident or something. They aren't old enough to have their own phones yet so just there for them to use if there's an emergency - but I do encourage them to use it every now and then so they r ember it's there as an option.

I 💖💖💖 my dishwasher. I have wanted one for 15 years and it was sooo worth the wait! It was everything it ever said it was!

However. I nominate those washing machine pod things. I've only just started using them following years of powder/rinsing issues. However. The boxes are so so so hard to open. I understand why but still!!! I wrestled a new one open the other day, the pods flew everywhere including one down the toilet. 😔 So I'm stood there, pod dripping, membrane dissolving as I frantically worked out how to still make use of it 🤔. I was setting my machine to come on in the morning (controversial!) so was not ready for its slimy disintegration. 😳 Sorted in the end by using a plastic dosing cup. In case anyone is still reading and is concerned!!

@pastabest

Childcare provided by MIL

Oh very much this too

*AlohaMolly

pastabest

Childcare provided by MIL

Oh very much this too grin*

I'm a MIL and I give the best childcare - wanna fight? 😁😁😁

Have to agree about wireless printers but I luffs my dishwasher 😍
Right now it is quietly doing its thing and washing all the stuff I used to make the Sunday Roast and I just know everything will be sparkling clean and dry when it's finished.

'Google assistant', more annoying and intrusive than a toddler in a caravan.

@Billandben444 I wouldn’t dream of fighting with a mother in law!!

@EversoDelighted

Yes, disagree with dishwasher, we scrape into the bin as we would for normal washing up, no rinsing (our manual says not to as well), everything is dry at the end except on the odd occasion something has flipped over. Salt and rinse aid once every few weeks, ditto filter cleaning.

I do agree about Alexa though, we stuck it for about a month before putting it back in its box.

I nominate the Nest thermostat and its annoying way of thinking it knows better than us when we want the heating on or off. Once we disabled all that and started using it just as a programmable thermostat it was OK though.

Tell me how to do that with nest PLEASE We spent the whole winter with it turning on in the middle of the night because he wanted to be a certain temp at 6 am

The shark hoover - spends 80% of its life spitting out contents

Computers and the internet. Does my head in.

I'm with you on the GP appointment system @EineReiseDurchDieZeit . It's awful. I have ongoing health issues and can't spend time at 8AM trying to get through alongside getting the kids ready and out to school. I really wish there were pre bookable slots for non emergency matters that you know you will need to attend for.

With the Nest you need to switch off the setting called True Radiant, this is the thing that makes it switch on in the night in anticipation of you wanting it at say 20° by 7am. We also switched off Auto-schedule and Home and Away Assist.

Using a regular pool crawly is a nitemare-swimming around the hose,air&debris blockages etc but theres an awesome pool hoover with wheels you pop in overnight&set it same way for time--it just works better...Hate Alexa (my teens love it tho)..Absolutely couldnt be without dishwasher-mainly as the DC load&unload & id cop the flack if it was a manual,get ur hands wet&stand at the sink job😂..

Definitely Alexa. I asked her when winter solstice was last year and helpfully got "the date with fewest daylight hours" yeah thanks, I wanted the date not a bloody definition.

@EversoDelighted thank you !!