Things you thought were gimmicks/unimportant but now can’t live without (lighthearted)

[TeenLifeMum]

Reading the thread about detached houses I’ve realised I’m not that bothered in terms of noise as my previous terrace was fine. However, our garden is not overlooked at all, which is rare in our town. I didn’t realise how much I’d love the privacy as I liked our old over looked garden, but I love it and don’t think I’d want to lose that.

we bought a new to us car with top spec and it had heated seats - I’m not fussed about these if I’m honest, but I LOVE the heated steering wheel. I didn’t even know that was a thing but my winter commute is so much nicer 😂

A car boot that closes at the press of a button. I’m not tall enough to manoeuvre heavy boot lids manually.

I agree about heated steering wheels. Had them on five cars now. Even DH agrees.

A utility room. It’s not massive, but makes such a difference.

Boiling water tap. Love it. Can't imagine going back to waiting for the kettle to boil.

Alexa, side mirrors on cars that fold in automatically, the car boot button, electric garage door

@Bluevelvetsofa completely agree re boot button - I’m not very tall - but I did know I’d love that one in advance after a hire car on holiday 😂

@AyeDeadOn I know lots of people love their boiling water taps but I don’t really get on with them. We have “high end” ones at work and they’re terrifying. The first aiders in the office had to have additional training for scalds. But then I have a coffee machine so don’t often boil a kettle and the induction hob has super fast boil - now that’s a great feature.

A robot hoover.

We love our boiling water tap that also does chilled filtered water. No more kettle and no more Brita take up valuable space in the fridge.

My birdbath. I never wanted one then someone gave me their mum's when she moved. It's outside my French window and watching the birds having a bath or just a drink is better than TV!

Eufy robo vac/ mop

Air fryer.. the oven hasn’t been switched on since Christmas 😂

My Foldie bags. Game changer.

A mobile phone! Showing my age, but back in the 90s I swore blind I'd never want to be contactable wherever I was 😂😂😂

Electric Can Opener

Toaster tongs. Total game changer!

Also we get milk delivered - and butter and yoghurt.

Air fryer! We use it every day to do things like roast veg / make wedges / flatbread pizzas. Much better than having the oven on
I would love a heated steering wheel, can 100% imagine how life-changing that would be 😀

@Bluevelvetsofa @TeenLifeMum Even better is the wave foot at the rear bumper to open or close the boot feature. I love it!

Airfryer and peloton. Was totally dismissive of both. Now completely obsessed.

Same, I get so irritated waiting for the kettle to boil at work! Am campaigning for them to get one installed.

I’d probably fall over standing on one leg, waving a foot, with bags of shopping. 😂

I’d like a hot tap but we have no room for the water reservoir, can’t afford to lose the cupboard space.

Apple slicer & corer
My children eat so many apples this has saved me so much time!!

definitely new car things:

our car boot opens at a button and also will open if you stand next to it with key or synced phone. Never having to hoik a boot up or slam a boot shut

it recognises which driver is in the driving seat and auto adjusts the seat forward or back, up and down and steering wheel closer or further away for me and my husband. All settings remembered for me such as favourite radio station

car has auto hold eg on a hill it holds it still no need for foot on break

auto headlights inc full beam which comes on in the dark or off when a car approaches you. Auto windscreen wipers

heated and cooled seats in whole car.

cruise control and speed limiter

360 parking cameras and sensors

I agree with most of these except the full beam. I think mine turn off far too late if a car comes towards us and on country roads with sharp turns it thinks the hedge on the corner is a car. Maybe Dorset roads are particularly bendy.

My car doesn't do most of that but it does do the main beam on and off thing and I agree it's not fast enough, I have turned it off. I like cruise control, hate my corner parking sensors although the front ones are useful, love my reversing camera. Wouldn't go back to a manual car.

Boiling water tap gets a big thumbs up from me, although it's expensive. Ours also provides the normal hot water which used to take a good minute to run through from the tank which is a long way away.

A tiny gadget for hulling strawberries. Makes it so easy especially when you are doing lots for jam.

Also a tiny gadget for peeling oranges. Cost about 50p, does a brilliant job and far less mess.

Same! I remember chortling at the idea people would want to video call each other or look at the internet on the train

I guess that's why I'm not a tech billionaire

I don't have many gadgets or time and space saving devices. The one thing that I do have is my slow cooker. I honestly couldn't see the need for one - I'd just use the oven or the hob, right? Then my son was given one while he was at university and he passed it on to me when he finished ... and I bloody love it!

I work late shifts and I can put a meal in when I leave the house, come home at half past ten to a hot meal and, even better, the house smells of food cooking. I always say that it smells like someone cares.. (I live alone and otherwise it's cook for myself at stupid o clock at night).