Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder which of your appliances are really worth it?

66 replies

Eeksteek · 25/09/2022 17:40

Just got given an air fryer from a friend who didn’t get on with it.

Which of your small appliances would you definitely replace if it broke, and which would you not bother? (or have given away?)

I love my…

Soda-stream - my little luxury. I love sparkling water and don’t want to drag it home or use the plastic.

Halogen oven/air fryer (seem the same to me so far) for cooking small portions quickly and cheaply as we are such a small household.

Microwave. Use it all the time. Porridge, milk for lattes, reheating soup, defrosting bread rolls, heating up batch cooks and leftovers. Do almost all my daily cooking in it.

Bread maker. I make pizza dough every Friday. I don’t make much bread all the way in it, because children don’t chew, but I would for just me.

Boiling water tap. Love it. Had it off for the summer, and really missed it, even though I don’t use if for tea or coffee! Would never bought one (was here when we moved) but wouldn’t like to be without it now.

I worship my dishwasher. Worship it. If it breaks the kitchen is closed until it’s fixed.

I love my side and hide oven. I’m short so reaching over the oven door is awkward and theres a constant risk of nipple-burns.

Meh….

Instant pot. Dunno why I bought it really. Use it for dog food or stock, but I don’t much bother with them these days. Does do nice porridge overnight, the occasional steamed pudding or Dulce du leche. Relegated to the garage. No time for a slow cooker either. Everything tastes weird from them. Gave it away.

Toaster. Useful for my kid, but I hardly ever eat toast and can do it under the grill if I do. They make such a mess!

Tassimo. Love my coffee, but the pods are SO expensive, unnecessary plastic and you’re very restricted on coffee brands. Will replace with bean-to-cup or nespresso with refillable pods (or generic ones. Nespresso pods seem so much more widely made) when I can.

Soup-maker. I like it, and I make a lot of soup, at least twice a week, but the convenience of making it in one step doesn’t outweigh the faff of getting it out, and cleaning and putting it away after, or the space it takes up (it seems huge for it’s capacity) over a pan and a stick blender. Toying with giving it away anyway.

Kenwood chef Not sure here. The mixer is RUBBISH and the food processor isn’t great either. But the attachments like the mincer, sieve and juicer are brilliant. I only use them for huge jobs a few times a year, though.

Hob. Dunno about doing without, but a single ring would do me nowadays. I don’t use it more than a couple of times a week. My kid does, for pasta, fried eggs and pancakes. I wouldn’t rush to replace it if it broke.

American fridge freezer. Big for just two us, although the space is nice, I think it’s really expensive to run. I love the ice/water dispenser and you can’t get them in single fridges. It’s quite a lot of space and cost for nice water, though. I’d look for a stand alone water dispenser first, I think.

OP posts:
Popaholic · 25/09/2022 17:52

Keepers...

Air fryer. Only had it a month and already it's indispensable!

Slow cooker. It does a few key, cheap recipes while I'm wfh. Earns its cupboard space every week.

Microwave
Kettle
Hob
Fridge

Meh... in order of most useless first:
Mr Slushy machine (my DD's so must keep)
Coffee percolator. I like it but could easily live without posh coffee.
Grill
Food processor
Little hand blender whizzy thing
Oven
Dishwasher

WeAreAllLionesses · 25/09/2022 17:55

Love the robot hoover, it's life changing!

blackberrybat · 25/09/2022 18:01

You have a LOT of appliances!! I love my kitchen aid mini chopper thing, DH bough it me for Christmas a couple of years ago and I use it a lot. Also my Shark hoover, I'd really like a handheld as well.

FatOaf · 25/09/2022 18:01

My dishwasher isn't working currently. So as dishes pile up while I'm awaiting a replacement part, that seems like my most desirable appliance.

Slow cooker is being used more and more. The knob broke off the lid and is glued on but doesn't feel secure. I'm looking for a replacement lid in the hope that I don't need a new slow-cooker. It's doing at least two casseroles/stews a week at present.

Air fryer is great for chips, fish fingers, etc. I don't like using it for meat (fried chicken, etc.) because it's so hard to clean, but it's probably still preferable to using four times more electricity to cook stuff in the oven.

Rice cooker is absolutely essential, even if mine isn't great.

I used to make a lot of bread. I can't really justify using the oven for it now, so I might look for a second-hand bread maker. (I never buy anything new if I can avoid it.)

EllaPaella · 25/09/2022 18:04

Range cooker and our Jura coffee machine are the two I most enjoy and would definitely replace. Need a dishwasher and a washing machine and fridge obviously. We have a pressure cooker thingy - a Ninja that does air frying as well. It's ok but DH uses it more than I do. I love some of the outdoor stuff we have - Ooni pizza oven and the Cob for the campervan.

FatOaf · 25/09/2022 18:04

Oh, and stove-top steamer for vegetables. I also use it to cook whole chickens: doesn't dry them out as much as roasting, and produces spectacular stiock.

FatOaf · 25/09/2022 18:04

stock

FatOaf · 25/09/2022 18:06

And coffee percolator. Only way I've found of producing coffee of consistent flavour that is still hot when I get to drink it (I put cold milk in, so any cooling before serving is a problem).

Lcb123 · 25/09/2022 18:08

You have so many appliances! I have a cooker, dishwasher and washing machine, kettle and toast - nothing else we need.

FingersofFish · 25/09/2022 18:08

I'm mourning the death of my breadmaking. Struggling to find a new one and we used it at least twice a week.

I also would miss my range cooker, bloody love it. I don't love my toaster and microwave but also couldn't manage without them.

I could probably live without my kenwood mixer but I have only had it 2 years and really do love it although it's a luxury.

Meh for me was an air fryer and spiraliser, I used them both but found them more faf than use. Juicer, soup maker and sandwich toaster also went to the charity shop with the above 2. I have a good processor but I can't get excited about it and its only used anout 6 x a year.

I used to live on slow cooker food but now I only work out of the house one day a week I barely use them. I should get back into the habit in fairness!

Purplecatshopaholic · 25/09/2022 18:08

Love my clothes steamer. Not ironed anything in years, awesome device.

Thestagshead · 25/09/2022 18:12

Microwave, slow cooker, dishwasher, double oven range cooker (I guess not small) bean to cup coffee machine, we never have instant now, seldom use the kettle.

LoopDiL00p · 25/09/2022 18:12

My stick blender. It's the only thing I'll replace immediately if it breaks.

LoopDiL00p · 25/09/2022 18:13

LoopDiL00p · 25/09/2022 18:12

My stick blender. It's the only thing I'll replace immediately if it breaks.

... should say only small appliance I'd replace immediately.

BrokenWing · 25/09/2022 18:14

Beyond the usual white goods, The ones I keep going back to are the basic ones

Steam cleaner - use all over the house
Induction hob - best and easiest to clean
Panini press - can go months without using then start using several times a week again. Ours must be 15 years old now.
Stick blender - to smooth soup. Easier to clean than blender
Hand held cake mixer - doesnt take up is as much room as one on a stand
Condenser dryer and dishwasher

We dont have many more, ones I have and have hated -

Instapot - everything is so watery, even when you add no water!
Nespresso - meh
Tefal airfryer - mum bought it and hated it, gave to me to try, I hated it too, passed into dsis who hated. Havent tried the latest ones but they look a nightmare to keep clean.
George foreman grill - meh
Ninja bullet - ds makes milk based protien drinks in it and it stinks now even when soaking/going through dishwasher, think it is ingrained in the plastic.

MrsFezziwig · 25/09/2022 18:16

Nothing to do with the thread but I’ve not heard the phrase “coffee percolator” for years. It’s transported me back to my childhood….

To wonder which of your appliances are really worth it?
RosaGallica · 25/09/2022 18:16

I’m surprised pp are mentioning dishwashers, but haven’t mentioned laundry equipment.

But that’s ok, all the washing machines can just marry me instead and you lot can make do without them.

PepperSprayFirstApologiseLater1 · 25/09/2022 18:21
  1. Ninja Foodie (air fryer, grill, pressure cooker, slow cooker, sauté, and many other things all in one) I use it every day and rarely use my oven anymore. Wouldn't be without it and would replace it immediately if it broke.
MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 25/09/2022 18:23

indispensable:
Dishwasher
washing machine
hob
oven
stick blender
coffee machine
toaster

could do without:
microwave
nutri bullet

never use:
pressure cooker
slow oven

BaileySharp · 25/09/2022 18:29

We regularly use dishwasher and microwave so those are our must keeps! Our rice cooker gets a good amount of use though wants replacing now really. Would like to try an air fryer but worried we wouldn't use it much

Nidan2Sandan · 25/09/2022 18:33

We have a deep fat fryer which has been used maybe twice. Whilst I thoroughly enjoy the food from it, the steam leaves everything covered in an oily, greasy film and I end up having to deep clean the entire kitchen.

Love my bread maker, dishwasher, toaster, microwave, toastie maker and kettle.

Really want an instant hot water dispenser and an air fryer

ScreamingInfidelities · 25/09/2022 18:35

Purplecatshopaholic · 25/09/2022 18:08

Love my clothes steamer. Not ironed anything in years, awesome device.

Which one do you have? I bought one and it was rubbish.

andtheweedonkey · 25/09/2022 18:37

indispensable:
Kettle, Toaster, Washing Machine, Tumble Dryer, Fridges/Freezers, Microwave, Oven, Dyson, Vax Carpet Cleaner.

Dispensable:
Iron (and Ironing Board Halo), Hob, Steam Mop, Food Processor, Mixer.

Really, really need:
Dishwasher or some new rubber gloves, I've a leaky middle finger

RaininginDarling · 25/09/2022 18:41

Purplecatshopaholic · 25/09/2022 18:08

Love my clothes steamer. Not ironed anything in years, awesome device.

Ooh! What is this witchery? I've not heard of such a thing!

Must haves:

My bialetti stove top coffee maker - so simple, no waste and a bazillion Italians can't be wrong.

Microwave - defrosting and reheating.

Cat & Dog Meile. With a ragdoll and a GSD, it's a bit of a competition as to which will shed the most over a day. A robot hoover wouldn't survive 5 mins in our house with all the shed fur (although I like their semi-Silent Running vibes).

Silicon broom. Seriously, one of my best and cheapest purchases. Everybody should have one. Nothing escapes them!

My cousin's promised to buy us an air fryer as a wedding present - I'm excited to try it.

Also eyeing up rice cookers with interest but are they practical for just two people? It seems a lot of machine for one job.

The Less Loved:

Dishwasher- I'm a bit Mrs-Doyle-with-the-teasmaid about them. Hate unloading/loading them, dislike the stains they leave on cutlery or glass. Always seems to leave one item with food hard baked on it and destroys the glaze on my randomly collected vintage china plates. Plus, I'm fed up of fishing out the dirty cheesegrater as it sits in it between cycles. Whenever DP is away, I'm back to the washing up bowl.

The battery operated milk frother. Pointless.

Sandwich toaster. Hard to wash. Too small to put a regular sandwich in, prefer to use a pan.

Ironing board - its a year old and already wonky. When did they get so expensive? Why are they so poorly made?

Thelnebriati · 25/09/2022 18:45

I've done it in the past when I was younger and fitter but I'd really struggle today without the fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer. And I wouldn't want to manage without the freezer, air fryer, & microwave.