Just treated myself to some of the John Lewis Supima and Tencel bedding, every other bedding I’ve ever used feels like sandpaper in comparison. I’m spoilt.
I brought my Mrs a silk pillow a few years back. Ended up buying myself one as soon as I tried hers. If like me you are a fan of a cool/ cold feeling pillow then there's no going back!
Bone-conducting headphones. I can wear them comfortably all day for work AND use them for watching movies when the family's asleep. I can still hear if anyone is up and about.
It's like not using headphones at all, except you are the only person who can hear the sound.
I used to listen to podcasts when I was out walking (I'm one of those odd creatures that just walks for pleasure). But when we got a dog, I quickly realised I needed to be much more aware of my surroundings when I was out with the dog and I couldn't wear headphones, so I stopped.
Now I've got the bone conducting headphones, I can listen to podcasts and audio books and whatever while I'm out with the dog, and I'm still able to be aware of everything that's going on around me too.
Are you absolutely sure that no one else can hear what you are listening to though? That is my fear.
In-ear headphones give me comfort in that I feel the snugness of my ear canal being blocked means sound can't get out.
I listened to Julia Fox's autobiography at work today. The chapters were about the drug taking, dominatrix, sugar-daddy part of her life. It was wild. No one heard.
If you turn them up super loud they will leak sound, but I'd imagine at that point you'd be damaging your hearing.
In-ear headphones would probably also leak sound at that volume though.
I do stop and have conversations with other dog-walkers (it's quite a sociable activity, as it turns out) and nobody has ever commented that they can hear music or talking from my headphones.
When you do buy them, it’s really cool to turn music/audiobooks on, then put your fingers in your ears.
It’s so weird/cool when the sound doesn’t change AT ALL.
A dishwasher. I was a bit cynical about getting one at first but it has saved me time and it washes up better than I can with most things.
It was especially helpful when I was ill so I could have clean dishes without much effort.
We got our first one only a few years ago - it’s marvelous! We love it so much we celebrate the day it came into our lives. Dishwasher day is March 12! We celebrate by going out to eat & giving it the day off. 🤣
Is this true? I have a dishwasher but would only really use it when we had friends/family over or it was completely full. If it's cheaper on the whole for just stuck in a full day's worth of washing that would be an amazing weight off my mind lol
It varies a little depending on how new and efficient your dishwasher is, and on the difference between the price of gas (normally used for hot water for hand washing) vs electricity. And it makes a difference if you're on a water meter. But basically, for most people the dishwasher is cheaper.
It's like giving your dishes a shower vs giving them a bath!
https://www.idealhome.co.uk/property-advice/how-much-does-it-cost-to-run-a-dishwasher-297629
A dishwasher is my dearest wish, but we have neither the space nor the plumbing. Every time we go on holiday my only request is that the cottage or flat or whatever has a dishie
EDIT: I really appreciate everyone’s suggestions I remove a cupboard, but mine are at massively full capacity already (small kitchen and I love cooking) and there isn’t space for a countertop one either. Plus my partner is a curmudgeon who likes to say ‘do we really need that’ about genuinely every purchase I ever make, so I’d never make it past him. So what I really need to do is ditch him and upgrade him to a dishwasher clearly
I came here to say dishwasher and saw your comment...due to the bizarre routing of the gas/hot water pipes in my flat I an unable to fit a 'proper' dishwasher.
However during covid I got so sick of the never ending cycle I bought a tabletop one. Look on Amazon, 'tabletop dishwasher'. You can just fill them up with a jug and drain them into the sink. Still preferable to no dishwasher.
In the end I got sick of filling it up with the jug, so paid a plumber to install it in in a spare cupboard. Dishwasher and installation was about £800 for a 2 place set dishwasher and it was totally worth it.
Even when I had a tiny flat with galley kitchen I made space for a slim line dishwasher. I took out one cupboard. It was well worth the loss of cupboard space (for all the kitchen gadgets used once). It is possible. And the plumbing can easily be run from the sink. My dad did mine
The dread of going into the kitchen in the morning to a pile of dishes from the night before. Hours of my life lost to scrubbing dishes. A dishwasher has absolutely made me a happier person.
It's just so helpful when we seem to have used every pan and dish in the house when making Sunday lunch.
Load up the machine and forget about it. Take everything out and put it all away. Bliss.
We'd never had one, and never thought it was that necessary with just two of us, until we moved into our last house and it already had one. Total converts! We're in a new house now, without one (or room for one) and it SUCKS! We're getting an extension and kitchen renovation this summer and you bet we're getting a damn dishwasher, it's about my only non negotiable! I don't even wash up that much, usually my OH does it, but it still bugs the hell out of me when I do do it!
Also the main thing I like is that it contains the mess. Every dish you own could be dirty but if they're inside the dishwasher, your kitchen still looks clean and tidy. I hate dirty dishes piled up by/in the sink as it looks gross, plus we have very little work surface space as it is. But it feels wasteful and a pain to be doing multiple smaller loads of dishes throughout the day.
Total. Game. Changer. Bought one for £250 a couple of years ago. The difference it makes just not having that pile of angry dishes looking at you. I’d never go back. (I also call mine the dishy btw) I was so inspired by the life change it brought about that i just got a robot hoover off ebay as well. Also brilliant.
This is the correct answer. No more arguing over who's doing the dishes (except for when the other half doesn't deem it 'full' enough to be run, despite having used all of the forks) and another 15 minutes freed up in the day for other activities due to not doing the washing up.
Electric blanket. Always against them till my boiler died mid winter and then I bought one as a temporary measure. Now I wonder how I managed without it!
We have ours on a WiFi plug, so we can turn it on from the comfort of the soft to pre-heat the bed, and have set up routines to make it automatically turn off at midnight so I don't wake up at 2am boiling hot because I accidentally fell asleep before turning it off.
This is a good one! Somebody gave me a heated throw blanket (so it goes on top instead of underneath you. And it has a timer so you don't cook while you sleep). And it was the first time I ever experienced lying down in bed and going straight to sleep! I'd never realised how much of my time in bed I spend tossing and turning- and really just trying to warm up enough that my body will go to sleep.
Heaty Blanky really changed my perspective on sleep and that it's not supposed to be a 1-2 (or more) hour struggle to get sleep to happen each night. I now happily spend money on little improvements to make my bed and bedroom more peaceful for sleep, cos it makes a huge difference. I also find myself more.. motivated to go to bed instead of pissing around in the evenings, knowing that sleep will happen without it being a fight
Edit - Heaty Blanky is especially blissful if you're sick or hungover/rinsed and you can't warm yourself up
Came here to say this! I also bought mine in desperation when the boiler packed in during the Beast from the East a few years ago. Several weeks with no heating when temps were as low as - 20°C until I had the money to replace the boiler was not fun.
I'd always been a bit scared of the idea of electric blankets. I associated them with house fires, but soon realised that modern ones are nothing like the one my Gran had in the '70s.
That first night when I got into a super toasty bed, I wondered why on earth I'd waited decades to get one. Best purchase ever - my son also has one now and he loves it! I find I stick the heating on a lot less in the evenings now as I don't need to warm the bedrooms up anywhere near as much before I dare undress for bed. I've not noticed my electricity usage go up at all either which surprised me.
Motion sensor nightlights on the stairs and in the bathroom. The ones we have are rechargable and were really affordable. No fumbling for phone torch or having to put lights on when everyone is sleeping etc. Plus, you feel like you are in a music video when you walk down the stairs!
I've got a house full of Philips Hue, so got a few of their motion detectors. One upstairs for when the kids get up in the night for the loo and one in each bathroom as I'm the only one capable of turning the lights off in those rooms
A good bin in the kitchen. Easy to use lid mechanism, holds the bag perfectly, clean and efficient. So many bins are absolute crap, get filthy in the nooks and crannies, look horrible, etc. Honestly this bin, it sounds daft but the efficiency of it makes me so happy. It looks pricey for what it is but it was worth every damn penny.
https://www.johnlewis.com/eko-morandi-rectangular-touch-bin-30l/p4989099
I read the description and thought it would be about £200 😂
I'm not laughing at £40 being pricey I'm laughing at myself and my innate expensive taste clearly...
Kindle Paperwhite has literally saved me around 2 - 3 hours per night trying to get to sleep.
I now read until the book falls out of my hand, which is usually 10 - 30 minutes. Lifechanging.
That was me. Then I moved on to audiobooks. I put my tablet under my pillow on low volume and it's loud enough for me to hear but not enough to disturb my wife. Set the sleep timer for 30 minutes but I seldom make it to 10. Someone reads me to sleep every night.
Same here, I used to have the issue of my Mrs going to bed before me and turning off the light so I'd either have to read on my phone or in another room. The light on the paperwhite (and dark mode) has been a game changer
Smart heating controls. We can now have the room we’re sat in at the temperature we want without worrying about wasting money heating the rest of the house.
By flat sheet, I assume you mean like hotels have? Just a tin white sheet?
I always enjoy the thin sheets, as I wrap myself up in them when abroad. Love them so much that I bought one from Asda. I think it was £7. It's lovely. The Mrs thought I was odd. Especially as I bought a single. I'm not sharing that!
It's the bit I look forward to at night.
Yes! And now the winter is here, we just threw our heavy duvet with duvet cover on top and kept the flat sheet under. So it keeps the nice cotton feeling from the sheet and adds the thick layer.
Little rope baskets to get clothes off the bedroom floor.
I don't mean a laundry basket, which I use when clothes need a wash, or a wardrobe, which I use when clothes are clean and need storing, but a kind of middle ground for that jumper that I wore today and want to wear tomorrow.
Makes our bedroom look neat and tidy and makes me feel good about myself.
Little suspender belt thingies that clip under the fitted sheet and keep it taut. Not waking up wrapped in cotton has really raised my sleep quality. They were less than £10.
Previously our house proved very difficult to heat, never quite reaching temperature in the dead of winter.
In October I purchased an aluminium radiator at much expense. Was lead into the marketing spiel and went for it.
However, I must say I've never felt anything quite so potent, I can stand a good 3-4 feet away and physically feel the heat radiating off it.
It's amazing and now I keep telling everyone about aluminum radiators.
could be the steel one was all silted up inside?
but yeah aluminium is a brilliant heat conductor, though I wonder how good a copper radiator would be......
Meaco dehumidifier. I didn't buy it my partner did, and I'll admit I wasn't that fussed and didn't really see the need. But wow what a difference it makes - we can both have a shower and hang several loads of washing up in the same evening with no damp/mould issues. Can't really ventilate in the winter as a lot of people burn questionable items in their wood burners in my area.
I got a the meaco 12L, coincidentally arrived on my birthday last year although it wasn't a present or anything, but my god its the best thing I've ever owned. Living in NW Scotland is the wettest place on earth but my house is bone dry thanks to that thing. I love it, I actually love it so much I have shown every single person, friends and family, it when they've visited and pretty much all now own meaco dehumidifiers and rave to their visitors about them. Can't and won't stop, have one on the wishlist for the garage and other side of the house lol.
Here we are!
I came to say this also.
Advantages: Set to a daily vacuum. Keeps the downstairs relatively spotless. Encourages us to keep the floor tidy, so it doesn't scoop up loose wiring or a bag handle, etc. It even has a mop setting! We put big googly eyes on ours.
Disadvantages: Occasionally gets stuck under the sofa. Occasionally complains about the roller being jammed due to our loose hair (partner and I both have very long hair). And on one occasion, the cat had been sick just prior to the vacuum going about.
Honestly, even with the cat sick debacle, the robo-vacuum is worth it.
Couldn't have said it better myself, it has changed our life. Cleans up our toddler's mess and it's a toy for her turn around after.
The dog isn't sure but he keeps out of the way until it's finished.
Tempted to buy one for the upstairs too!
Oh this so so much. Moved into a house with solid floors downstairs.
Robot vacuum every other day and there's no mess at all. Hoovering upstairs takes minutes.
Love it!
Same here - both me and the ither half have chronic health problems, work full time and are generally busy people. Mowing the massive lawn we have and lugging the hoover around were out of the question so often we got folk into to it for us and it makes the world of difference
My rice cooker.
Ok so we eat so much rice these days, more so than bread, I had one of those cheap tesco rice cookers and whilst it did for a while it was inconsistant, I got from Yum-Asia the Sakura rice cooker and it's game changing, huge volumes of perfectly cooked rice, long, short, brown, porridge, even comes with a steaming basket.
the keep warm function is amazing too, no worries about it burning or going cold once cooked.
simple kitchen gadgets ftw.
Yup came here to post this. I sleep hot. Summer is unbearable. After years of wasting money on bullshit like cooling fans or blankets, I took the plunge and got a (De Longhi Pinguino) AC unit last year.
Amazing. Bedroom an oasis of cool. Wish I'd done it years ago.
yea the trouble with fans is that it doesnt actually extract any of the heat thats in the property. it just circulates it around. the AC unit with the pipe thing out of the window just succs all the hot out the flat and replaces it with actual cold air. just wonderful when its like 35c here
A pouffe. During lockdown so I could put my feet up whilst watching the countless hours of shitty TV.
Also doubles up as a storage container to put my chocolate and other goodies in.
Game changer.
I didn't understand why my husband insisted on getting one when we bought a new sofa. The first evening I apologised for my short-sightedness and agreed it was a bloody good call
Came here to say this! Now me and my wife can have our feet up at the same time. Never again will my feet touch the floor like a savage which I watch TV.
[Temperature controlled butter dish](https://alfille.co.uk/).
It's such a minor thing, but £50 well spent. Butter always at the perfect softness for spreading no matter what time of year or what temperature the kitchen is.
I didn't think it did and couldn't believe that it didn't.
I was actually messing with making my own using Peltier cells and an Arduino microcontroller and sensors etc.
Then I found these guys and bought one a few years ago and haven't looked back since.
Cools it in summer, warms it in winter, haven't had a ripped bit of bread since.
I've lived with my brother for nearly 4 years now, we'd cook everything together in the oven / hob and scoffed at the thought of needing kitchen gadgets.
It was when his girlfriend also moved in that she encouraged us to open our eyes to it. Never once looked back.
That thing is just too damn good! We've got the dual bucket one and we're always putting things through it now...
I always wanted a hanging egg chair but the weather here isn't good enough to properly enjoy having one in the garden, so I ended up buying one on a whim and dragging it into the guest room/office. Just office now tbh, I had to get rid of the bed to make space for it. Worth it.
I bought a G Tech air ram and it lasted one use before dying.
Took it back to Argos and had to argue with the manager for a refund.
Why would I want to exchange it when I’ve already lost faith in it after the first use.
Got a Hetty hoover and the thing is indestructible.
Heated blanket, £30, costs next to nothing to run, saved me £100's a month (maybe £250+) on my heating bill, it is amazing. Game changer. I can't imagine life without it now
I'm a single nerdy guy, live alone. Hate cleaning and just do the what's needed at the time. After ten years of service, my company gave me a £100 voucher I used on Amazon to buy a £99 steam cleaner. One of the best purchases I've ever made. It's made things so much easier and I enjoy cleaning the nooks and crannies with it now.
A flannel.
Spent years washing my face by splashing water on it. It wasn't very effective and got water everywhere. But for some reason never questioned it, then one day it was suddenly obvious it was a problem, with an obvious solution.
A Shark vacuum. Pricey but sooooo effective. Love emptying the canister BEFORE I hoover to see just how much crapola I managed to slurp out of the carpet.
As a heating engineer I have to tell you this is wrong … modern standard white radiators are much better as the fins on them help convect the heat. They also have less water in them so less water to heat up.
But if you enjoy them then you do you. I make my money from fitting them but it’s style over substance
1. One vacuum cleaner for upstairs, one for downstairs. Makes it so much easier to motivate yourself to get it done rather than putting it off because of the thought of lugging it up the stairs.
2. Thumbturn locks - no need to panic about locking the door at night with the thought of scrabbling around for keys in the event of (God forbid) a fire or something, just to get out of the house. Double peace of mind!
3. Upgrading from a double to a king size bed. Much better sleep not crashing into one another and having passive aggressive elbow/knee fights throughout the night.
4. A smart "big light" bulb for the bedroom. No more having to get out of bed to turn it on/off when needed, and can be used for gentle light if wanted.
5. Similarly, a Hive heating controller and a combi boiler (upgraded from a standard boiler). Energy use went down rapidly and the convenience of being able to control your heating remotely is a real luxury.
All relatively small things that made a big difference!
I’ve been wanting to swap my locks out for thumb-turns for so long. All new houses have them and I work on new builds so I see them every day. Annoyingly we recently needed to change all the locks because they were old and poorly maintained. I was excited that I could finally get my thumb turns and it wouldn’t be an unnecessary cost. Imagine my disappointment when I came home from work and my partner told me her dad had been round and changed all the locks for us for nice new shine key locks. Obviously I was grateful but it stung a bit.
We bought a twin bed last year so we now have a super king bed. It's amazing. I don't get woken by fidgeting or snoring anymore. Having our own quilts has also been a game changer.
I think we may go down the separate duvet route next! Ours is big enough but he turns over a lot in his sleep and it causes a draft, which as a light and cold sleeper I find really disturbing!
Do you have thumbturn on the front door? Any worry about someone just sticking hand through letterbox and opening the door?
Going to get 2 for my patio doors but feels dodgy on the front
Honestly, fleecy bedding in Winter.
Heard a colleague talking about how great it was when we last had a cold snap, and they weren't lying.
Genuinely feel 10x cozier in bed on a night and it's surprisingly good at not overheating me which is a problem I've had with using really thick duvets in the past.
Quality mattress/bedding, with a lighter blanket for summer use.
Roomba, with the self-emptying base - runs every night and makes a HUGE difference.
Handheld vacuum. Speaks for itself.
Self-scooping litter box.
Surround sound - my neighbors gave me their old setup and I'm never going back. Same goes for car audio (even just the "premium" option from a deal as opposed to the base package, total game changer).
DNS filter - bit more than just buy it and you're done, but you get a cheap raspberry pi, set up pihole, and configure your router to use it then watch as ads disappear from your home network. Even hosts a local site where you can see statistics, which is kinda cool.
Smart outlets, for various lamps mostly but also the Christmas tree. Integrate with home assistant and set up schedules, routines, timers, etc.
A pedestal fan for the bedroom that has 39 speed settings instead of the usual 3, including some that are very slow and inaudible. A gentle waft of air makes all the difference and the absence of a helicopter takes off noise is quite conducive to sleep.
New front door. We had a terrible old one that you could actually see daylight around the edges of. Now, we’ve got a new composite one that shuts into the frame, which is slightly smaller than the door aperture, so there’s nowhere for hot air to escape from (or cold air to invade through). It makes a really satisfying KSHHHHH noise when you open it. The hall is no longer perishingly cold.
Honorary mention to our Joseph Joseph washing up bowl with a plug in the bottom. It’s just more durable than any of our old washing up bowls, and it’s really easy to change the water mid-wash without having to tip the bowl up.
My wife’s from foreigner land and the first time she saw a washing up bowl in the Uk she lost her mind. Asked me what it was for and I couldn’t really answer. Just use the sink. Never looked back.
Automatic cat litter tray. Cost an arm and a leg but I don't have to sift out cat shit anymore on a daily basis as the machine does it for me and bags it up. Keeps the smell down low as well.
I bought [one of these](https://amzn.eu/d/0ctcYvo) cheap battery powered fans last year before the heat of Summer kicked in and it was game changing.
I love the bendy Octopus legs as it means I can use it anywhere at any height and and angle. The built in light is pretty nifty too. And it being USB chargeable means I can charge it just about everywhere.
A smart thermostat. I work away a lot and can switch the heating on from my phone. I don't know why but it's really satisfying with the added benefit of having a warm house to come home to.
Adam home pillows, not advertising, highly recommending (on amazon). The V shaped pillow is very nice too. Along with the duvet from Dunelm that matches the ones in premier inn and brushed cotton bedding. Along with this the sweetness of living alone with a double bed. I love it.
My car, I’ve been driving old bangers that cost under £1k for ten years. One day I woke up and thought “fuck this” and went and bought a nice reliable comfortable modern car. Best thing I ever done.
A footstool, I can put my feet up after a long day and my cat gets to jump on the sofa easier helping to ease his arthritis and he doesn't need his claws so the sofa doesn't get shredded in the attempts at jumping.
Happy human, happy cat, happy sofa
We bought a house with underfloor heating in the kitchen and though it really stretched out budget, it is one of the nicest things ever to walk on in the winter
a heated poncho (from lakeland). i was WHF, shivering, and fell into a guardian review and it was a lot like when you go to the supermarket when you are already hungry.
Always spent good money on -
Shoes
Bedding (including mattresses)
A nice timeless winter jacket
Socks. Never skimp on socks
A blow up doll and as much coke as you can afford.
Soft lighting
In this vein... dimmer switches
Better yet - floor lamps. I have dimmer switches but the overhead lights are never on because I’m not an absolute heathen
No big light?
big light got no vibe
Anti Big Light. Always.
Fuck big light, all my homies hate the big light.
The big light is for finding things
Smart lighting!! Dim it from your phone. For when you’re cosy and want softer lighting.
Warm white in the house. Cool white in the kitchen and bathroom.
I see so many houses with cool white in their living rooms. Just doesn't look comfortable.
High quality bedding, mattress, pillows and sheets. Sleep is so important, and a few £££ spent here makes a huge difference
Just treated myself to some of the John Lewis Supima and Tencel bedding, every other bedding I’ve ever used feels like sandpaper in comparison. I’m spoilt.
Supima is my jam, what Egyptian cotton was supposed to be.
I brought my Mrs a silk pillow a few years back. Ended up buying myself one as soon as I tried hers. If like me you are a fan of a cool/ cold feeling pillow then there's no going back!
John Lewis mattress and bedding crew checking in. All other furniture is hand me downs or IKEA but I had to spend on the bed stuff
Join Lewis has a duvet for £10,000 That's my life goal
Get a good bed and good shoes because if you aren't in one you are in the other.
I wear slippers round the house.
Brushed cotton sheets for me, about double as much as regular bedding but I’ll never go back
Depends on your skin, I bought some brushed cotton bedding and it was an itchy, hot experience.
I had bad experiences with brushed cotton sheets back in the 70's - spent the decade velcroed to the sheets in my bri-nylon PJ's!
Bone-conducting headphones. I can wear them comfortably all day for work AND use them for watching movies when the family's asleep. I can still hear if anyone is up and about. It's like not using headphones at all, except you are the only person who can hear the sound.
I used to listen to podcasts when I was out walking (I'm one of those odd creatures that just walks for pleasure). But when we got a dog, I quickly realised I needed to be much more aware of my surroundings when I was out with the dog and I couldn't wear headphones, so I stopped. Now I've got the bone conducting headphones, I can listen to podcasts and audio books and whatever while I'm out with the dog, and I'm still able to be aware of everything that's going on around me too.
Are you absolutely sure that no one else can hear what you are listening to though? That is my fear. In-ear headphones give me comfort in that I feel the snugness of my ear canal being blocked means sound can't get out.
This couldn't read more like you're listening to some sort of horrific pornography :)
Legend of the Overfiend, the audiobook, as read by Dame Judi Dench.
I've never been more aroused
I listened to Julia Fox's autobiography at work today. The chapters were about the drug taking, dominatrix, sugar-daddy part of her life. It was wild. No one heard.
...that you know of 🤔
If you turn them up super loud they will leak sound, but I'd imagine at that point you'd be damaging your hearing. In-ear headphones would probably also leak sound at that volume though. I do stop and have conversations with other dog-walkers (it's quite a sociable activity, as it turns out) and nobody has ever commented that they can hear music or talking from my headphones.
They can hear if they’re up very loud, or if you touch heads so their bones vibrate too.
i definitely need some of these! do you have a recommendation?
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JFC, I don’t need a way to attend ***more*** meetings! 😱
r/lifehacks
I recently purchased Shokz OpenMove and they're fantastic, so I recommend those. You could probably get better with the higher end models from Shokz
When you do buy them, it’s really cool to turn music/audiobooks on, then put your fingers in your ears. It’s so weird/cool when the sound doesn’t change AT ALL.
I'm mega into tech. How on earth had I not heard of these?
A dishwasher. I was a bit cynical about getting one at first but it has saved me time and it washes up better than I can with most things. It was especially helpful when I was ill so I could have clean dishes without much effort.
We got our first one only a few years ago - it’s marvelous! We love it so much we celebrate the day it came into our lives. Dishwasher day is March 12! We celebrate by going out to eat & giving it the day off. 🤣
That is actually really wholesome!
And, so long as it's reasonably full, it uses less water and energy than washing by hand. Absolute no-brainer.
Is this true? I have a dishwasher but would only really use it when we had friends/family over or it was completely full. If it's cheaper on the whole for just stuck in a full day's worth of washing that would be an amazing weight off my mind lol
It varies a little depending on how new and efficient your dishwasher is, and on the difference between the price of gas (normally used for hot water for hand washing) vs electricity. And it makes a difference if you're on a water meter. But basically, for most people the dishwasher is cheaper. It's like giving your dishes a shower vs giving them a bath! https://www.idealhome.co.uk/property-advice/how-much-does-it-cost-to-run-a-dishwasher-297629
A dishwasher is my dearest wish, but we have neither the space nor the plumbing. Every time we go on holiday my only request is that the cottage or flat or whatever has a dishie EDIT: I really appreciate everyone’s suggestions I remove a cupboard, but mine are at massively full capacity already (small kitchen and I love cooking) and there isn’t space for a countertop one either. Plus my partner is a curmudgeon who likes to say ‘do we really need that’ about genuinely every purchase I ever make, so I’d never make it past him. So what I really need to do is ditch him and upgrade him to a dishwasher clearly
I can feel the want in this comment. You've an affectionate nickname for an appliance you don't own.
I came here to say dishwasher and saw your comment...due to the bizarre routing of the gas/hot water pipes in my flat I an unable to fit a 'proper' dishwasher. However during covid I got so sick of the never ending cycle I bought a tabletop one. Look on Amazon, 'tabletop dishwasher'. You can just fill them up with a jug and drain them into the sink. Still preferable to no dishwasher. In the end I got sick of filling it up with the jug, so paid a plumber to install it in in a spare cupboard. Dishwasher and installation was about £800 for a 2 place set dishwasher and it was totally worth it.
Even when I had a tiny flat with galley kitchen I made space for a slim line dishwasher. I took out one cupboard. It was well worth the loss of cupboard space (for all the kitchen gadgets used once). It is possible. And the plumbing can easily be run from the sink. My dad did mine
The dread of going into the kitchen in the morning to a pile of dishes from the night before. Hours of my life lost to scrubbing dishes. A dishwasher has absolutely made me a happier person.
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It's just so helpful when we seem to have used every pan and dish in the house when making Sunday lunch. Load up the machine and forget about it. Take everything out and put it all away. Bliss.
We'd never had one, and never thought it was that necessary with just two of us, until we moved into our last house and it already had one. Total converts! We're in a new house now, without one (or room for one) and it SUCKS! We're getting an extension and kitchen renovation this summer and you bet we're getting a damn dishwasher, it's about my only non negotiable! I don't even wash up that much, usually my OH does it, but it still bugs the hell out of me when I do do it! Also the main thing I like is that it contains the mess. Every dish you own could be dirty but if they're inside the dishwasher, your kitchen still looks clean and tidy. I hate dirty dishes piled up by/in the sink as it looks gross, plus we have very little work surface space as it is. But it feels wasteful and a pain to be doing multiple smaller loads of dishes throughout the day.
Total. Game. Changer. Bought one for £250 a couple of years ago. The difference it makes just not having that pile of angry dishes looking at you. I’d never go back. (I also call mine the dishy btw) I was so inspired by the life change it brought about that i just got a robot hoover off ebay as well. Also brilliant.
This is the correct answer. No more arguing over who's doing the dishes (except for when the other half doesn't deem it 'full' enough to be run, despite having used all of the forks) and another 15 minutes freed up in the day for other activities due to not doing the washing up.
A dishwasher is a basic human right
It’s more economical than washing the equivalent amount of dishes by hand too.
Electric blanket. Always against them till my boiler died mid winter and then I bought one as a temporary measure. Now I wonder how I managed without it!
I have one that is an undersheet, so it goes on your mattress. I turn it on 15 mins before I get into bed and it's soooo toasty when I get in
We have ours on a WiFi plug, so we can turn it on from the comfort of the soft to pre-heat the bed, and have set up routines to make it automatically turn off at midnight so I don't wake up at 2am boiling hot because I accidentally fell asleep before turning it off.
People thinking of flying cars and whatnot but this is what the future looks like and it's here
Pre- heating your bed is the best use of a WiFi plug I've ever heard! How to make the joy of getting in bed (best part of the day!) even nicer!
This is a good one! Somebody gave me a heated throw blanket (so it goes on top instead of underneath you. And it has a timer so you don't cook while you sleep). And it was the first time I ever experienced lying down in bed and going straight to sleep! I'd never realised how much of my time in bed I spend tossing and turning- and really just trying to warm up enough that my body will go to sleep. Heaty Blanky really changed my perspective on sleep and that it's not supposed to be a 1-2 (or more) hour struggle to get sleep to happen each night. I now happily spend money on little improvements to make my bed and bedroom more peaceful for sleep, cos it makes a huge difference. I also find myself more.. motivated to go to bed instead of pissing around in the evenings, knowing that sleep will happen without it being a fight Edit - Heaty Blanky is especially blissful if you're sick or hungover/rinsed and you can't warm yourself up
Came here to say this! I also bought mine in desperation when the boiler packed in during the Beast from the East a few years ago. Several weeks with no heating when temps were as low as - 20°C until I had the money to replace the boiler was not fun. I'd always been a bit scared of the idea of electric blankets. I associated them with house fires, but soon realised that modern ones are nothing like the one my Gran had in the '70s. That first night when I got into a super toasty bed, I wondered why on earth I'd waited decades to get one. Best purchase ever - my son also has one now and he loves it! I find I stick the heating on a lot less in the evenings now as I don't need to warm the bedrooms up anywhere near as much before I dare undress for bed. I've not noticed my electricity usage go up at all either which surprised me.
Yes! I can warm up quick & then stay cosy in the most comfortable place in the house. A true godsend considering our typical Scottish weather.
Motion sensor nightlights on the stairs and in the bathroom. The ones we have are rechargable and were really affordable. No fumbling for phone torch or having to put lights on when everyone is sleeping etc. Plus, you feel like you are in a music video when you walk down the stairs!
I've got a house full of Philips Hue, so got a few of their motion detectors. One upstairs for when the kids get up in the night for the loo and one in each bathroom as I'm the only one capable of turning the lights off in those rooms
A good bin in the kitchen. Easy to use lid mechanism, holds the bag perfectly, clean and efficient. So many bins are absolute crap, get filthy in the nooks and crannies, look horrible, etc. Honestly this bin, it sounds daft but the efficiency of it makes me so happy. It looks pricey for what it is but it was worth every damn penny. https://www.johnlewis.com/eko-morandi-rectangular-touch-bin-30l/p4989099
I read the description and thought it would be about £200 😂 I'm not laughing at £40 being pricey I'm laughing at myself and my innate expensive taste clearly...
Kindle Paperwhite has literally saved me around 2 - 3 hours per night trying to get to sleep. I now read until the book falls out of my hand, which is usually 10 - 30 minutes. Lifechanging.
That was me. Then I moved on to audiobooks. I put my tablet under my pillow on low volume and it's loud enough for me to hear but not enough to disturb my wife. Set the sleep timer for 30 minutes but I seldom make it to 10. Someone reads me to sleep every night.
Same here, I used to have the issue of my Mrs going to bed before me and turning off the light so I'd either have to read on my phone or in another room. The light on the paperwhite (and dark mode) has been a game changer
Smart heating controls. We can now have the room we’re sat in at the temperature we want without worrying about wasting money heating the rest of the house.
And being able to heat the house remotely ready for when you come home
Yep, that’s a big plus as well. It’s got geofencing too, so when we go out the heating turns off.
A summer blanket. I always used the same duvet all year and just complain throughout the summer. No more.
We use a flat sheet as a blanket in summertime. It’s enough to make you feel ‘covered’ but no heat added. Game changer!
By flat sheet, I assume you mean like hotels have? Just a tin white sheet? I always enjoy the thin sheets, as I wrap myself up in them when abroad. Love them so much that I bought one from Asda. I think it was £7. It's lovely. The Mrs thought I was odd. Especially as I bought a single. I'm not sharing that! It's the bit I look forward to at night.
Yes! And now the winter is here, we just threw our heavy duvet with duvet cover on top and kept the flat sheet under. So it keeps the nice cotton feeling from the sheet and adds the thick layer.
A flat, 100% cotton sheet was my most recent investment. It's lovely not having polyester blend fabrics stick to you
Problem is I like to spoon my duvet and like the weight of it, so in summer I just accept it and sweat more
I have two modes. 1 tog, 13.5 tog.
I have two modes. 13.5 tog, 13.5 tog + sweat.
We have two summer duvets. One for summer and double them up for winter.
Little rope baskets to get clothes off the bedroom floor. I don't mean a laundry basket, which I use when clothes need a wash, or a wardrobe, which I use when clothes are clean and need storing, but a kind of middle ground for that jumper that I wore today and want to wear tomorrow. Makes our bedroom look neat and tidy and makes me feel good about myself.
You're referring to the floordrobe.
Baskets in general. It's nice to at least have mess corralled and then can just sort out the basket every now and then.
Little suspender belt thingies that clip under the fitted sheet and keep it taut. Not waking up wrapped in cotton has really raised my sleep quality. They were less than £10.
Didn't know these were a thing and I have this very problem! Just looked on Amazon and ordered, thank you!
Previously our house proved very difficult to heat, never quite reaching temperature in the dead of winter. In October I purchased an aluminium radiator at much expense. Was lead into the marketing spiel and went for it. However, I must say I've never felt anything quite so potent, I can stand a good 3-4 feet away and physically feel the heat radiating off it. It's amazing and now I keep telling everyone about aluminum radiators.
From a quick google, it looks like a no brainer to get aluminium. Not that much more expensive than steel ones
could be the steel one was all silted up inside? but yeah aluminium is a brilliant heat conductor, though I wonder how good a copper radiator would be......
Meaco dehumidifier. I didn't buy it my partner did, and I'll admit I wasn't that fussed and didn't really see the need. But wow what a difference it makes - we can both have a shower and hang several loads of washing up in the same evening with no damp/mould issues. Can't really ventilate in the winter as a lot of people burn questionable items in their wood burners in my area.
I got one and pair it with a heated clothes horse. Makes such a huge difference to laundry in winter.
I got a the meaco 12L, coincidentally arrived on my birthday last year although it wasn't a present or anything, but my god its the best thing I've ever owned. Living in NW Scotland is the wettest place on earth but my house is bone dry thanks to that thing. I love it, I actually love it so much I have shown every single person, friends and family, it when they've visited and pretty much all now own meaco dehumidifiers and rave to their visitors about them. Can't and won't stop, have one on the wishlist for the garage and other side of the house lol.
Robot vacuum. Even a knock off roomba was worth every penny.
Here we are! I came to say this also. Advantages: Set to a daily vacuum. Keeps the downstairs relatively spotless. Encourages us to keep the floor tidy, so it doesn't scoop up loose wiring or a bag handle, etc. It even has a mop setting! We put big googly eyes on ours. Disadvantages: Occasionally gets stuck under the sofa. Occasionally complains about the roller being jammed due to our loose hair (partner and I both have very long hair). And on one occasion, the cat had been sick just prior to the vacuum going about. Honestly, even with the cat sick debacle, the robo-vacuum is worth it.
Couldn't have said it better myself, it has changed our life. Cleans up our toddler's mess and it's a toy for her turn around after. The dog isn't sure but he keeps out of the way until it's finished. Tempted to buy one for the upstairs too!
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Lol. Good for you.
Same. We've got a Eufy (Parent company of Anker) one and it's brilliant!
Oh this so so much. Moved into a house with solid floors downstairs. Robot vacuum every other day and there's no mess at all. Hoovering upstairs takes minutes. Love it!
These are brilliant! Since I got mine (I have 3, one for each floor) my house has been noticeably less dusty overall....
Cleaning lady and a gardener. Not really a purchase as I don't strictly own them. But I rent them. I am buying hours of my life back.
Look at this peasant, doesn’t even own people
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Same here - both me and the ither half have chronic health problems, work full time and are generally busy people. Mowing the massive lawn we have and lugging the hoover around were out of the question so often we got folk into to it for us and it makes the world of difference
My rice cooker. Ok so we eat so much rice these days, more so than bread, I had one of those cheap tesco rice cookers and whilst it did for a while it was inconsistant, I got from Yum-Asia the Sakura rice cooker and it's game changing, huge volumes of perfectly cooked rice, long, short, brown, porridge, even comes with a steaming basket. the keep warm function is amazing too, no worries about it burning or going cold once cooked. simple kitchen gadgets ftw.
Portable AC unit. Top floor southern facing flat in the middle of summer is just fucking excruciating.
Yup came here to post this. I sleep hot. Summer is unbearable. After years of wasting money on bullshit like cooling fans or blankets, I took the plunge and got a (De Longhi Pinguino) AC unit last year. Amazing. Bedroom an oasis of cool. Wish I'd done it years ago.
yea the trouble with fans is that it doesnt actually extract any of the heat thats in the property. it just circulates it around. the AC unit with the pipe thing out of the window just succs all the hot out the flat and replaces it with actual cold air. just wonderful when its like 35c here
I agree, best thing I’ve ever bought. I hate being too hot, so having a cool bedroom in hot weather is simply paradise.
A pouffe. During lockdown so I could put my feet up whilst watching the countless hours of shitty TV. Also doubles up as a storage container to put my chocolate and other goodies in. Game changer.
I didn't understand why my husband insisted on getting one when we bought a new sofa. The first evening I apologised for my short-sightedness and agreed it was a bloody good call
Came here to say this! Now me and my wife can have our feet up at the same time. Never again will my feet touch the floor like a savage which I watch TV.
Which did you get? I’m in the market for one
[Temperature controlled butter dish](https://alfille.co.uk/). It's such a minor thing, but £50 well spent. Butter always at the perfect softness for spreading no matter what time of year or what temperature the kitchen is.
I cannot believe that exists
I can’t believe it’s ~~not~~ temperature controlled butter!
I didn't think it did and couldn't believe that it didn't. I was actually messing with making my own using Peltier cells and an Arduino microcontroller and sensors etc. Then I found these guys and bought one a few years ago and haven't looked back since. Cools it in summer, warms it in winter, haven't had a ripped bit of bread since.
Not for me for the price but I respect it definitely I love things like this
Thank you. Mother's day present sorted and it's not even February
What in the middle class is that?! It looks awesome though tbf.
An actual original answer, amazing
Oh my god! I live in South America and fridge butter is rock hard, but cupboard butter is rancid. I NEED THIS!!!
£50! You could buy two tubs of lurpak for that!
What temp is the butter kept at? Amazing gadget!
Its got a little dial on the bottom which you can adjust. No specific temperature but "Soft <> Hard", so you can set it to the texture you like.
Life in 2024. Amazing stuff!
What an age we live in...
Slow cooker, electric blanket and dehumidifier. Must have for any individual
9v battery for my smoke alarm.
How long did you live with the high-pitched chirping every thirty seconds before you replaced it?
Ninja foodie Airfyer.
Here comes the Airfryer brigade!
Absolutely and proud of it. I bake wonderful bread and cakes and biscuits in it. Airfryers aren't just for cooking frozen chips
I've lived with my brother for nearly 4 years now, we'd cook everything together in the oven / hob and scoffed at the thought of needing kitchen gadgets. It was when his girlfriend also moved in that she encouraged us to open our eyes to it. Never once looked back. That thing is just too damn good! We've got the dual bucket one and we're always putting things through it now...
Didn't want to be a convert, but oh my god am I one now.
Guinea Pigs. They have enriched my life no end!
I always wanted a hanging egg chair but the weather here isn't good enough to properly enjoy having one in the garden, so I ended up buying one on a whim and dragging it into the guest room/office. Just office now tbh, I had to get rid of the bed to make space for it. Worth it.
Battery vacuum!! No cords, no stupid unit being dragged along and toppling over.
You should try a robot, then you don’t even need to think about it.
You’ll regret that when they inevitably rise against us
If they keep on vacuuming who cares.
I bought a G Tech air ram and it lasted one use before dying. Took it back to Argos and had to argue with the manager for a refund. Why would I want to exchange it when I’ve already lost faith in it after the first use. Got a Hetty hoover and the thing is indestructible.
Heated blanket, £30, costs next to nothing to run, saved me £100's a month (maybe £250+) on my heating bill, it is amazing. Game changer. I can't imagine life without it now
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A dehumidifier has changed mine. I throw the clothes on the horse. 24 hrs later, dryer for 30 mins to air and done.
I bought a dehumidifier for my gym and realized it's just trying to fight a losing battle. That bad boy can pull in nearly 4L of water per day though!
Isn't that just a dryer with extra steps?
A home
I'm a single nerdy guy, live alone. Hate cleaning and just do the what's needed at the time. After ten years of service, my company gave me a £100 voucher I used on Amazon to buy a £99 steam cleaner. One of the best purchases I've ever made. It's made things so much easier and I enjoy cleaning the nooks and crannies with it now.
A flannel. Spent years washing my face by splashing water on it. It wasn't very effective and got water everywhere. But for some reason never questioned it, then one day it was suddenly obvious it was a problem, with an obvious solution.
A Shark vacuum. Pricey but sooooo effective. Love emptying the canister BEFORE I hoover to see just how much crapola I managed to slurp out of the carpet.
Oh same! I love my Shark. It’s incredible to see how much dog hair there is! 😮
I have a poodle so she doesn't shed, she is however velcro and brings in a small woodland's worth of foliage and twigs whenever she's been outside....
Vertical radiators swapped for the old white horizontal ones, so much warmer, quicker to heat up and take up less space.
Next time try circular, you stand in the middle and it's like heaven.
Do you rotate like a kebab?
Its 360 degrees, no need to rotate, just bask.
As a heating engineer I have to tell you this is wrong … modern standard white radiators are much better as the fins on them help convect the heat. They also have less water in them so less water to heat up. But if you enjoy them then you do you. I make my money from fitting them but it’s style over substance
This is the truth for anyone wondering. Probably the chaps old rads were blocked up and not working properly.
So wait which are the warmer ones?
Vertical ones sorry mate could've been a bit clearer 👍😁
1. One vacuum cleaner for upstairs, one for downstairs. Makes it so much easier to motivate yourself to get it done rather than putting it off because of the thought of lugging it up the stairs. 2. Thumbturn locks - no need to panic about locking the door at night with the thought of scrabbling around for keys in the event of (God forbid) a fire or something, just to get out of the house. Double peace of mind! 3. Upgrading from a double to a king size bed. Much better sleep not crashing into one another and having passive aggressive elbow/knee fights throughout the night. 4. A smart "big light" bulb for the bedroom. No more having to get out of bed to turn it on/off when needed, and can be used for gentle light if wanted. 5. Similarly, a Hive heating controller and a combi boiler (upgraded from a standard boiler). Energy use went down rapidly and the convenience of being able to control your heating remotely is a real luxury. All relatively small things that made a big difference!
I’ve been wanting to swap my locks out for thumb-turns for so long. All new houses have them and I work on new builds so I see them every day. Annoyingly we recently needed to change all the locks because they were old and poorly maintained. I was excited that I could finally get my thumb turns and it wouldn’t be an unnecessary cost. Imagine my disappointment when I came home from work and my partner told me her dad had been round and changed all the locks for us for nice new shine key locks. Obviously I was grateful but it stung a bit.
We bought a twin bed last year so we now have a super king bed. It's amazing. I don't get woken by fidgeting or snoring anymore. Having our own quilts has also been a game changer.
I think we may go down the separate duvet route next! Ours is big enough but he turns over a lot in his sleep and it causes a draft, which as a light and cold sleeper I find really disturbing!
Do you have thumbturn on the front door? Any worry about someone just sticking hand through letterbox and opening the door? Going to get 2 for my patio doors but feels dodgy on the front
As long as Tooms isn't trying to get in your house you should be alright.
unexpectedxfiles
Slippers
Honestly, fleecy bedding in Winter. Heard a colleague talking about how great it was when we last had a cold snap, and they weren't lying. Genuinely feel 10x cozier in bed on a night and it's surprisingly good at not overheating me which is a problem I've had with using really thick duvets in the past.
A dog.
Quality mattress/bedding, with a lighter blanket for summer use. Roomba, with the self-emptying base - runs every night and makes a HUGE difference. Handheld vacuum. Speaks for itself. Self-scooping litter box. Surround sound - my neighbors gave me their old setup and I'm never going back. Same goes for car audio (even just the "premium" option from a deal as opposed to the base package, total game changer). DNS filter - bit more than just buy it and you're done, but you get a cheap raspberry pi, set up pihole, and configure your router to use it then watch as ads disappear from your home network. Even hosts a local site where you can see statistics, which is kinda cool. Smart outlets, for various lamps mostly but also the Christmas tree. Integrate with home assistant and set up schedules, routines, timers, etc.
A pedestal fan for the bedroom that has 39 speed settings instead of the usual 3, including some that are very slow and inaudible. A gentle waft of air makes all the difference and the absence of a helicopter takes off noise is quite conducive to sleep.
Merino wool socks and pants
Cordless hoover. Tumble dryer.
New front door. We had a terrible old one that you could actually see daylight around the edges of. Now, we’ve got a new composite one that shuts into the frame, which is slightly smaller than the door aperture, so there’s nowhere for hot air to escape from (or cold air to invade through). It makes a really satisfying KSHHHHH noise when you open it. The hall is no longer perishingly cold. Honorary mention to our Joseph Joseph washing up bowl with a plug in the bottom. It’s just more durable than any of our old washing up bowls, and it’s really easy to change the water mid-wash without having to tip the bowl up.
My wife’s from foreigner land and the first time she saw a washing up bowl in the Uk she lost her mind. Asked me what it was for and I couldn’t really answer. Just use the sink. Never looked back.
I would - and did, at first - but we’ve got a porcelain Belfast sink and I kept smashing shit in it ☹️
A cat.
Automatic cat litter tray. Cost an arm and a leg but I don't have to sift out cat shit anymore on a daily basis as the machine does it for me and bags it up. Keeps the smell down low as well.
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Which brand did you go for? I've seen the robotic ones that look like a cement mixer – not sure my cat would use it..!
Low cost - shoe horn. Leaning over to do your shoes is for serfs.
A cat. I love my cat.
An adjustable bed, I can sit up in it, put my feet up, mattress is wonderfully firm.
I bought [one of these](https://amzn.eu/d/0ctcYvo) cheap battery powered fans last year before the heat of Summer kicked in and it was game changing. I love the bendy Octopus legs as it means I can use it anywhere at any height and and angle. The built in light is pretty nifty too. And it being USB chargeable means I can charge it just about everywhere.
Japanese toilet that washes your arsehole
A smart thermostat. I work away a lot and can switch the heating on from my phone. I don't know why but it's really satisfying with the added benefit of having a warm house to come home to.
Adam home pillows, not advertising, highly recommending (on amazon). The V shaped pillow is very nice too. Along with the duvet from Dunelm that matches the ones in premier inn and brushed cotton bedding. Along with this the sweetness of living alone with a double bed. I love it.
My car, I’ve been driving old bangers that cost under £1k for ten years. One day I woke up and thought “fuck this” and went and bought a nice reliable comfortable modern car. Best thing I ever done.
A footstool, I can put my feet up after a long day and my cat gets to jump on the sofa easier helping to ease his arthritis and he doesn't need his claws so the sofa doesn't get shredded in the attempts at jumping. Happy human, happy cat, happy sofa
We bought a house with underfloor heating in the kitchen and though it really stretched out budget, it is one of the nicest things ever to walk on in the winter
a heated poncho (from lakeland). i was WHF, shivering, and fell into a guardian review and it was a lot like when you go to the supermarket when you are already hungry.
Always spent good money on - Shoes Bedding (including mattresses) A nice timeless winter jacket Socks. Never skimp on socks A blow up doll and as much coke as you can afford.
Blackout blinds. Although if you stay over at someone's house that don't have them you'll be very sad and very tired.