| By :
Nick Vassilev
I think most people who are responsible for keeping the household in good order have a wishlist of gadgets and other goodies that they would like to have for their home. This wishlist goes beyond just the basics needed to keep a household going over (in other words, it won't include necessities like washing machines and vacuum cleaners, although I have done without a washing machine in emergencies... but that's another story). These items are ones from the "very handy to have but not essential" category. 1. A dishwasher. I would like to do a time-and-motion study of how long it takes me to do the dishes every day by hand. And how much time and energy gets spent in either making the children do the dishes - followed by re-doing the plates and knives that a grumpy ten-year-old didn't do properly. And a dishwasher hides all the dirty dishes out of sight while it's waiting to be run, and the cats won't be tempted to jump up on the bench if the slightest residue of fish or chicken lingers on any plate or knife (they never learn). Dishwashers are supposed to use less water and to sterilise the dishes better, too. 2. A clothes dryer. While on the whole, sunshine and line-drying is the best way to get clothes dry (it's better for the environment and cheaper to do, too), during weeks on end of winter rain and drizzle, it's nice to be able to get clothes dry quickly, especially if you get to the stage when all the drying racks are full, some items (e.g. bathmats and jeans) have been hanging on the drying rack for at least a week and someone needs sports gear clean and dry in a hurry. The smell of a dryer on a cold, miserable day is quite cosy, too, and the clothes come out feeling all snuggly, warm and fluffy - luxury! 3. A blender. Perfect for making sure you get plenty of fruit in your diet, because milkshakes and smoothies are easy to make. They're also perfect for making mayonnaise and hummus, for pureeing soups and for chopping citrus peel finely when I make marmalade. 4. A cappuccino machine. While the plunger and the percolator are all very well for making my morning cup of coffee, it's often nice to have something a bit fancier. The steam nozzle for frothing milk can be used to froth children's hot chocolate for a treat. 5. A coffee grinder. To grind fresh coffee rather than using ready-ground coffee. The taste is unbeatable. 6. A toasted sandwich maker. Toasted sandwiches can be made under the grill or by a combination of the microwave and the toaster, but a toasted sandwich maker compresses the bread over the filling so it doesn't come to pieces. I had one of these at home when I was a teenager and used it all the time for after-school snacks, lunches, etc. 7. A Popsicle making set. Nothing electric - just the sort you fill with fruit juice or whatever you fancy, shut the lid and pop in the freezer. I have a diabetic in my household, and this means we'd still be able to have low sugar ice-cream easily by filling the compartments with yoghurt, pureed fruit, fresh-squeezed orange juice, etc. 8. A miniature water feature that can fit on a desk. I love the sound of running water - it's very soothing and refreshing. 9. An exercycle. While walking is by far the best exercise and weights can be improvised with bottles of water and baked bean cans, it's sometimes too beastly out-of-doors to go out for a walk in the evening, or else the only time I have free for exercise is at night after the kids are in bed and I can neither leave them alone in the house (if the husband comes with me) or go walking alone in the dark (if the husband stays at home with the kids). An exercycle gives a good workout but isn't as boring as stepping up the stairs - it's possible to prop a book up on the handlebars while you bike.
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