favourite household appliance

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Nov 2005, 10:35

This is a thread for the discussion of favourite household appliances, plus recollections of memorable appliances.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Nov 2005, 10:39

The first flat I ever moved into when I left home had the landlady, her boyfriend and an anarchist called Mandy in it. I had the boxroom.

My landlady's boyfriend was a brickie's mate called Seamus who she had met on holiday in Cork. He was quite a character.

One day, the washing machine broke. No money for a new one. Seamus saw no problem in any of this and promptly left for the council tip.

He came back a few hours later with an exact match for the door/hinge mechanism which had broken. Best washing machine fix ever.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 10:53

My Mum had one of these in the 60s.
It had a big chunky plastic card thing (key) that you inserted in a certain way into the slot on the front to get the wash you wanted. I used to like helping her load and programme it.

hoover keymatic

The picture in the above link is the closest to what I remember Mum's machine looking like. Strange to find it on a website about Welsh culture?.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Nov 2005, 11:23

My mum had a twin-tub, which I thought was positively space age.

I can vividly picture :

1. the rubber mat that you pressed down on the clothes

2. the wooden tongs that you lifted the clothes from one tub to the other

3. the waste water pipe with the u-bend in it

I think all household appliances are well posh.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 29 Nov 2005, 11:41

Dadaist wrote:My mum had a twin-tub, which I thought was positively space age.

I can vividly picture :

1. the rubber mat that you pressed down on the clothes

2. the wooden tongs that you lifted the clothes from one tub to the other

3. the waste water pipe with the u-bend in it

I think all household appliances are well posh.

I had a twin tub when I first got married because we couldn't quite run to an automatic. I loved those wooden tongs. Something very saitisfying about moving the nice clean washing from the washing compartment to the spinning compartment

but very important that you remembered to put the waste pipe in the sink...had a flood most weekends. Thinking back, they must have been fairly eco-friendly too, as you could do your whole wash in one tub of hot water, starting with the whites, and also allow the wash to run for only as long as your felt was necessary...very hands on but therapeutic

ecm...you must have been sooo posh having one of them keymatics...I'm sure I had one for my Sindy doll

Jackson Priest · Post by **Jackson Priest** » 29 Nov 2005, 14:56

Foxy wrote:ecm...you must have been sooo posh having one of them keymatics...I'm sure I had one for my Sindy doll

Yeah, me too.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 29 Nov 2005, 15:54

Jackson Priest wrote:
Foxy wrote:ecm...you must have been sooo posh having one of them keymatics...I'm sure I had one for my Sindy doll
Yeah, me too.

me too, my mum found it in the attic (the toy washing machine) - unfortunately it no longer works and has gone all rusty

Talking about washing machines ours broke down last week so we are getting a new one on Sunday - why do things always break when you are skint?

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 29 Nov 2005, 15:58

My favourite modern household appliances are:

Juicer
Coffee Maker
Smoothie maker
Potato Ricer (well BC's favourite)
Bottle opener

and most favourite of all... Dishwasher

(and I don't mean BC)

teddygirl · Post by **teddygirl** » 29 Nov 2005, 17:15

I'm not a great lover of most modern gadgets in the kitchen although I have quite a few. The rest of the family tend to use them but I'm a bit old fashioned and tend to do things "my way".

However when I was a wee girl I was absolutely fascinated with my gran's electric potato peeler. It was a box type thing with hoses that fed water in and out of it and it shook and rattled about and removed all the skin. It was very noisy but effective. I've never seen another one.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 17:45

Sandra wrote:My favourite modern household appliances are:

Potato Ricer

What's one of those then?

Jackson Priest · Post by **Jackson Priest** » 29 Nov 2005, 17:47

Mine is my trusty Rice Potatoer.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 17:55

Jackson Priest wrote:Mine is my trusty Rice Potatoer.

So, you don't know either.

I just googled and it looks like a garlic press. It will be a great boon next time I whip up some Kartofelpuffer.

Jackson Priest · Post by **Jackson Priest** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:05

ecm wrote:It will be a great boon next time I whip up some Kartofelpuffer.

Ah, lovely potato pancakes. I like mine seasoned then sauteed until crisp.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:15

Dada said

1. the rubber mat that you pressed down on the clothes

Eh? Don't remember the mat from the early 60s one what we had!?

Like Foxy, I liked twin tubs too - autos may be more time saving, but there's far less control on time/temp/rinse etc.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:20

Anyway, I like my wee footstool that enables wee me to reach the highest shelves!

And my

gas ring thing that allows me to cook at high temperature in a way that my ancient 'lectric cooker does not.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:30

You can listen to all stages of the wash cycle here.
If you've nothing better to do.

splishysploshyetc

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:34

ecm wrote:You can listen to all stages of the wash cycle here.
If you've nothing better to do.

splishysploshyetc

That would be nice to hear in my kitchen as mine's is broke!!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:39

teddygirl wrote:However when I was a wee girl I was absolutely fascinated with my gran's electric potato peeler. It was a box type thing with hoses that fed water in and out of it and it shook and rattled about and removed all the skin. It was very noisy but effective. I've never seen another one.

My dad and his girlfriend had a chippy or two when I was wee, and they had one of these in the back room. It was a silver drum rather than a box, though, and very noisy and smelly. I found it a bit scary.

poppy wrote:Dada said Quote:
1. the rubber mat that you pressed down on the clothes

Eh? Don't remember the mat from the early 60s one what we had!?

Ours definitely had a rubber mat. This was late 80s, but then it wasn't exactly new then. When I had my first baby an old friend took pity on my washer-less state and gave me a spin dryer that made a big difference to my difficult life of servitude. Then someone else took pity too and gave me a washer-washer-mean, as that first baby used to call it.

I love my breadmaker, because although I make good cakes and flapjack and such, I'm useless at making bread. Dishwasher has become more important to me as my eczema has got worse. But my ultimate favourite kitchen appliance has to be that classic...the kettle. Possibly most used item in the house. I even have one I leave in my suitcase to take to Dundee with me because I can't bear to be without one.

I had no idea I could rhapsodise at such length on kitchen appliances

...but then this is a pic of me taken at the weekend...:

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:41

Bellybabe wrote:
I had no idea I could rhapsodise at such length on kitchen appliances ...but then this is a pic of me taken at the weekend...:

Pants in the wash I take it?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 18:49

Thanks, Bellbabe, I now realise that Dada was being misleading

and was talking about the rubber ring thing that went in the spinner! Still a spinner chez the oldies, but not the original from my childhood.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 29 Nov 2005, 19:15

My wife.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 19:21

Pal of Porty wrote:My wife.

PoP, the moment I saw you'd posted I just knew you'd say that!! No wonder she calls you rude names!!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 29 Nov 2005, 19:23

ecm wrote: Pants in the wash I take it?

Well I was doing a lot of chores... I didn't have a thing left to wear.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Nov 2005, 19:50

I've studied that picture at length and have decided that there's room for a very small thong on that hausfrau. She is not necessarily au naturale.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 29 Nov 2005, 20:16

Poppy wrote:
Pal of Porty wrote:My wife.
PoP, the moment I saw you'd posted I just knew you'd say that!! No wonder she calls you rude names!!

Nice to know I am consistent

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:12

ecm wrote:
Sandra wrote:My favourite modern household appliances are:

Potato Ricer
What's one of those then?

its like a massive garlic press, you put the potatoes in, squeeze it shut and the potato comes through the holes like rice - makes perfect lump free mashed tatties - you can buy them at John Lewis.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:20

Sandra wrote:
ecm wrote:
Sandra wrote:My favourite modern household appliances are:

Potato Ricer
What's one of those then?
its like a massive garlic press, you put the potatoes in, squeeze it shut and the potato comes through the holes like rice - makes perfect lump free mashed tatties - you can buy them at John Lewis.

Thanks, Sandra.

I sneaked a google earlier. So, to make your mash you put the tatties through the ricer and then you still have to use a masher to mix in butter/milk?

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:24

you just mix in your butter/milk with a spoon.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:27

Sandra wrote:you just mix in your butter/milk with a spoon.

Now you're talking. I hate washing out the masher.

*adds potato ricer to Santa list*

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:48

ecm wrote:
Sandra wrote:you just mix in your butter/milk with a spoon.
Now you're talking. I hate washing out the masher.

*adds potato ricer to Santa list*

you still have to wash the ricer, which is probably worse than washing the masher, unless of course you put it in the dishwasher

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Nov 2005, 21:55

Sandra wrote:
ecm wrote:
Sandra wrote:you just mix in your butter/milk with a spoon.
Now you're talking. I hate washing out the masher.

*adds potato ricer to Santa list*
you still have to wash the ricer, which is probably worse than washing the masher, unless of course you put it in the dishwasher

I've recently acquired a plastic tattie masher called Spudnik. Easy [for Mr Poppy] to wash. See here

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 29 Nov 2005, 22:05

ecm wrote:You can listen to all stages of the wash cycle here.
If you've nothing better to do.

splishysploshyetc

Nope, apparently I haven't.

Top googling ecm!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 22:10

After careful consideration, I have decided my favourite to be the 1970's Frigidaire Skinny-Mini Washer with it's famous "Agi-tub" action.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 29 Nov 2005, 22:21

Poppy wrote: I've recently acquired a plastic tattie masher called Spudnik. Easy [for Mr Poppy] to wash. See here

Pops that looks like one of the gadgets my Dad used to insist on buying at the Ideal Homes Exhibition...like the vegetable chopper thing that was a bit like a spring with blades that you had to smash with the flat of your hand until a very small amount of vegetables were chopped and then repeat again until your hand was black and blue..

Food processors on the other hand are the business for chopping veg, grating cheese, liquidising soup...every domestic goddess(and I count myself in that) should have one

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 29 Nov 2005, 22:32

foxy wrote: Pops that looks like one of the gadgets my Dad used to insist on buying at the Ideal Homes Exhibition...like the vegetable chopper thing that was a bit like a spring with blades that you had to smash with the flat of your hand until a very small amount of vegetables were chopped and then repeat again until your hand was black and blue..

I think my Mum had something similar, Foxy. It took much longer than just going at the veg with a knife.

Mum also had (might still have, actually) an old mincer that clamped onto the table that she used to mince meat to make the most delicious burgers and also her own pork and ham meatballs that she cooked with a caper sauce, a dish called Konigsberger Klopse. I must ask her for the recipe. I don't think she's made that in years and years.