Best household product investments

[dosekies]

What are some of the best products you have invested in for your home? Can be anything!

I'm looking to slowly start investing in more quality things around my apartment to get rid of a lot of my cheap stuff from college. Currently starting with some nice glass food storage containers instead of old plastic ones. Eventually we're going to need a good vacuum (pet hair galore!), carpet cleaner, and a new set of pots and pans if you have anything specific for those

 

[low-key]

There are a lot of nice things you will use forever, but the heck with it, just go to WDW

 

[LJSquishy]

All-Clad stainless steel pots & pans and Lodge cast iron skillets

High end set of knives

100% Talalay latex bed pillows

Set of screwdrivers, Dewalt drill, etc.

Shark vacuum

Vitamix or Blendtec blender

...those are some of my favorites.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Roomba.. named him Spot, personally I’d like to add a tail to him. Seriously tho... I LOVE it!
My Crock Pot and my portable electric fry pan..awesome time savers.
Henkel knife set
My “good” China.. Rosenthal
Still love setting a beautiful table with it!
Oh... there’s too much to list lol
Start slow, add good quality things and they’ll last a loooong Time!

 

[mjkacmom]

Roomba currently charging, forgot her upstairs last night), a hand blender, crockpot, le creuset pot.

 

[dmaxphil]

Good pans as mentioned above, but we didn't like the handles on the All-clads. Ended up with a collection of Demeyere and Scanpans. If you have a small yard, invest in a Big Green Egg or similar.

The Shark vacuums we've had have outperformed our old Dyson, so no reason to spend the money there.

Though tastes change over time I'd add quality wall decor and picture frames to the list. You will keep them forever.

Good furniture. Again, tastes change I suppose, but quality stuff will follow you from house to house.

 

[mjkacmom]

Zwilling J.a. Henckels pans.

 

[lsyorke]

Shark Vacuum! We have a long haired dog and it's the only one that does the job. Forget Dyson, it was useless on pet hair. Rice cooker, don't know how I lived without one for decades.

 

[dosekies]

Does anyone have a specific model of Shark Vacuums that they recommend? There are so many!

 

[lorijohnhill]

Be careful if purchasing Henkel knives. Mine are crap. There are good ones, but I don’t know which models.

A good couch/sofa. You really do get what you pay for with certain pieces of furniture.

ETA... My Farberware pots and pans have been going strong for 30 years. They still look and work like new.

 

[SueInBoston]

Roomba
All Clad
Le Cruset dutch oven
temperpeutic mattress

 

[barkley]

if you like to cook and want something that can expand as your cooking skills do-a kitchen aide mixer. not an inexpensive item and I wouldn't recommend it if the use is limited to making an occasional cake or batch of cookies but we use the dough hooks, pasta attachments and meat grinders a great deal. it's also something I wouldn't recommend if you don't have counter space to store it b/c those suckers are HEAVY and do not lend themselves to being put into/pulled out of cabinets.

I've got a Bissell steam cleaner that's served us well for several years.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Be careful if purchasing Henkel knives. Mine are crap. There are good ones, but I don’t know which models.
.

The first thing you want to look at is not really a knife. It is a honer and the internet. The steel you get is the honer. You should use that once a week or so or if it's a cheap set, probably every time you use it. What is the internet for? Finding a professional knife sharpener (hopefully in your area) If you have a truly good set, send it out and get it sharpened once a year. Don't just buy a stone and try to learn on the job with your good knife. Try buying a crummy knife from a garage sale and learn with that. That way if you wreck it, you're out nothing. And if you have chosen a knife with a full bolster, it is rather difficult. A routinely honed and sharpened cheap knife is better than an uncared for expensive set.

The second thing you want to look at is your cutting board. Knives don't do well with marble, glass, or porcelin cutting boards or on stainless steel. They do do well with wood or plastic.

Thirdly, your knives say they are dishwasher safe. Um no. Do them by hand. If your water just isn't hot enough, well heat a little bit up for a final rinse on your knives and there you go.

Now let's look at some knives. The first thing you want to see is how it feels in your hand. No matter how good the knife, if it's awkward for you, it's not the right knife. Secondly, what is the weight distribution of the knife Check its center of gravity by balancing it on your finger. If it is way out on the blade, you won't have much control. Discard it. You should be able to rock the knife through most material, If it doesn't rock well, it's not for you. And no one shape is right for everyone in that regard either. No need to buy an expensive block of 50 knives. Three will do you to start. A good chopping chef's knife, a paring knife, and a serrated carving knife. Better to get three knives that are right for you than 20 that aren't. Then as you think you need more go for it. That way you're not laying out big money for a full set of knives that is wrong for you.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Now to answer the op I think my most beloved thing I have is a kitchen aid artisan mixer I got for my wedding years ago.

 

[tcufrog]

I recommend saving money and waiting until Black Friday if you can wait that long. I've gotten great deals on a Kitchenaid Pro mixer (Costco), a Cuisinart food processor that has two sizes of bowls (Macy's), 12 Days of Christmas china (Dillards), a 4K TV, and a huge set of Calphalon pots and pans (Macy's) at Black Friday sales. Another place I've gotten great deals at is HomeGoods. Some are better than others so if you aren't impressed by one location try another one.

As for sheets and towels, I buy high-quality white ones because I can bleach them and mix and match them when part of a set wears out. For everyday dishes, I like white Corelle from a local Corelle outlet store. They are lightweight, dishwasher and microwave safe, take up little space, can mix and match with almost anything and are easy to replace at the outlet store. I buy everyday glassware at IKEA because they are just as nice as the ones we got as wedding gifts from Crate and Barrel but a lot cheaper. If you need a large number of wine glasses I recommend World Market. We bought 2 dozen there. They look nice and come in useful cardboard storage boxes. Unless you plan to use a Dutch oven all the time a Lodge Dutch oven will serve you well. I have one and have been quite happy with it.

When you buy a vacuum make sure you choose one rated for pet hair that has an indicator light that tells you when it's full.

Furniture is one thing I am willing to invest in. If I'm buying a major piece such as a dining table, sectional, etc. I choose neutral colors and classic lines. If I want to add color or the latest trend I'll use inexpensive accessories, accent pillows, lamps, side tables/chairs, etc. Those can be bought on sale at Home Goods, World Market, Target, H&M, Pier One, etc.

 

[jevs]

I know people hate it but Tupperware. The other thing I can’t live without (but mine isn’t quality) is my rice cooker.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We finally replaced our old coffee pot with a Keurig this year, and I love it!

 

[kaytieeldr]

MIcrowave oven. It's over 20 years old, but I'm afraid to replace it because I can't see a current one lasting that long.

 

[1Mouse2RulethemAll]

I do not recommend a shark vacuum. I swear I was emptying that thing every five minutes.

 

[barkley]

If I'm buying a major piece such as a dining table, sectional, etc. I choose neutral colors and classic lines.

and if investing a good chunk of change into a sectional or multiple matching piece set (sofa/loveseat or dining room chairs) ask if you can AT THE SAME TIME THE SET IS ORDERED purchase additional yardage of the upholstery fabric. yeah, it's not cheap but it's allot less expensive to have matching fabric from the same run (so it matches vs. being a tad shade different from another run) to repair the one seat or portion vs. having to purchase fabric and redo the entire set.