Tweet

Photo: Unknown

Moving into your own place for the very first time can be daunting. Not only is the actual move very frustrating, first time homeowners like students or bachelors are often overwhelmed by the home appliances and systems required to have a household running as seamlessly as your mother’s does. This guide covers all of the basics that you will need.

The Essentials

The absolute essential home appliances you cannot do without are a fridge, a kettle and a stove/oven (if it is not built into your kitchen). These three items are the foundation of food preparation, and can be bought without a big budget.

The Highly Recommended

One tier down is our list of highly recommended kitchen appliances, such as the microwave, toaster and blender. The microwave is a quick and convenient way to prepare food. Toasters are handy for breakfast and a blender has many applications, not least of which is dicing onions without tears.

Convenience Appliances

Once settled, you may want to add convenience items like the washing machine and tumble dryer. These, though not traditionally known as home appliances, are, however, non-essential in that most neighbourhoods have alternative, less expensive laundry solutions in close proximity.

The Supporting Cast

Be sure not to make the mistake many homeowners make by spending your entire budget on kitchen appliances without setting aside funds for other kitchenware, namely pots, cutlery and utensils and dining sets. Also buy the essentials all at once to avoid the frustration of realising you want to use something you do not own.

Picking the Essentials

Now that you know what to look for, we can dig into the types of essential home appliances available to you. From a refrigeration perspective, the Hotpoint FF2000L is great. This fridge freezer has fantastic capacity and is wonderfully silent. It’s also very adaptable, meaning you won’t need to dispose of it as your household and home living needs expand.

If at all possible, move into a residential space that has a built-in oven. However, for those instances where this is not possible, the Belling FSE60DOP freestanding double oven electric cooker will squeeze nicely into an tight corner.

Finally, in the kitchen appliance world, virtually all kettles are made the same. Some just boil the water a little bit faster. So appearance should be a crucial deciding factor. For this reason we think the Le Creuset range of hob kettles have a place in every home. Not only are they trendy, they look gorgeous and add a hint of vintage living to the modern home.

Following Recommendations

Microwaves are a vital piece of kitchen equipment. Thankfully, many microwaves can be bought for under £50, but if you’re looking for something quirky and unique, the Whirlpool Max 25 should be on your radar.

Toasters and blenders are quite similar to kettles in that they perform basic, easily replicable functions. So the best way to approach shopping for them is to go by eye. Almost all established kitchen appliances brands have a range of toasters and an accompanying range of blenders, so you will get quality if you buy from quality manufacturers.

For Convenience

Most first time homeowners neither have the space nor the additional disposable income to spend on luxuries like washing machines and tumble dryers. However, for those who do have the space, and are looking at this product range, LG’s reputation in the washer dryer market has grown leaps and bounds over the years and with good reason. Their combination units work as well as any standalone washer or dryer, and they’re priced attractively, too.

Shop for functionality first

The point is your home has to be tailored for functionality first.
If you nail down the essential home appliances, then add recommended items and finally convenience kitchen appliances, you’ll soon have the tools to run an efficient home. Happy shopping.

Tags: appliances, buying guide, homeowner