Can gadgets make life easier?

Yes, they can but they also waste money.

Bonnie the robotic vacuum killer - all will become clear.

Please bear with me on this Sunday's journey into identifying useful things for growing older. It is an experiment, and I am sure much of what I have to say is not new. I hope to get you all to make suggestions for useful things and encourage guest reviewers to write a column on specific subjects. I am not entirely sure about the best format. It will evolve as time goes on. I will aim for one of these journeys into useful/interesting/great things, gadgets, gizmos, books, podcasts, music, food, holidays, anything really, once a month.

As I grow older, I think back to all the gadgets and gizmos I have bought and wasted money on over the years. I dread to think how much I have spent. Over the years, there have been items such as an electric steamer, an EasiYo yoghurt maker, and many more. I am not saying they are not valuable gadgets for everyone, but not for me. I only used them once or twice before they languished at the back of the cupboard, taking up space. My trusty sieve over a saucepan of boiling water works just as well as the electric steamer. Adding my yoghurt to my click & collect order was much easier. Although I do add fruit using my Ninja Foodi Power Nutri Blender. Yes, okay, I am a sucker for gadgets. In my defence, I use the blender quite a lot for healthy fruit yoghurt breakfasts. 

John always laughed at his father's, or Jack as I knew him, foray into video players. Jack tried to convince everyone that Betamax would be the format for the 'new' videotapes and players. He argued loudly that VHS recorders would never catch on. Guess what? He had to buy a new player. Then again, look at where we are now. The battle of the videos was only in the 1990s. They were replaced by DVDs at the end of the 1990s, followed by Blu-ray in 2006/10. Now, all these are defunct and replaced by streaming. What next, I wonder?

Moving on to a gadget that I was sceptical about but caved into the pressure—an air-fryer.

Ninja Dual Air-fryer:

I bought my air fryer after a lot of pressure from my son. I hate to admit he was right. Please don't tell him, he doesn't read my Substack. I use it a lot. It is cheaper to run than the oven, healthier and far more convenient when cooking for one or two. Plus, my son uses it to cook us excellent jerk chicken, which is a definite bonus. 

It is also easy to clean. I bought some silicone liners and racks from Amazon, which get washed in the dishwasher. 

Another useful 'gadget' is my Tefal Electric Pressure Cooker:

I bought this last year after my old pressure cooker decided it had had enough, gave up the ghost and was continually spitting at me. I have always used a pressure cooker, not just at Christmas for the pudding, but for soups and stews. I did a bit of research, and electric pressure cookers popped up. I decided on the Tefal. It is excellent for soup, stews and other recipes. On the downside, it is big and takes up a lot of cupboard space, but so did my old cooker top one. Although it does mean, I can freeze soups. I fell for the advertising for the additional gadget that turns the pressure cooker into an air fryer. Unfortunately, this was not great and didn't work very well. It was cumbersome and now languishes at the back of the cupboard. 

I also have a soup maker, which I use often in winter. It is good for making smooth soup for one, but not for larger quantities or soup with bits in. 

When I started researching, I came across this article from GQ magazine. It has some handy advice on gadgets for 2023 GQ best gadgets 2023. I would add that a section on Black Friday sales fails to mention that many of these so-called 'sales' are a bit of a con. Nonetheless, they have a more detailed Black Friday article When is Black Friday 2023 and how to make the most out of the sale. My advice on Black Friday is - buyer beware - particularly when buying gadgets that look enticing but may languish in the back of the cupboard. That is more advice for me than you. 

Gadgets I would Love

A robotic vacuum cleaner

I am forever vacuuming my carpets. Three dogs in a small space = hair everywhere. But Bonnie, the French bulldog, will kill any vacuum cleaner. She hates them, unlike Humphrey, who cowers on the sofa or Mildred, who looks at it disdainfully, only moving when nudged. Bonnie would rip it apart. If I haven't managed to close the door quickly enough, we have a tug-of-war over my Shark vacuum. Bonnie may be small in stature, but she can lift the Shark vacuum cleaner. A robotic vacuum cleaner would be no match for Bonnie. 

Good Housekeeping has an article on the 11 best robotic vacuum cleaners. Unfortunately, they do not consider Bonnie proofing. The prices range from £139 for the Vactidy Nimble T6 Robot Vacuum Cleaner to the Dyson at £1,200. Guess which one comes top. Bonnie proofing is essential before I can have a robotic vacuum.

Electric Car

I am great at dismissing things out of my reach for whatever reason. Electric cars are one such item. They are too expensive for me, plus I have nowhere to charge - long story. Hertfordshire County Council is not investing in the infrastructure, and there are very few public charging points across the region. It is positive that charging points are included automatically in new housing developments—nonetheless, more public charging points in areas such as mine are needed. Many buildings do not have off-street parking for charging points, and charging cars on the street from your own power supply is unsafe.

I would have continued my dismissal of electric cars if I hadn't been presented with an electric courtesy car. My initial reaction was panic mode and exceedingly cautious driving for the first few miles. But after that, I was sold, and now I would love an electric car. My good old Mini Countryman will have to see me out. 

Lastly, Gadgets I am Exceedingly Sceptical About - The Beauty Market

The anti-ageing market is big business. The article  Harpers Bazaar best beauty gadgets has anti-aging gadgets, including Dr Gross Spectralite FaceWare the article says:

You might look like you've stepped out of a sci-fi novel when you wear it, but this LED mask really is the secret to a high-tech facial at home. The device uses a combination of anti-acne blue light and four spectra of red light to improve the texture and tone of your complexion in as little as a fortnight. No wonder beauty editors love it so much.

Muggins here is far from convinced. There is no evidence, it costs £439, and the last sentence makes me even more sceptical. Feel free to disagree with me if you have tried one and are convinced. 

I hope you have enjoyed my journey into gadgets. Please make suggestions for things I can research and review in the comments below or contact me directly. I would love to hear from guest reviewers on subjects close to their heart could be cars, holidays, shoes, books, gardening tips anything.

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