Household Essentials for 2019

Life is so much easier when you have the right tools in hand. Whether you’re trying to relax, push through your daily chores, or exercise the creative side of your brain, there are tools that we take for granted but are actually essential for living our lives the way we do.

Over the last decade we’ve seen an absolute explosion in the quality of technology that is available in our everyday lives. Just ten short years ago, we probably wouldn’t have dreamed of the abilities that our tools afford us today. It seems strange, because back then we had iPhones, the internet, and Netflix. But even still, the technology has been embellished to an unprecedented level. We can only imagine what will be at our fingertips in the decade to come.

Without further adieu, here are some of my favorite household essentials as of 2019:

Smart TV

You don’t have to have a “smart TV” out of the box, per se. However, you sure ought to have access to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, or other such streaming services. You also should be able to surf YouTube with relative ease, and perhaps perform a Google search if your heart desires. What’s more, you should have Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant at your beck and call, else you’re seriously missing out on an everyday treat that all of your friends are probably enjoying.

Some TVs have these features built in, but the reality is that you can bring these features to your TV for as little as $30 with devices such as the Amazon Fire Stick, the Roku Stick, and Apple TV, or Google Chrome Cast. So what are you waiting for? Your intelligent TV is just a few clicks away.

Smart Refrigerator

I’ll be the first to admit that this is still in the luxury item. After all, who in their right mind needs a refrigerator with intelligence on board? Well, after owning one myself it turns out that I do. How many times have you been at the grocery store and you can’t remember how many eggs you have back home? Or perhaps you’ve had a busy week, and it would be helpful if an autonomous fridge suggested that it’s time to stock up on some more cream? Look, this is a hard one for me to talk you into, but once you’ve had one you just can’t enough.

Vacuum Robot

Just like a smart refrigerator, a vacuum robot seems completely excessive until you’ve had one. Did you know that you can get them for under $200 these days? Sure, they’re not without their problems. Power chords are their supreme nemesis, and they may get caught on uneven surfaces or particularly tricky corners. In spite of all this, there is just nothing that can replace having someone clean while your at work – except of course an actual human being who will quickly cost you more than the price of the vacuum robot. Just make sure to stay on top of cleaning the dust bin, the brushes, and the filters and your vacuum robot will keep you happy for years to come.

Cast Iron Pan

This one’s an oldie but a goodie. If you have any interest in cooking at all, the absolute must-have item of all time is a nice cast iron pan. Bigger is generally better, as you’ll be able to use it for larger cuts of meat and the like. Your own discretion will help advise you on the overall size though. Cast iron pans are like a Swiss army knife in the kitchen. They are naturally non-stick if properly taken care of. They work excellent on high or low heat, provided you give them time to get to temperature. They can also be used to bake and broil meals in the oven just as good as any pan or casserole dish. For as little as $20 you can have a versatile tool for just about any cooking style.

Water Filter

Look, we all have to drink water. If you live in America (with a few obvious exceptions, Flint) the odds are you have relatively good potable water at your disposal. There’s really no need to buy the bottled stuff that was probably made from tap water to begin with when you can simply filter your own.

Since potable water almost always has disinfectants, you’ll probably want something that removes those compounds (chlorine, chloramines, or chlorine dioxide are the most common). There is the potential that the water could be picking up some lead from your household plumbing. You can always flush your water prior to consumption to avoid this. The other problem that a lot of the houses in the Southern part of the country run into is hard water, which can easily be reduced with a softener. To be honest, that’s pretty much it. If you have these three things under control, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll have anything truly bad in your water. Unless, of course, you get you water from a well. But that’s a story for another day.

What are your favorite household essentials? I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and maybe we’ll feature them here!