Top 20 best and worst household gadgets according to women
By Dave Parrack
Where would we be without gadgets? Well, that really depends on which gadgets we’re talking about. While some are life-enhancing gems which most of us use on a daily basis and wouldn’t know what to do without, others are life-sapping, pointless pieces of tat that, if we’re honest with ourselves, we really have no need for. So what are the top 20 best and worst household gadgets according to women?
Sheila’s Wheels, an insurance company just for women, asked 3,000 of the female of our species what they considered the best and worst household gadgets ever invented were. The results are intriguing, and not only because of their obvious female bias. Some are surprising while other could have been predicted every day of the week.
Top 20 Best Household Gadgets
1. Television
2. Microwave
3. Vacuum Cleaner
4. Hairdryer
5. Kettle
6. DVD Player
7. Hair Straighteners
8. Mobile Phone
9. Telephone
10. Laptop
11. TV Remote Control
12. Digital Camera
13. Alarm Clock
14. Electric Toothbrush
15. Computer
16. Bathroom Scales
17. Toaster
18. Electric Shower Pump
19. Electric Iron
20. Mp3 Player
I think Television would top any poll of this nature, no matter who was being questioned. But Microwave and Vacuum Cleaner being next on the list surprised me a little. These are two items which made (at the risk of sounding sexist) women’s lives easier in the main because it is women that usually end up doing the housework.
The rest are fairly predictable, with Alarm Clock being the possible exception. After all, there is evidence we’re all using our mobile phones instead these days. I doubt whether Hairdryer or Hair Straighteners would appear on an equivalent list compiled my men’s answers to the same question. Although, with the metro-sexual nature of modern men maybe I’m wrong.
Top 20 Worst Household Gadgets
1. Shower Radio
2. Electric Candles
3. Electric Nail File
4. Soda Stream
5. Teas Maid
6. Pancake Maker
7. Fondue Set
8. Electric Fluff Remover
9. Facial Tanner
10. Egg Slicer
11. Deep Fat Fryer
12. Hair Crimpers
13. Electric Popcorn Maker
14. Waffle Iron
15. Electric Carving Knife
16. Digital Photo Frame
17. Back Scratcher
18. Electric Can Opener
19. Electric Facial Massager
20. Mini Disc Player
Shower Radio tops the poll for worst household gadget, and that’s a justified choice. It’s a novel idea to mix electricity with water but listening to music in the bathroom has never exactly been an essential of life. Much of the list is populated by electrified versions of older, mechanical gadgets. Personally, I rather like my Electric Can Opener but I concede it isn’t something I couldn’t live without.
I don’t know why Deep Fat Fryer, Pancake Maker, and Waffle Iron are on the list, except of course that they encourage us all to eat unhealthily. But as someone who owns six of the 20 items listed, I’d have to disagree with a certain percentage of these female respondents.
At the end of the day, what one person finds necessary, others may find completely useless. I’m just glad gadgets exist in the first place.
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September 26th, 2009
Come on Dave, doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out those 3 nake the worst list because they are a PITA to clean up after using.
September 28th, 2009
If electric candles are crap, why aren’t people getting rid of them on eBay?
Last Xmas my mother (who uses a shower radio!) hinted she’s really like some electric candles, so I looked for them on eBay, but couldn’t find any domestic ones!
I use my electric candles every day.