What couldn’t you live without in your home?

rach_k

I'd probably buy a nice laundry basket (the kind you carry your washing around in), but I have kids so I do a lot of washing!

I really like the e-cloth range (cloths, mops etc) - I use their glass cloths all the time and their scourers are good. Again, not very exciting but they make life easier and they're on 342.

I always think storage is worth spending on - having things organised makes the house feel so much better and if you get something that looks nice (baskets etc), you don't need to find places to hide it away.

[Deleted User]

I was given a ceramic veg knife for Christmas by one of my daughters some years ago, it came with a sheath to keep it in and it has stayed razor sharp and will slice things like tomatoes paper thin to this day. It's the most useful thing I own and if I had enough spare cash after I'd got that I'd invest it in a solid wood chopping board, not one of those made from cubes of wood glued together but a single piece of solid wood. You'd be set up for many years of preparation of fruit and veg in the kitchen then.

culpepper

We bought a hard wood chopping board when we got married and a rolling pin and they are both still good as new. Didnt get them from lakeland but they are something that gets used all the time and we have been married over 30 years.

splishsplash

What nice colleagues!

I would get this multi cooker. It works as a slow cooker or a pressure cooker and it's something I've been meaning to get for myself. Slightly more than your gift but worth putting the extra towards it.

pollyanna_26

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Would be profoundly concerned as to where the moisture from the clothes was actually going. John Lewis is telling me that my heat pump tumble dryer costs £25/yr to run although the initial cost is pretty high.

I think you're missing something here . On the front page of OS there is the all about thrift comment . I was lucky to be gifted a full set of Sabatier knives decades ago (still going strong) but would never pay £75+ for one knife . I bought a set of Prestige SS pans in the 70s including one large , two medium , one small , a milk pan . frying pan and full size steamer pan . They were dearer than the average but are still in use today. The op is setting up home on a budget . It's still possible to buy a ss pressure cooker at a reasonable price unless you're looking for the all singing dancing electric version .


OP it depends if you need larger expensive things or smaller items .
I was buying from LL long before they were online sellers .


Small things I'd recommend are Stayfresh longer bags for veg fruit storage in the fridge You can resuse them over and over and they really extend the keeping times of fruit and veg .


Anything Oxo Good Grips . I have arthritis and my masher , peeler , box grater etc are very disability friendly and mean rather than struggling with prep I can cope with it.


I have a pull out mesh trolley in the kitchen , sold as a veg trolley but I use mine for easy access to various bits and bobs I use a lot .


The small ss wonder whisk looks like the Delia whisk they used to sell . My original one was purloined by those heading for uni , moving out etc that in the end I bought them one each and told them that's it , you've left these behind all over the UK and beyond I'm hiding mine and if you lose another buy your own . Brilliant for whisking eggs , sauces , hot chocolate etc



The soft grip clothes pegs ( also disability friendly) are the best pegs I've ever bought . They stand up to the gale force winds here and are easy to take off the line if the rain starts . I have a lot of them as every now and then I'll buy when there's a good offer on .


I'd recommend anything in the E-cloth range . I started out years ago buying individual and also the packs for specific tasks . My best LL buy was the E- cloth mop which is so. easy for hard floors. It comes with the wet clean head but you can buy a duster mop head too . I use the duster head first and then replace with the wet head . You don't need anything but warm water to clean with the wet head or the cloths . You don't need a bucket if you wish as you can rinse and wring the pad or cloths in the sink .


I would check reviews on things you're considering as there are a number of things that don't seem such high quality as they used to be . Pegs , Good Grips and anything E - cloth still are . I bought from them for decades and my cake tins etc are still going strong so no idea if the current range is good or not .


I think it's a lovely gift . Whether you buy one large item or a number of small ones I wish you well in your new home .
polly

pollyanna_26

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

I formulated a lot of my ideas on what to buy and not buy during my student day. Still remember people trying to save money at the laundrette by draping clothes over radiators only to end up with black mould up the walls or condensation all over the windows. Aerating rooms during the winter just let all the heat out and negated any savings.

Anyway back to the OP..... after a decent washing machine/tumble dryer/dishwasher I’d get some decent knives probably £75+ each and decent pans. Still use my trusty first set of Mauviel around £100/pan but will out last me as will the knives!

This is the post I meant to quote earlier . I was so taken aback by £75+ knives and a very expensive tumble dryer way beyond the voucher value and not sold by LL I got a bit confused
It's worth remembering that JL don't always undercut other stores price wise and many of their guarantees are for shorter periods now A money saver always looks at both price and customer service.
polly

Kim_kim

DWhite wrote: »

My lovely team at work gave me a £75 gift card for Lakeland as a housewarming gift and I’m looking for ideas for what to use it on. I love Lakeland and browsing the shop/website, though with kitchen bits by kitchen is pretty full and tiny so I can’t really get anything for that.
So, I’m wondering what you bought when setting up your house when you first bought it and what you have found you really can’t live without?
I should say I’ve already purchased the Lakeland heated airer which is great! So don’t need that 😬

Put a bit extra and get a tefal actifry - assuming you have all the basics & don’t have one.
Lakeland sell the oxo good grips range - everything I replace, I replace with theirs if they do it.

DigForVictory

I have teenagers & so cook a lot of rice & pasta & the nesting pan that make that easy is a godsend. The one in Lakeland seems a bit nice than mine steaming with two sizes of pan, but (after my kitchen knives) it is the most used thing in the kitchen!

My husband cheerfully disagrees & is to be found urging you towards the Dualit toaster range as (while it's expensive) you'll never need another toaster & you can get the bits to repair them if needed. Wedding present calibre gift but you can make toast through a hammering hangover, during noro, and even just for breakfast & recall your team affectionately every time.

Whatever you choose, enjoy it!

Kim_kim

DigForVictory wrote: »

My husband cheerfully disagrees & is to be found urging you towards the Dualit toaster range as (while it's expensive) you'll never need another toaster & you can get the bits to repair them if needed. Wedding present calibre gift but you can make toast through a hammering hangover, during noro, and even just for breakfast & recall your team affectionately every time.

Whatever you choose, enjoy it!

I’ve had two dualit lite toasters, admittedly it’s not the classic.
Both broke with very little use, put me right of Dualit. The first one I put down to a fluke and repurchased, the second one - well I’m a bit fed up of them now.

8ofspades

Do you have the cover for the heated airer? You can just use a sheet but I found the cover much easier (plus we only have two sets of sheets!) There's only an expensive one on lakeland, but I would pair the airer with a dehumidifier.