What appliances can we not live without?

This month, Currys PC World commissioned a survey to find out what appliances people couldn’t live without during lockdown and ones they might have been living with all their lives.

With 74% of people saying they attempted to bake during lockdown and 59% saying they drink 2-4 cups of coffee per day, there’s no guessing when it comes to the appliances we’ve been relying on this year. As we work out way through another lockdown, Currys PC World is posing the question, will we continue to be bakers and coffee drinkers?

When it came to lockdown in March this year, it seems people were relying heavily on their coffee machines with more than a quarter of respondents saying it was their hero appliance during this time! Other close contenders were the humble kettle, not a surprise as we are a nation of tea lovers, as well as the dishwasher – possibly the top argument-saving appliance in the home. Some rather unexpected lockdown heroes included a sous vide and a pet hair hoover.

Caffeine was king during this period with 65% of people saying they have and use a coffee machine and 59% saying they drink between 2-4 cups per day.

In the month where we celebrated World Coffee Day, it comes as no surprise the coffee machine came up trumps again with people when asked about their choice of desert island appliance. 28% of people chose a coffee machine and 23% a kettle. These were closely followed by a toaster, microwave and blender. One respondent cleverly chose a camera while another felt a dishwasher was their preferred appliance.

Over 60% of respondents claimed to have spent on average between €5-€15 per week on takeaway coffee. However, this decreased for 78% of people during the Covid period.

There’s no doubt many of us embraced our inner baker this year with a whopping 74% of people saying they tried their hand at it. Although banana bread was undoubtedly the internet’s favourite food this year, just 29% of people admitted to whipping up a batch of their own.

Cakes were in fact the preferred choice, with 34% of people claiming to have created their own showstoppers. 28% of people opted to bake their own bread (including Brian O’Driscoll!) during lockdown including sourdough, brown bread and focaccia and not a single respondent used a breadmaker to assist their efforts! However, stand mixers accounted for 34% of the efforts while electric hand mixers made up 46.5%.

It seems baking is still high on people’s list of hobbies and activities as many chose a stand mixer as their appliance of choice if money were no object. Other contenders for top position here included a robot hoover as well as high end coffee machines, cookers and smart fridges.

We are certainly a nation that applies the sentiment of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it -or replace it – as the case may be! Some of the oldest appliances in people’s homes included cookers, hair dryers, electric carving knives and irons, many of which were over 20 years old!

We are also a nation of discerning shoppers with more than 55% of people claiming to do a lot of research for the best model and price before purchasing a new appliance.

When asked about their dream dinner guests, Uachtaráin na hEireann, Michael D Higgins and his furry friend Bród were the clear favourites with 32.7% of people choosing them over celebrities including Bono and Roy Keane! Actress Amy Huberman came in second place with 22.4% while Dustin the Turkey and Ireland’s adopted son of lockdown, Matt Damon, came joint third with 10.28% of the votes each – although one of those would perhaps be intended for on top of the table, while the other would be sitting at it!

Finally, when asked what appliance they most related to, the public was split! Coffee was once again the winner but just by a hair, with 23.4% of people relating to a coffee machine as people are energised and refreshed after spending time in their company. This was followed by 22.4% of people saying they were more like a microwave as they are great for last minute plans. People were less forthcoming when it came to blenders with just 13% of people admitting they like to stir things up!

Bring your home to life and take the hassle out of chores with the impressive range of Currys PC World household appliances. Whether you’re passionate about baking, coffee or even laundry, Currys PC World has hundreds of appliances to make your life easier and more efficient this lockdown. Check out the full range in store or online at currys.ie. For any household queries, visit www.currys.ie to speak to an expert.

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