Home & Decor Singapore pays tribute to three decades of design with a look back on its most interesting features over the years.
This week we look at some favourite household gadgets and why these individuals can’t live without them.
Jackie D’Souza and her National oven
24-year-old Jackie often returns home to engage in her favourite relaxation, baking. While Jackie likes to use her gas oven for a large quantity of cakes, she finds her National oven most handy for one small cake or some cupcakes for the family. “Once you get the hang of it, you just have to be careful to set the temperature controls to the right setting and the oven will do the rest for you.”
Jeric See and his vacuum cleaner
Hairstylist Jeric See, 27, counts his vacuum cleaner as his most prized possession next to his indispensable hairdryer. “I don’t believe in maids as I rather enjoy house work,” says Jeric.
He paid $2000 for his German-made ‘Rainbow’ but he think it is the best investment he has made. “I clean the house every other day. And it takes no more than half an hour,” adds Jeric.
Priscilla Loke and her snack toaster
Priscilla Loke, PR Manager of Cerebos, shares a flat with three friends and they share a common kitchen. “When I’m not involved in official entertaining, I like to cook myself a simple dinner at home,” she says. For that, Priscilla finds her snack toaster quite invaluable.
“You’d be surprised at the things I can whip up in my little toaster. I can grill a small piece of chicken or a steak; make scones and of course the more mundane things like beans on toast when I’m really pressed for time.
Zachary Chia and his blender
Health nut Zachary Chia is pushing 40 but he does not plan on growing old gracefully. To help him in the quest for eternal youth is his favourite weapon – the Moulinex blender.
Zachary keeps young by his daily 5km jog and a health drink for dinner, a recipe he concocted for himself. He simply throws in carrots, bananas, papayas, yoghurt, orange juice, cold milk, spoonfuls of wheatgerm and lecithin granules into his blender and within five minutes his dinner is ready.
Mun and his electric kettle
Metro’s fashion coordinator, Mun, has a weakness for white kitchens, even though he knows they are tough to keep clean. So he has cleverly added accessories in red in his white kitchen. “First on my list was a super white electric kettle with a pretty hot-red handle and spout,” says Mun. “I had to hunt for the right kettle, but it was worth the effort.”
Jean Shokrollahi and her freezer
“I like to shop for groceries at the wet-market,” says Jean Shokrollahi, an expat housewife. “But splashing around in a wet, wet-market is no fun and I try to restrict the shopping to once a week.”
For Jean, her commodious freezer is absolutely invaluable, as she can store the week’s supplies and has no hassles whipping up a quick meal or snacks when guests drop in unexpectedly.
Edwin Tan and his iron
A display officer with Daimaru, 33-year-old Edwin Tan lives his mother in a 4-room HDB flat in Bedok South. On alternate nights he sets aside half an hour to do his laundry, leaving his favourite chore, the ironing to just before bedtime. “It’s no trouble at all, since I only iron the shirt and pants that I need to wear to office the next day,” says Edwin.
He is still using his five-year-old Morphy-Richards. “I find this old, heavy model better than the new light-weight ones.”