Brits list their most treasured appliances

Britain has become a nation reliant on small electricals, unable to carry out basic tasks without the help of an appliance, according to new research.

A survey of homeowners carried out by retailer AppliancesDirect.co.uk has revealed the top five tasks that Brits would struggle to perform without an appliance.

They are: make fresh orange juice (69%), reheat food (46%), make toast (40%), make a cup of tea (25%) and wash their clothes (24%).

When it comes to our most treasured appliances, washing machines topped the list with 24% of votes, closely followed by ovens (23%), kettles (20%), TVs (18%) and microwaves (15%). Mark Kelly, marketing manager at AppliancesDirect.co.uk, commented: “Appliances have become an integral part of the home and while they definitely make everyday tasks a lot easier, it’s amazing to see how many people say they wouldn’t be able to make a cup of tea, or even dry their clothes, if their appliance packed in.

“Advances in technology mean household tasks such as cooking are likely to get even simpler. That said, Brits should ensure they know how to do basic things such as boil water and wash their clothes, in case their appliances break or there is a power cut.”

Millennials (those aged 18 to 30 years old) are the generation that would fare worst if they had to do without electrical appliances in their home.

Some 40% wouldn’t know how to make tea or coffee without a kettle while more than half (63%) wouldn’t know how to wash or dry clothes without an appliance to do so.

Among the genders, women say they value basic appliances such as ovens, while men are far more likely to go for job-specific equipment like handheld vacuum cleaners or coffee makers.

AppliancesDirect.co.uk is the specialist appliance division of the BuyItDirect Group.