Life's sweet...with these household helpers

Automatic pet feeder:

An automatic pet feeder gives you peace of mind that your furry friend will be fed on time, allowing you to focus on other important tasks.  It’s especially convenient when you’re not around, and reduces the stress of having to rush home by a certain time to dish out your pet’s meal.

Designed for dogs and cats, an automatic feeder dispenses a predetermined quantity of food at set times without human intervention. As well as helping you maintain portion control, it’s a more practical and hygienic alternative to leaving extra bowls of food around in the hope that your pet will help itself whenever it’s hungry. Most feeders can be operated via an app on your phone.

Robotic vacuum cleaner:

Your regular vacuum cleaner may do a great job of removing dirt, dust, hair and debris from your floors, but “robovacs”, as they’re sometimes called, go one step further by cleaning areas many traditional vacuum cleaners can’t reach, such as under the bed or sofa. Compact yet hefty, these rechargeable units are guided by cameras and sensors, so they know exactly where to go. Best part is, they can be programmed to do the job when you’re out.

Dishwasher:

Nobody looks forward to handwashing stacks of dishes and cookware at the end of a long day, which is why more people are investing in dishwashers. Whether freestanding or built-in, dishwashers clean your crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, as well as handwashing does. They also sanitise these items with hot steam at the end of every wash cycle. Other benefits to using a dishwasher: they’re perfect for fragile glassware, which may break in the sink when hand-washed; they use less water compared to handwashing; and they help keep your kitchen sink clutter-free.

Washer-dryer combo:

This appliancecombines two functions – washing and drying – in one and is a popular choice for small apartments and tight spaces. Because it’s a two-in-one, it’s perfect for people who don’t have time to wait for a wash cycle to end and then manually transfer their clothes to the dryer. A washer-dryer combo has a smaller footprint than two standalone appliances and is generally cheaper than buying separate washer and dryer units. In terms of drawbacks, washer-dryer combos have a limited capacity, which means that you can’t dry too many items at once. They also take longer to complete a full wash and dry cycle.

Steam vacuum cleaner:

While a normal vacuum cleaner picks up loose debris like pet hair, dust, lint and dirt particles, a steam vacuum cleaner gives hard floors and carpeted areas a deeper clean by sanitising and sterilising these surfaces.

They’re not complicated to use, and the hot vapour that’s released from the nozzle loosens and removes ingrained dirt, and is also effective at killing bacteria and mould spores and minimising stubborn stains. Steam vacuum cleaners are touted  as environmentally friendly because they reduce the need for bleach or other harsh chemicals.

Sous vide machine:

Almost anything can be prepared sous vide, including tougher cuts of meat, eggs, chicken breast, delicate seafood like salmon and lobster, fillet steak, and even vegetables.

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, is a cooking method hitherto employed by professional chefs. It involves placing food in a vacuum sealed bag and then heating the bag at a precise temperature in a water bath. The constant low cooking temperature prevents overcooking, resulting in perfectly tender, moist and flavourful food every time.