How to say ‘I love you’ with appliances this Valentine’s Day

February 9th, 2012

Appliance Talk

Stumped for Valentine’s gift ideas?

With less than a week to go before this horrible wonderful day, you’ll need to get your act together.

Roses and chocolates are uninspired and clichéd (not to mention overpriced) – what you need is something original and thoughtful.

Also great is a gift that keeps on giving, not something flimsy that will only end up in the bin. Because what kind of a message does that send, hmm?

The ‘through the stomach’ approach

Food, glorious food! Everyone loves food. And cooking for the one you love is one of the nicest things you can do (assuming of course that you’re not horrible at cooking. In which case, you might want to start doing some research on where you can buy heart-shaped pizzas).

Thanks to the popularity of shows like MasterChef, more and more Australians are jumping on board the cooking bandwagon. Which means there’s a good chance your significant other will stand to be more impressed by a pressure cooker than a pair of earrings. (At least, I would be).

Our suggestion for cooking appliances are those ‘indulgence’ appliances – ones which may not be strictly necessary for basic survival, but which add pleasure to one’s life. Such as a sandwich toaster (for lovely café-style toasted treats), a Sunbeam cupcake maker (nothing could be sweeter!) or a milkshake maker to create the romantic feel of a fifties diner inside your own home. Served with a cherry on top, naturally.

It’s the little things

While, on the surface, a practical item like a toaster or a kettle might not jump out as the most romantic of gifts, they’re not completely without merit.

For instance, does the object of your affection like tea? If so, they might appreciate a Tea Maker – which is a kettle that is specially designed to boil different types of tea at varying strengths and temperatures.

And on the fancy side of the toaster divide, the latest toasters are not only stylish, they provide crumpet and defrost settings, and a crumb tray to keep things neat. Plus some Breville toasters allow you to lift the toast up while toasting is in progress to check whether it’s ready yet, which we think is the most beneficial invention to mankind ever (with the possible exception of penicillin).

So every day when your lover enjoys a perfect cup of tea accompanied by a beautifully toasted piece of sourdough, they will think of you and how awesome you are. Win!

Not all women are impressed by flowers

It’s official: Women want electronics. As this article points out:

“According to a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), electronics are a desired purchase among both sexes, …with eight in 10 women now expressing an interest in CE products and nearly half of those (41%) saying they were ‘very interested’ in CE.”

So if you’re a man buying a Valentine’s gift for a woman (or a woman buying for a woman – we don’t judge), it could be smart to break free of the stereotypes and get her something she can actually use.

If you’re stumped for inspiration, head over to our pals at Big Brown Box to snaffle a deal on a love-inducing LCD TV or a heart-warming plasma screen which will enable you to watch Love, Actually together in style.

Give your relationship a ‘kick’

Stuck in a rut? Need to spice things up a little? Here is how appliances can help:

“Not tonight honey, I’m tired.”

Solution: A coffee machine will provide the additional stimulus you need! The enlivening properties of caffeine are well known, and today’s coffee machines are more affordable than ever. Our suggestion? A Nespresso Pixie coffee machine – cute, fuss-free, and George Clooney says they’re good. And he’s hot, so you should listen to everything he says.

“I think we need to spice things up a bit.”

Solution: Clearly, you need an electric wok. Now you and your beau can create sizzling stir-fries, lava-hot laksas and fiery… food… you get the picture. Chili is an aphrodisiac, didn’t you know?

“Time for a fresh start.”

Solution: Breathe life into a stale relationship by implementing some healthy lifestyle changes – such as resolving to eat more vegetables and stop relying on take away food. Australian film maker Joe Cross rejuvenated his diet and lost nearly 45 kilos by embarking on a 60 day juice fast using a Breville juicer, which is inspiration to us all. So if you and your partner want to turn over a new leaf, throw out the choccies this Valentine’s and upgrade to fresh juice instead.

But what if I’m single?

Chin up, Valentine’s is only one day in the year, and you’re bound to find love soon. In the meantime, perhaps something like this is more up your alley…