Back to school checklist for mums and dads

January 21st, 2013

Appliance Talk Coffee Machines & Accessories Laundry

The countdown is on in many households around the country – after what has felt like an eternity, there is just one more week until kids go back to school.

But while you may be frantically running around to buy school shoes and labelling the contents of those new pencil cases, there’s one list of must-haves that is often overlooked – what mum and dad may need to get through the school year.

Getting out the door in the morning

One of the biggest challenges of getting back into the school routine is waking up and getting everyone ready for the day in a timely manner.

Why not get the process underway right from the start by waking up to the sound of your favourite radio station instead of the horrific beeping sound of an alarm?

Many digital radios also feature an alarm clock, and the Sony XDRC706DBP model also includes a brightness control, a sleep timer and 20 memory presets.

Once you – and the kids – are up and at it, you might be a coffee to help you get through the trip the school or work.

There’s already enough going on in the morning, so you want your caffeine hit to be as simply of possible.

This is why the Philips Saeco Intelia coffee machine is a welcome addition to any kitchen. The one-touch cappuccino functions utilises the integrated automatic milk function to deliver your coffee quickly and easily – giving you a chance to race out the door without any hassle.

Preparing a quick and easy dinner

So you’ve made it through the work day and the kids are home from school – now the real challenges begin. After-school activities, homework and even just getting the kids bathed is enough to keep you busy, let alone trying to decide what to have for dinner.

Pressure cookers have gained popularity among Australian households thanks to their ability to cook delicious and healthy meals in a matter of minutes, rather than hours.

The 6L Morphy Richards 48815 pressure cooker features a digital LCD display, five pre-set cooking times and a keep warm function to keep your dinner at the right temperature for up to two hours until you’re ready to serve.

The searing function also means that you can brown your meat in the pot prior to pressure cooking to save on time and washing up.

Washing school uniforms for tomorrow

The kids are in their pyjamas and everyone is beginning to wind down after a hectic week … except you realise that there aren’t any clean school uniforms to be worn tomorrow!

The last thing you want to be doing is hauling wet washing into the dryer and waiting for the cycle to finish in the late hours of the evening.

A washer dryer combo can eliminate this cumbersome step, leaving you to focus on enjoying the rest of your evening before heading to bed.

The Samsung WD1102XVM washer dryer combo is one of the largest capacities on the market while also boasting Samsung’s Bubble Wash – a feature that generates foam by dissolving detergent with air and water in the beginning of washing cycle for a thoroughly clean load every time.

There is also a stop and add option – just in case you find a stray sock lying around – and a quick wash function that reduces washing time to just 29 minutes!

The condenser dryer has a capacity of 7kg, while the Vibration Reduction Technology means no one will be kept up at night thanks to the reduced noise and improved handling of unbalanced loads.