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Best buy/Never buy

(77 Posts)
lizzypopbottle Sun 16-Apr-17 13:45:16

What's the best thing you've bought lately?
What one thing would you never buy?

My recent best buy is a Cole and Mason Fresh Herb Keeper. We had been buying cut mint and parsley twice a week for our regular fasting day recipe (Rick Stein - Gigantes) and we always used far less than we threw away because it deteriorated so fast no matter what we did. So wasteful! The above gadget is absolutely amazing. It really works! The instructions suggest keeping it in the fridge but it's a little too tall for that. It works perfectly well on the window sill. My daughter and son-in-law have one. They got theirs from John Lewis but mine came from Amazon.

http://www.coleandmason.com/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/c/ecomm_0005_h105159_fresh_herb_keeper_hero_hr_1.jpg

I will never spend good money buying jeans that already have rips, tears, holes and artfully distressed and worn bits. When my jeans wear out at the knee I throw them out or occasionally cut them off as shorts.

michellehargreaves Mon 17-Apr-17 09:36:29

Airhead that I am, the best thing (s) I have bought recently is a pair of earrings - long, red and glittery. They make me feel very avant-garde. And because they came from TKMaxx, they didn't cost the earth.
I never buy bottled water.....tap water good enough for me.

GrammaH Mon 17-Apr-17 09:45:23

I too am feeling very avant garde with my latest best buy - Jamberry nail wraps! Dear DIL has just started selling them & I'm hooked & feeling oh so trendy with my multi coloured nails! Love them!

GrammaH Mon 17-Apr-17 09:46:59

Oh & we are lucky enough to have our own spring water - spoils you for any other tap water & we have been known to buy bottled in hotels.....

shysal Mon 17-Apr-17 09:47:50

Just bought one of the Hairy Bikers manual food processors. I can see it being ideal for making a single portion of cauliflower rice or mash.

Those dead-heading tools are too flimsy for me, I have broken several. Probably because I try to cut stems which are too thick.

LadyGracie Mon 17-Apr-17 09:56:25

I have a milk frother, we've just bought ourselves a delonghi coffee machine, grinds the beans, makes the coffee and froths the milk, not top of the range by any means, makes beautiful coffee, top buy for us!

Yorkshiregel Mon 17-Apr-17 09:58:01

Best thing I bought lately was my pedal exerciser. Worst thing was a bag of cow manure pellets for the garden. The smell after it rained was awful!

inishowen Mon 17-Apr-17 10:10:28

Extra long knitting needles from Amazon. I'm trying to knit myself a sweater but the stitches were falling off the normal length needles. I love my new long ones!

HannahLoisLuke Mon 17-Apr-17 10:42:41

Best Buy, the Karcher window vac

Agree that I'd never buy bottled water

Going to check out the herb keeper. Thanks for the tip.

Oldcroc17 Mon 17-Apr-17 11:00:05

I thought just like you Irenelily! I immediately thought of my Reiss winter coat I got from a charity shop for £5. I've used it loads and looks as good as new. Found the thread interesting though and will be looking up the suggested gadgets.

Gaggi3 Mon 17-Apr-17 11:00:23

Best buy recently is a doofer (not its real name) for cleaning behind and between radiators, sad person that I am.

Don't know what I'd never buy.

I do buy bottled fizzy water. Nothing wrong with our tap water except its, to me, chemical taste.

LadyGracie Mon 17-Apr-17 11:36:58

I also bought some scissor type thinks that cut up vegetables, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, virtually any fruit or veg.

I use a brita filter, our water is not that nice, when it rains it tastes of chlorine!
I always have bottled water in the car and drink sparkling when out for a meal.

missdeke Mon 17-Apr-17 11:42:03

Not me, but my daughter bought an electric cat litter box for her 2 house cats, the litter is supposed to last 30 days, but only lasted 5, at a £150 plus £50 for 3 refill cartridges, not a good buy! She then bought a toilet trainer for them to use the toilet instead for £10 and they both cottoned on immediately!! Just need to teach them to flush now grin.

On the bottled water note, I'm afraid I'm guilty (only 17p a bottle of 2 litres though), unfortunately the water around here is so chlorinated it's just like drinking a swimming pool. I also use a filter jug for cooking water, but even that after boiling often still has a tang!

Blinko Mon 17-Apr-17 12:11:27

Like this thread. Just ordered one of those Zyliss food processor things. Imo, there can be no finer recommendation than GN!

Nanna58 Mon 17-Apr-17 12:34:57

Toss up for best buys between gizmo for stringing runner beans and a needle threader as eyes deff not what they were. Worst buy? All ? singing all dancing food processor that was too much faff to get out of cupboard, so bought a small compact one I love, suppose that could be another 'best buy' !

varian Mon 17-Apr-17 12:43:41

Best buy is probably the chest freezer I've had for thirty-five years and use all the time.

I would never buy any garment with writing on it, or a visible label. If clothes manufacturers want folk to become walking advertisements they should be paying the customers, not the other way round.

Granny1sland Mon 17-Apr-17 12:45:27

In love with my Apple Watch ?

Purpledaffodil Mon 17-Apr-17 12:59:59

Amazon Echo Dot is our Best Buy for ages. Combined with Amazon Prime which gives access to almost unlimited music. Love the sixties selection! Little gizmo the size of a tin of tuna which will also tell you the time, the weather forecast and even read a story.
Never buy? Processed soup. Freshly made in Soup Maker (another GN recommendation) is so much better flavoured and low in fat, salt etc etc.

Marieeliz Mon 17-Apr-17 13:03:40

My best buy is my Good Grips Shower pole and tidy. It is far superior to any available in UK. You can remove the trays to clean. It fits over my bath in the corner. I sent to Macy's New York for it it cost £99 but worth every penny. I did get a catalogue from Lakeland recently and they had it in. When I bought it I could not find it in the UK>

Rosina Mon 17-Apr-17 13:04:07

I've been very indulgent and bought myself a Dualit toaster and kettle - they are lovely! My old toaster was giving up and the wretched kettle splattered boiling water everywhere, so I've bought the Dualit models as evidently they last forever and can be repaired. Here's hoping!

Nannymarg53 Mon 17-Apr-17 13:10:37

A Rab jacket. I've worn it practically every day since I bought it in January. It goes with almost anything. My Best Buy ever?

janeainsworth Mon 17-Apr-17 13:38:45

nannymarg so agree about the Rab jacket! I bought one too this winter and it's been worth every penny. It's been everywhere with me smile

Newquay Mon 17-Apr-17 13:57:57

What a fabulous thread-will def buy some of these items esp thingy for herbs.
My Best Buy lately has to be. . . . . Urine bottle and bed tray with legs! Lol! DH just had his hip replaced and both have been brill! Also one handled tray so I can carry drinks and his breakfast upstairs safely holding rail.
And. . . . DDs clubbed together and bought me a GTech cleaner so I can Hoover up while DH is indisposed and I don't have to lug heavy cleaner around.
How sad is that? ?

daffers Mon 17-Apr-17 14:05:19

A booster cushion for the chair I sit on when watching TV. So much easier to get up now.

Sheilasue Mon 17-Apr-17 14:17:19

Cannot do without my rubber jar opener shaped like a flower got two from Lakeland.

ksteele Mon 17-Apr-17 14:17:28

Best buy recently is a step stool from IKEA for 9 euros 99. Two steps, a hole for your hand in the top to carry it round the kitchen. At barely 5 foot tall, I need this to reach several high cupboards! Very safe and secure, and can be used to sit on if need be.