Favorite household items? Dishes, pots, towels, etc.

[NewMom2007]

We just moved into a new home with much more space. As we unloaded boxes, I realized that it's time to purchase some nice household goods to replace the mix and match partial sets of everything. I would love your recommendations on the following or anything else you love around the house.

- Bath towels
- Casual dishes (I want to get a full set and then will probably supplement with white dishes for larger dinner parties - like when my entire family comes for the holidays)
- Vacuum cleaner (I am intrigued by the roomba. We have hardwoods on the main and carpet in the guest BRs and the playroom). I will either buy more than one or need something really lightweight b/c I'll lug it up and down stairs.
- Pots/pans (Either a set or some mix/match pieces).
- Flatware (again, casual)

What brands would you recommend or avoid? I really appreciate your input! Now off to figure out how to furnish this place and what window coverings to get :-) Just a few things on the to-do list.

[The Review Mommy]

Hi there, congrats! More space is always a good thing lol

If you've just moved you've got to get this book. AWSOME! Bible
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195925640&sr=1-1

I couldnt live without my cleaning products. The folex we get at walmart and use pretty much everyday on the carpet and our sofa. We learned about it from the furniture place we buy from. Just spray and use a dry cloth and remove. Gets out everything our family has been able to dish out. No need for that Spot Bot I've seen comercials for...
http://www.folexcompany.com/

Another favorite is Barkeepers friend. Learned about it from here. It's mostly used to keep my AllClad pots and pans like new but works wonders on rust. Forget the Ajax & Comet...this stuff is much better where some abrasive cleaners are needed.
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.yahoo.net/barkefrpo.html

I used to keep a bottle of Ivory or Dove handwash/dishwash next to the kitchen sink. Albertsons had a 2 for deal so I tried this Seventh Generation stuff. One day I used it for cleaning the gunk (toothpaste, mascara marks etc) in my bathroom sink and I hardly had to scrub at all. Then I tried it in our bathtub. Wonderful stuff and makes cleaning the bathroom tolerable.
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/our_products/free_and_clear/free_clear_dish_liquid.html

As to the specific things your looking for I use one set of white dishes for everyday and for special occations. I'm collecting Aplico Dinnerware (they sell it at William Sonoma). We used to use the Corlle brand from Walmart after I kept droping/shattering our heavy Target wedding plates on the floor. They are light weight but pretty cheap looking. A lot of people here collect that colorful Fiestaware. You can mix and match to your hearts content. Very fun.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/dnw/dnwi/dnwapii/index.cfm

http://www.amazon.com/Corelle-Livingware-34-Piece-Service-White/dp/B0000UJMS6/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=generic&qid=1195928823&sr=1-7

http://www.amazon.com/Shamrock-4-Piece-Dinnerware-Setting-Service/dp/B00006JO1D/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1195928989&sr=1-3

We bought a Dyson at costco and love it. Our old one kept loosing suction. This one never does. Miele is a top brand in this category but pricey.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/hkg/hkgi/hkgvaci/index.cfm

I cook a lot so I use different pots and pans. Mostly All Clad SS but have a few Le Creuset and a nice slick non stick from a resturant supply store for eggs and the like.

Ejoy the new place!

Rebekah

[bubbaray]

Bath towels -- if I were replacing, I would try bamboo. Its "earth friendly" and supposed to be very nice.

Casual Dishes -- I really love my Corelle stuff. Its virtually indestructible, plus its not MIC and its lead-free. If I were replacing, I might get their new square stuff. I prefer white plates personally.

Vacuum -- We're contemplating a Dyson. The Roomba intrigues me too, but I think it would drive our dog nuts. Either that or he'd eat it.

Pots/pans -- I got a Lagostina set from Costco that I'm quite happy with. Its an All-Clad knock-off and just fine for the amount of cooking I do. If I were a really cooking fan, I'd probably get an AC set. I don't use teflon anything anymore. Oh, and I LOVE my cast iron pans. All of mine are Lodge ones. I much prefer cooking with them.

Flatware -- Again, got ours at Costco, its the Lagostina Marina pattern. Nice enough for everyday, but if one goes down the garborator, I wouldn't care, KWIM? I think it was $25 on sale for an 8 piece set.

I'm not sure if the Lagostina stuff is MIC. Probably. I'm turning a blind eye....

BTW, one of the best BEST house things ever is the book Clean House, Clean Planet. All sorts of cleaning solutions and tips that are earth-friendly.


Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[denna]

For casual dishes I really love my Fiestaware:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-2889541-6204719?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Fiestaware

If you have a Mikasa in your area it may be a good idea to check them out as Mikasa is closing there doors at the end of the year so everything is on sale for 30% Off. We have found some great deal on casual and cocktail glasses.

[kijip]

Well, for vacuums I have to say, I was a Dyson doubter for a long time. This is said by someone who owned a Miele and a commercial grade Eureka (Sanitaire). But when we moved into this townhouse with wood and carpet, I have to say I have been more than impressed with our DC17. It is easy to switch between carpet and wood for one thing. Overstock has refurb models often.

****Rocking out while parenting my smart little 4 year old munchkin Toby.
The butter melts out of habit, you know the toast isn't even warm. -Ani DiFranco

[JoyNChrist]

Congrats on your new place!

I'm not sure what brand our bath towels are (they were a wedding gift), but they're all white, which I love. They just look so fresh and clean, IMO, and if you ever get mascara or something on them, it bleaches out easily.

Another Fiestaware fan here!

I recently got a Roomba, and I really like it. It probably doesn't do as good a job as I could do with a Dyson or a Miele (we have family members with both), but considering how often I actually get around to vaccuuming, my floors are cleaner with the Roomba than they would be if they waited for me to take care of them! We have all wood, with carpet in the bedrooms. Another fun thing is watching my crawler chase it around the kitchen...hilarious!

I'm a big fan of cast-iron pots and pans. I inherited a gazillion-year-old set from my great-grandmother, and I've supplemented with some Lodge and Magnalite stuff over the years. My other pots and pans are all relatively cheap (I don't cook enough to feel the need to invest in the really good stuff). I've also been impressed with a few of the Pampered Chef pieces I've picked up at home parties and from eBay.

We have 2 different sets of Oneida flatware (more wedding presents). Simple, decent-looking, and cheap to replace.

Good luck!

[traciann]

casual dishes- fiestawear! love, love, love it! we also have mikasa italian countryside because i wanted white plates, but I have to say I was suprised how easily they have chipped.
vacuum cleaner-we have a oreck and i am happy with it.
pots & pans- i currently have hard anadoized calphalon and I HATE them. for christmas i am getting wolfgang pucks 18/10 stainless steel. my parents have a set they have been using over the last year and are super happy with them. i also read good online reviews, so I am ready to try something different.
flatwear-oneida

[kitmama]

We have some expensive bath towels from our department store wedding registry, and some of the nicer ones from Target. I have to say, I think I actually prefer the Target ones. That said, if I were buying towels now I'd also be interested in bamboo. I wonder if Target has any?

Our casual dishes are Villery & Boch, and they have held up really well.

Beats me on the vacuum. Ours is pathetic.

I REALLY like my set of pots and pans- they are the Costco store brand ("Kirkland Signature"). They're basically just knock-offs of the All-Clad stainless. It's a basic set, but has most of what I need.

Our flatware is Oneida. We've been really happy with it.

[sweetpea]

I came across this article regarding lead in dinnerware, which may be worth looking at before you buy. http://wildinthecity.ca/

My best choice of household items is to have all white dishes and towels. That way it's easy to add/replace one when it gets worn out. Plus white towels don't fade and get worn out looking, and you can just soak them in Oxyclean if they need a stain removed.

I'm a big fan of Ikea dishes, mostly because you can buy one at a time, lol.

[Tondi G]

Bath Towels we bought at Costco and they are great! I think they are 6 or 7 dollars each and they also sell bath sheets if you like the big towels! They have 6 colors to choose from I believe!

Casual dishes are IKEA right now but I am looking into getting some new dishes... WHITE!

Vacuum.... we have a small Eureka.... got it at Target. My sister has one too and it is relatively lightweight and does the trick for our hardwood and rugs! I've heard nothing but good things about Dyson vacuums though! this is the one she bought from Costco

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11063569&whse=BC&Ne=5000001+4000000&eCat=BC|103|4716&N=4000044%204294966986&Mo=2&No=2&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C

Pots and Pans... we got a new set of Stainless Steel pots and pans last Christmas. they are Cuisinart brand and are great... the lip on them makes pouring relatively drip free and so far they still look great. We got a good deal on them at Bed Bath and Beyond! I do have one non stick egg pan but I am looking into teflon alternatives.... haven't figured that out yet!

Flatware we have an Oneida set that we've had for about 10 years that is still going strong and a nice set of Reed and barton that we got for our wedding.... not silver but a pretty hammered finish stainless and I am thinking of cleaning out the old stuff and using the nicer ones for everyday! They are nice and sturdy without being too heavy.

Good Luck and have fun shopping

~Tondi

[NewMom2007]

Thanks for your suggestions!


>If you've just moved you've got to get this book. AWSOME!
>Bible
>http://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195925640&sr=1-1
>

That book scares me a little bit - so comprehensive! But I appreciate the recommendation :-)

[NewMom2007]

>Bath towels -- if I were replacing, I would try bamboo. Its
>"earth friendly" and supposed to be very nice.

Thanks for your recommendations. I have felt bamboo towels and they are so soft! The only ones I've seen IRL are really expensive, so maybe I'll splurge on one set and then get less expensive guest towels. I currently have organic cotton towels from Gaiam.com, but they haven't held up well...not so soft.
>

>BTW, one of the best BEST house things ever is the book Clean
>House, Clean Planet. All sorts of cleaning solutions and tips
>that are earth-friendly.
>
I'll have to check this book out. I have made my own cleaning supplies in the past and have used some Method and Trader Joe's products.

Thanks!

[NewMom2007]

Thanks for all your posts! I need to check out Fiestaware, Oneida and many others :) Lots of shopping to do!

Now I just need to figure out what to put on the windows (oh so many bare windows!).

[daisymommy]

A question for you gals who have Fiestaware: Are you supposed to buy all your dishes and serving pieces in one color so they all match? Or are you supposed to mix and match different colors?

[floridamommy]

I have had my Fiestaware for more than 7 years and still love it. It goes in the microwave, dishwasher and yes, even the oven. Personally, I mix and match. I like the look of all the different colors and it's easy to add one new plate or bowl when they release a new color every so often. I also think Fiestaware is fun for kids b/c they can pick out what color they want for their plate or bowl, etc., and alternate each night.