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Your household appliances often have untapped potential. While they excel at their intended tasks, most of the time they’re just sitting idle. But don’t let them slack off! Creative minds have discovered that some of these gadgets can be coaxed into performing much more than what their labels claim.
10 The Hair Dryer For Igniting Flames
When you strip away the ‘hair’ function of the hair dryer, what you’re left with is a device that emits hot air, similar to the fiery temper of a tabloid star. In a pinch, this can be incredibly useful for starting a fire.
A blast of warm air from the dryer not only helps heat up your wood and kindling, but it also creates a draft by warming up a cold chimney—this can prevent smoke from filling the room. This method is trusted enough that even fireplace manufacturers recommend it. The only issue arises when someone walks in and finds you drying a pile of wood with a blow dryer.
9 The Microwave Oven For Dying Fabric
A microwave is one of the simplest appliances in the kitchen. There are two things you should know: it’s great at reheating food, but it’s terrible at handling metal.
Turns out, you can even use a microwave to dye fabric. Seriously.
A microwave oven can significantly speed up the dye drying process, shortening what would normally take hours of traditional drying into just a matter of minutes. It's not merely an extravagant stunt performed by rebel knitters and rogue embroiderers. In fact, microwaving is not only a widely accepted method for dye drying, but it is often the preferred one.
8 The Rice Cooker For a Luxurious Spa-like Experience
Warm, steamed towels are a luxury typically reserved for spas and high-end eateries. They help to ease the body, calm the skin, and relax the muscles before a massage (though not typically found at a restaurant). Unfortunately, bulky, expensive towel-warming cabinets are hard to justify for home use. But why splurge on one when you can steam towels in your rice cooker?
If you prefer to use your rice cooker for more traditional purposes, its name belies the fact that it can be used to prepare an astonishingly wide variety of dishes. From soup and pudding to seafood, slow-cooked pork chops, and even cake, the possibilities are endless.
7 The Freezer For Reviving Hard Drives and Refreshing Denim
A freezer, also known as the Box of Eternal Winter, is a highly underrated appliance. It's easy to overlook just how useful it is to harness the power of cold. Your typical freezer can be used to eliminate dust mites, extend the lifespan of NiMH and NiCad batteries, and even temporarily bring a crashed computer hard drive back to life, allowing you enough time to retrieve important data.
An unexpected use for a freezer is its ability to clean your jeans. Denim fabrics often fade after washing. To prevent this, place your jeans in a sealable bag and store them in the freezer for a week. This process will kill bacteria, eliminate musty odors, and restore the crispness of brand-new denim.
6 The Waffle Iron For Cooking Burgers and Baking Cookies
The waffle iron, often dismissed as a one-trick gadget, can actually create an impressive variety of dishes. Forget the word 'waffle' and think of it as a speedy tabletop grill. With it, you can make nearly anything—hamburgers, bread pudding, falafel… even bake cookies in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods.
An additional perk of using the waffle iron is that everything it cooks comes out in a fun, waffle shape. How about a Waffleburger?
5. The Ice Cream Maker – Perfect for crafting fancy slush beverages.
Sure, you could use your ice cream maker to try making bacon ice cream, but if you want to truly maximize its potential, forget about ice cream. This machine, capable of crafting delicious frozen creations, is practically begging to be paired with one key ingredient: alcohol. It's perfect for creating frozen margaritas and other elegant slush drinks that are typically reserved for a night out on the town.
4. The Food Dehydrator – For combating humidity and bringing a touch of aromatherapy into your space.
A food dehydrator is the type of gadget that late-night snackers often order online at 3 a.m., typically with a craving for homemade beef jerky. Once it arrives, it usually ends up stashed away in the 'why-did-I-buy-this?' cupboard under the stairs.
Perhaps it’s time to finally take a look at that forgotten cupboard. Beyond its more unexpected culinary uses, like creating flawless macarons or re-crisping stale crackers, a food dehydrator can also function as an effective humidifier. Although it may sound odd, it actually works—just place a few containers of water in the trays, and as the water evaporates, it will help humidify the surrounding air.
For a touch of extra luxury, toss some aromatic plants into the mix, and you’ll have yourself a natural aromatherapy diffuser.
3. The Vacuum Cleaner – A solution for clearing clogged drains.
Whether it’s your own home or someone else’s, clogged drains and toilets can be either a gross inconvenience or a surprisingly entertaining source of schadenfreude. If it’s the former, don’t panic—your plumber might be closer than you think.
Many vacuum models come with a wet/dry feature, and it turns out, this setting isn’t just good for cleaning up soup spills. It can also be used to unclog a drain. If your vacuum can handle water, it may just succeed where plungers and snakes have failed. Simply use towels to create a seal, position the vacuum hose at the clogged drain, and turn it on. The vacuum should help remove the obstruction.
2. The Coffee Maker – A Multi-Tasking Kitchen Gadget for Cooking and Beer Brewing
While its primary job is to brew coffee, your coffee maker is actually much more versatile than you might think. With the right approach, a great coffee maker can be all you need in the kitchen. It can boil eggs, cook rice, and even prepare more intricate meals like poached chicken with couscous.
But wait, it gets even better: a group of resourceful oceanographers discovered that a coffee maker can also be used to brew beer… made from cereal.
1. The Dishwasher – The Ultimate Cleaning Machine for Just About Anything
The dishwasher isn’t just for dishes—it’s designed to eliminate bacteria and clean items without damaging them. What many don’t realize is that it works on virtually anything you put inside. From dirt-caked sports gear to children’s toys, garden tools, and even greasy car hubcaps, the dishwasher can clean almost anything. Its gentle cycle means it’s safe for things like baseball caps that might lose their shape in a regular washing machine.
You can even use it to make steamed dishwasher salmon. They say it comes out delightfully moist. And very clean.
