One of the things I’ve learned as a stay at home dad is how important it is to make things convenient. The more convenient, the more you’ll use it. It also helps keep your sanity and positivity when your every day child-related tasks don’t require going out of your way to complete. So here is a list of 7 appliances/gadgets that make my life as a stay at home dad easier.
1: Nu Wave Oven.
You may have seen the infomercials on this thing. It’s a counter-top oven that can do everything your normal oven can do but in half the time and without needing to heat up! You can also cook food directly from frozen without thawing. You can even cook a main course and sides all at once making it easy to prepare a full meal in a short time. To put this in perspective, I cook all natural frozen sweet patato tots for my toddler that normally take 24 minutes in the oven (not including heat up time). In the Nu Wave they take 10 minutes total and come out crispy and perfect. Anything you can do in the oven can be done in the Nu Wave in half the time, making it much more convenient to cook better quality meals for your family.
Why you need it? Allows you to cook better quality, fresh baked meals with convenience similar to a microwave or pre-made items.
Cost? I paid $99 for mine on sale at Sears. Normal retail is usually $120 – $150.
2: Rice cooker/ Veggie Steamer.
I purchased a Black and Decker rice cooker with steaming tray from Macy’s. This is great for when babies are starting on solid foods. I used mine to steam different veggie and fruit combinations that I’ve blended up (with another gadget on this list) for my little man. It’s super easy to make your own baby food and saves you money too. I also use mine to create asian inspired dishes cooking rice and veggies at the same time.
Why you need it? It’s an easy way to cook yummy tender veggies and make purée that your baby will love.
Cost? I paid $29 for mine on sale at Macy’s. The same one was at Bed Bath and Beyond for $49.
3: Magic Bullet.
Everybody has heard of this, right? This is a powerful little blender that makes individual portions of whatever your blending. Perfect for making sauces, soups, smoothies, baby purée, salsa, dips and more. The individual serving sizes help avoid waste and are dishwasher safe. I used this thing like a mofo to make purée for my baby-man. I also use it for healthy smoothies, my home made roasted salsa recipe, and chocolate milkshakes.
Why you need it? If you are interested in saving money, knowing exactly what’s in your baby’s food, and getting the rest of the family to eat healthier at home, this is for you.
Cost? I paid $50 for mine and well worth it.
4: Electrolux 2 in 1 cordless vacuum.
I was looking for a cordless vac with awesome performance and a good price. This thing has features like a swivel head, long battery life, 2 power levels, easy charging station, can go over multiple different floor types, and it’s a 2 in 1, which means it can be used as a handheld or regular style floor vacuum.
Why you need it? Saves mega time over dragging out the corded big clunker vac, and will help you keep the house clean more consistently. With zero setup time and keeping the vacuum within arms reach, we vacuum every day.
Cost? I paid $120 for mine but there’s a cheaper version for $75. Totally worth it!
5: Whirlpool Dishwasher.
Somehow with adding 1 more family member, we go through 3 times as many dishes! If you’re in the market for a new dishwasher, here are 3 features to look for that will help you as a stay at home parent:
- Quick-wash cycle. This has saved me many times when I’ve ran out of bottles and sippy cups. Because of energy savings, most dishwashers normally take 2+ hours to run. Mine also has a quick wash 1 hour cycle.
- Sanitize mode. Gets super hot to kill any germs on the dishes. Some dishwashers even have a steam setting. Careful to not put plastic dishes on the bottom rack as some will melt. It even warped my tervis tumblers!
- Large capacity. Like I said previously. You will be going through a lot of dishes.
Note: these are also great features to have in your clothes washing machine. My washing machine has a 39 minute wash cycle option.
6: Procheck point and shoot digital thermometer.
This is a great little gadget! Take your child’s temperature without even touching them. Just point and click anywhere on the skin for an accurate temperature and without defensive measures!
Why you need it? No touch, non-invasive way of taking your child’s temperature.
Cost? $29 at local pharmacy/grocery store. 5th and last thermometer I will ever buy.
7: Wine opener and bottle of wine(glass optional) 
As parents we go non stop to take care of our children and their well being. But what about taking care of yourself? At the end of the day you need to be able to relax, unwind, clear your mind and enjoy yourself. Don’t just listen to me. Statistics show that people who have an average of 1 drink a day(spirits included) live longer and are less likely to suffer from chronic illnesses. So for your kid’s sake, make sure you take care of your mind and body and stay around for a long time!
