Romancing the plug: appliances, electricity and comfort

There are so many things we take for granted that it is not until there is a bit of an economic awakening that we delve a little deeper into the myriad of gadgets and items which surround us and make our lives easier (most of the time). I had a recent epiphany about the number of things I have plugged into a wall outlet. Our supplier of electricity provides us with periodic suggestions as to how we can reduce some of our costs in this regard, but we usually ignore such advice with an “It doesn’t really make that much difference anyway” internal or actual verbal remark. Perhaps we can peruse our homes and examine the many things which are dependent upon electricity. The big-ticket item is possibly the heating/air-conditioning system which provides comfort for us on a daily basis.

We probably do not even notice this “appliance” since it is usually outdoors and/or in the basement or attic. It is certainly not plugged into the wall unless we have a window unit or two. It comes to our monetary attention as a result of weather – very cool in the winter, quite warm in the summer. But, gee, we have earned the right to pleasant living within our homes!

The next item of note is more than likely the refrigerator. As a single male, I have very few bells and whistles attached to my unit which primarily keeps my perishable edibles fresh and safe for consumption. However, from my trips through Home Depot, Lowe’s, and our local appliance showrooms, I know there are super refrigeration devices which do much more than just keep foods cold.

I am absolutely fascinated by the units which allow the owner to view goods from the door, and to send messages hither and yon when replenishment is necessary. Gone forever is that physical check of our refrigerated inventory!
I am quite happy with the mere water-cooling element and icemaker, when they both operate properly, although I do stock plastic bottles of water in the door.

Now we come to the third piece of equipment essential for suburban living – the washer/dryer units. Here, too, there are many modern models, similar it seems to automobiles, which do so much more than the initial intent of the machine. (Remember when it was called a washing machine?) I plead ignorance once we pass regular and gentle cycles. And please spare me on where to place the soap (oops, detergent), bleach, softener, etc.! There is heavy duty, light duty, and I guess no duty at all. A unit can give the user a choice of number of rinses, types of spins and timing options too numerous to mention. Just wash the clothes, already!

What is interesting is that the most tedious aspect of this household chore is getting the items to the washer/dryer and then removing them therefrom, and the folding and the hanging. But, I digress. Perhaps soon there will be a C-3PO to take care of that for us.

There are so many items which we use on a regular basis, and little realize the donations we keep making to Delmarva Power and Delaware Electric Co-op. Let us return to the kitchen for a minute, the home of that mega refrigerator. For our convenience, we also have a microwave oven, a toaster oven, a waffle maker, and some sort of air fryer. Did I forget the Keurig and in-sink garbage disposal? While we are working at the granite island, there may be one or two (or even three) items which we use in meal preparation to which an electrical cord is attached.

Then there is the carpet and floor and upholstery cleaning process which involves a thing once called a vacuum cleaner. I am perplexed as to the title(s) of the more advanced floor devices, but I know that electric power is involved in all of them. Let’s also include ceiling fans, exhaust fans, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, lights, lamps and the garage door opener. Televisions, telephones, computers, copiers and more are also covered in our romance with the plug, and our fiscal interaction with the power company.

The cumulative result is a life worth living and a lifestyle of joy. Yes, we also should be mindful to conserve as best as we can, and purchase the requisite accompanying accessories which assist us in the overall control of the cost of our comfort.