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in Learn English

21 Most Essential Household Items with Pictures

Household items that do a specific job for you are called home appliances. Can you think of how many household items are at your place? Probably a lot. Every day, we complete chores and multiple tasks with the help of these electric or non-electric household items. Things that make our lives easier are essential for the house.

Regularly used items are often used in writing, reading, and speaking. Knowing the 21 most basic household items will help improve your English skills. To help you learn faster, we have pictures for each home appliance.

Essential Household Items

The following list has 21 appliances that can be commonly found in most households.

Alarm

Alarm

An alarm clock is a device that is designed to wake someone up at a specific time by producing a loud sound.

Typical place to keep an alarm clock: bedroom

Blender

Blender

A blender is a kitchen appliance used for mixing ingredients, often used to make smoothies, shakes, sauces, or purees.

Typical place to keep a blender: kitchen

Clock

Clock

A clock is a timekeeping item that tells us the current time. Some people prefer the analog clock, while some people prefer the digital clock.

Typical place to keep a clock: bedroom, living room, hallway

Coffee maker

Coffee Maker

A coffee maker is a kitchen appliance that brews coffee by passing hot water through ground coffee beans. Some coffee machines use pods or capsules instead of ground beans.

Typical place to keep a coffee machine: kitchen

Dishwasher

Dishwasher

A dishwasher is a kitchen appliance that automatically washes and cleans dishes, utensils, and cookware. All you need to do is to place the detergent and press start.

Typical place to keep a dishwasher: kitchen

Drill

Drill

A drill is a tool used for creating holes in various materials by rotating a drill bit. It’s often placed in a toolbox.

Typical place to keep a drill: garage, basement, storage

Electric mixer

Electric mixer

An electric mixer is a kitchen appliance that uses rotating beaters or blades powered by electricity to mix, beat, or whip ingredients for cooking or baking.

Typical place to keep an electric mixer: kitchen storage

Flashlight

Flashlight

A flashlight is a portable hand-held electric light source, typically powered by batteries. People use it in emergency situations like power outages.

Typical place to keep a flashlight: kitchen, garage, bedroom

Iron

Iron

Iron is a household appliance used for removing wrinkles from clothing by applying heat and pressure to smooth out fabric.

Typical place to keep an iron: laundry room, closet, storage

Juicer

Juicer

A juicer is a kitchen appliance designed to extract juice from fruits and vegetables by crushing, grinding, or squeezing.

Typical place to keep a juicer: kitchen

Kettle

Kettle

A kettle is a kitchen appliance used for heating water, typically with a handle, spout, and lid, often powered by electricity or placed on a stove.

Typical place to keep a kettle: kitchen

Lamp

Lamp

A lamp is a household appliance that produces light, usually through the use of a bulb and shade or cover.

Typical place to keep a lamp: bedroom, living room, kitchen, office

Pressure cooker

Pressure cooker

A pressure cooker is a sealed cooking pot that uses steam pressure to cook food quickly, allowing for faster cooking times and easier tenderizing of food items.

Typical place to keep a pressure cooker: kitchen
Rice cooker

Rice cooker

A rice cooker is a kitchen appliance specifically designed for cooking rice, utilizing an automated process to steam or boil the rice until it reaches a perfectly cooked state.

Typical place to keep a rice cooker: kitchen

Sewing machine

Sewing machine

A sewing machine is a mechanical or electronic device used for stitching fabrics together with a threaded needle. People use it to create garments and other textile items.

Typical place to keep a sewing machine: closet, bedroom, storage, laundry room

Speaker

Speaker

A speaker is a sound output device. You can hear sounds once you connect it to a computer, television, or Bluetooth device.

Typical place to keep a speaker: bedroom, office, living room

Stove

Stove

A stove is a kitchen appliance designed for cooking and heating food. Different types of stoves include gas stoves, electric stoves, and induction stoves.

Typical place to keep a stove: kitchen

Television

Television

A television is an electronic device that displays audio-visual signals, allowing users to watch broadcasted programs and movies. Recently produced televisions are mostly smart TVs that allow users to access the internet to watch content from YouTube or stream services like Netflix.

Typical place to keep a TV: living room, bedroom

Toaster

Toaster

A toaster is a kitchen appliance used for browning slices of bread. Most toasters will allow you to choose how brown you want your bread to be.

Typical place to keep a toaster: kitchen

Vacuum cleaner

Vacuum Cleaner

A vacuum cleaner is an electronic household appliance that removes dust and dirt from floors and surfaces.

Typical place to keep a vacuum cleaner: closet, storage

Washing machine

Washing Machine

A washing machine is a household appliance designed for washing and cleaning clothes. Users simply have to place detergent in the right place, and the washing machine removes dirt and stains from the clothes.

Typical place to keep a washing machine: laundry room

Home Appliance Names List

If you went over the whole list, use this home appliance list image to review your vocabulary learning.

household items

Basic Household Items FAQs

Let’s go over some of the most frequently asked questions about household items and the answers.

What are some must-have items for a new home?

Essential appliances for a new home typically include a refrigerator, stove or cooktop, microwave or oven, washing machine, and a vacuum cleaner.

Which appliances are commonly found in the kitchen?

A kitchen appliances checklist typically includes a refrigerator, stove or cooktop, oven or microwave, dishwasher, coffee maker or kettle, blender, toaster or toaster oven, food processor, electric mixer, can opener, rice cooker, slow cooker or Crock-Pot, juicer, and a kettle.

What are smart home appliances?

Smart home appliances are devices that can be controlled and monitored remotely using technology, often through a smartphone or other smart devices, offering convenience and automation features.

 

What are some examples of smart home appliances?

Examples of smart home appliances include smart thermostats, refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, lighting systems, doorbells, locks, security cameras, plugs, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners, sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, and blinds, which offer enhanced control and automation features through connectivity and smart technology.

What is the definition of appliance?

An appliance is a tool or device designed for a specific function, like a refrigerator, stove, or washing machine.

Where can I buy affordable household items?

You can find affordable home items from online marketplaces, IKEA, Walmart, Target, dollar stores, local marketplaces, outlet stores, and online stores with promotions and discounts.

More English Vocabulary

If you want to learn more English words, here are some topic suggestions:

  • Garden Tools
  • Homonyms
  • Animals that Start With N
  • Positive Personality Traits
  • Doctor Names List

Household Appliance Quiz

Household Items: Join the Conversation

Can you think of one household item you can’t live without? What is it? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults, Great Debates for ESL/EFL, and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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