The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Backinwellies on November 29, 2018, 08:17:10 am
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Prompted by womble's tread on head torches I am going to ask for suggestions for excellent gadgets for under £50 (the more UNDER .. the better!!) . Ideas for Christmas needed!
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Treadle feeder from The Incubator Shop
Easy to top up, only have to do it once a week, completely vermin proof and well made. Saving a fortune on feed
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For people with arthritic hands or short on time:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicloon-Vegetable-Automatic-Multifunction-Stainless/dp/B01N958GZC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_201_t_1/258-3691505-1057122?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1WGFVM3Y445GGYQV3RDM (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicloon-Vegetable-Automatic-Multifunction-Stainless/dp/B01N958GZC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_201_t_1/258-3691505-1057122?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1WGFVM3Y445GGYQV3RDM)
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Good move MGOM!
For anybody not arthritic, these old fashioned apple peeler / corer / slicers (https://www.lakeland.co.uk/13181/Apple-Master-Peeler-and-Corer?) are a lot of fun, and also practical:
(https://lakelandcamel.scene7.com/is/image/LakelandCamel/13181_1?$800$)If you've not come aross one of these before, it peels your apple, removes the core and then slices it into a continuous spiral :thumbsup: [size=78%]. [/size]
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(https://cf1.s3.souqcdn.com/item/2015/02/07/78/32/25/7/item_XL_7832257_6858674.jpg)
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For people with arthritic hands or short on time:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicloon-Vegetable-Automatic-Multifunction-Stainless/dp/B01N958GZC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_201_t_1/258-3691505-1057122?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1WGFVM3Y445GGYQV3RDM (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicloon-Vegetable-Automatic-Multifunction-Stainless/dp/B01N958GZC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_201_t_1/258-3691505-1057122?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1WGFVM3Y445GGYQV3RDM)
Couldn’t read that, MGoM!
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I have one of those corer/peeler thingies... brilliant on apples, useless on pears if ripe and pointless if not. The real trick is positioning it correctly on the worktop edge so all the peel falls into the bucket below.
Best recent gadget.. a good old traditional type of percolator https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgento-E011-MO-Stainless-Percolator/dp/B0037KQDWO (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgento-E011-MO-Stainless-Percolator/dp/B0037KQDWO)
Ground coffee seems cheapest at Lidl.. way cheaper than Tesco.I've been playing with it for a month now.My favourite coffee solution is 50:50 Kenyan/columbian DIY blend - Tastes even better after a slice of bacon.Out of laziness I find that rough lining the basket with a 1/4 sheet of kitchen paper means you can dump the mess into the compostable bag with very few grounds needing to be rinsed out - makes the whole process quick, simple and easy to clean.
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A lock-on grease nipple coupler.
(Assuming, of course, that pressie recipient has mechanical equipment that needs to be greased ! :D )
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A lock-on grease nipple coupler.
(Best reserved as a pressie for folk with mechanical equipment that needs to be greased !)
I'm pleased that you clarified that!
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A lock-on grease nipple coupler.
(Best reserved as a pressie for folk with mechanical equipment that needs to be greased !)
I'm pleased that you clarified that!
I did an edit to my post: however, I think my original bracketed comment (as quoted DandC) was probably better than the edit! LOL
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Not sure if this counts as a "gadget", but ... for equipment maintainers: if there's a grumble about getting new oil into awkward filler ports, the Fluid Transfer Pump I bought at fourby.co.uk works a treat. Screws directly onto small plastic oil cans (I've not had a thread mis-match yet on any 5 ltr 'cans') and pumping is very easy and controllable.
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For general gardening op's: a Hori Hori, i.e. a Japanese digging knife. Mine was gifted and I remain ever so grateful. Great for dividing plant "root" balls (apart from the very toughest), freeing up root-bound plants in smaller pots (blade about 7" I think - mine's not to hand so can't measure) and weeding out the rooty stuff.
For tree pruning op's: a Silky brand pruning saw. (Mine's a fine tooth "Silky Gomtaro Apple" - cuts through finger-sized stems with a single backward swipe and leaves an extremely clean cut. Larger cuts no problem, but probably not with a single swipe. I mainly use mine for fruit tree pruning, but it's good for other stuff. Not sure they call the fine tooth version "Apple" any more but it is a formidable tool - mind your fingers!)
I mention these 2 tools in detail because they are, when I think about it, the 2 tools I would simply not be without. Great as gifts - gardening recipients will love you I reckon.
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Yes arowbak. We bought a hori hori. It's great for getting rid of the weeds that grow right next to the plant and good for cutting roots deep.
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Could I please ask what the hori hori is like?- some are very serrated, others slightly pointy towels. -which work best??
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[member=28951]Steph Hen[/member] - mine is the "standard" Hori Hori with serrated blade-edge one side and plain-edge other side. Haven't found plain edge good for much, but it obviously helps "twiddle" it through the soil - it's the serrated edge that I use for divisions etc.
I don't doubt there are quite useful alternative designs, but I've not tried any.
Obviously a Hori Hori will need sharpening periodically. (I frequently renew the edge on all my soil working tools.)