At one point in your life, you would be getting married and soon be moving into a new place with your life partner (or maybe you already did). Besides settling down together, there are also a bunch of questions about what furniture to get and perhaps in this modern age, what kind of tech gadget and home appliances do you need in the household?
Of course, every couple has different needs and wants. So as a disclaimer, this is my personal list of tech gadgets and home appliances I got as a newlywed and why I think you should too (especially if you’re a modern millennial like me). If you fit into this category, go on below to check out my recommendations.
1) A man cave/workstation setup
If there’s anything that we learned from the pandemic these past two years, it’s that we now understand the importance of having your own space to keep your mind sane or a breather for some privacy. Having a small office at home is quite common, especially when it’s just the two of you but when it comes to apartments, you would have to make some adjustments.
The gadgets on my home office computer table (L-R) – ASUS TUF gaming laptop, laptop stand, Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 Bluetooth speakers, a mini humidifier, Acer Aopen 27HC5RP gaming monitor, Xbox 360 wired controller, K660 mechanical keyboard, large leather mousepad keyboard mat, Logitech G703 wireless gaming mouse, RGB light stand and an Edifier G4 gaming headset
In my case, I have decorated and set up my first man cave (it’s a term for men to have a place to relax and pursue hobbies away from the rest of the family – Google definition) in my small apartment. Besides playing PC games, I use my mancave as my workstation as well since I’m still working from home.
Keep in mind that to set up your man cave, you would need to spend quite a lot especially if you want to “syok sendiri” with your gamer aesthetics. A man cave can also be other things like a gaming console room, a quiet place for reading, or even a place for your significant other to have some alone time.
2) A decent TV and soundbar setup
My PRISM+ Pro 55 QE TV, Sonos Ray soundbar and a Nintendo Switch
Having a TV in the living is quite a no-brainer for most newlyweds, but for those who are quite particular about having a decent entertainment experience, it’s a different story. No TV would be completed without a good soundbar and perhaps even throwing in a Nintendo Switch in there like myself.
As we have written it before, there are actually a few factors in getting a TV for your living room. Getting a 50-55-inch smart TV is usually good enough for apartments that are around 800sf and above. Otherwise, getting a huge TV (65-inch and above) would almost be the equivalent of sitting in the front row seats of a cinema. An 8K resolution TV and even high refresh rates aren’t that important because current movies and TV shows aren’t made for that (even with AI upscaling they tend to look unnatural). In terms of OLED and LCD, both are fine and depend on your entertainment needs and budget.
Branded soundbars do sound a lot better but you can always purchase a soundbar 2.1 ch type to save your budget
A soundbar is pretty important too if you like better audio quality, especially when watching a movie at night with your partner. For the uninitiated, a soundbar with a higher channel does not always mean it is the best. For example, having a 2.1 ch soundbar is decent enough for a small living room. The left channel indicates the number of speakers whereas the right means the subwoofer. So if you’re getting a 5.1 soundbar, that means it has 5 speakers and a subwoofer.
3) A cordless vacuum cleaner
For the ladies (and men), this goes without saying that it’s important to keep the place clean. While a wired vacuum cleaner would be more affordable, a cordless vacuum cleaner like the likes of Dyson and others would definitely make your life more convenient without having to be mindful of accidental cable trips.
Beep boop, Xiaomi Mi Robot vacuum at your service
Likewise, you could also get a robot vacuum cleaner to assist if you and your partner have a busy working schedule. From my Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro review, you can control when to start vacuuming and mopping during the daytime before you come back as long as it’s switched on. It may not be as effective as manual cleaning but it gets the job done and saves a lot of time.
4) A multi-cooker
Living in small apartments would sometimes result in having a smaller kitchen which can be a minus for those who cook at home. So in order to save space, having a multi-cooker would not only save space but also offer convenience instead of having to get one kitchen appliance for one specific task.
Still in good condition after many years of usage
That being said, you and your friends may have discussed the infamous Thermomix before. It’s expensive as heck and could punch through a wallet leaving a hole, but it could be one of the best purchases that you could make as well. You would probably take a pinch of salt but so far, I haven’t heard a bad thing from my friends and family who are still using Thermomix after many years.
If you’re not keen to splash your budget on this, then an electric induction cooker can do just fine. Most of the time, the default electric inductor cookers provided aren’t up to par so you may as well get one yourself at a decent RM200-RM300 price range from reputable brands like Electrolux.
5) A WiFi Range extender
Even in a small apartment, you may encounter some dead WiFi zones especially in the master bedroom and main bathroom together. The way to solve this is to simply get a WiFi Range Extender (a.k.a. WiFi Booster or Repeater). Depending on where your WiFi Router is placed, you should always place your WiFi Range Extender at the weakest WiFi area so you can have good connection coverage.
How a WiFi Range Extender works
Before you get one, be sure to consult with your local seller because some WiFi boosters may have different specialities or work better with routers of the same brand. Some have twin extenders, some are wall-plug types and others. Also, any extender device such as the Xiaomi Mi WiFi Range Extender can do.
Honourable mention – An electric door lock
Before I end this article, I think it’s worth mentioning about getting an electric door lock (which I don’t have) for you and your partner too. Granted, it can easily cost up to a RM1000 or more but it’s a lot more secure than regular locks. If you think about it, you and your partner can both conveniently enter through the door lock without having to take out the keys. Your parents can also just come in if you authorise them and it’s good for the kids (if any) too.
Again, this list is just from my personal experience and I recognise that there are still a few things I left out that may be important to you. If there’s anything that you think is also needed, you can comment in the comments below (or the Facebook post here)! That’s all folks and stay tuned for more trending tech articles at TechNave.com.