September 25, 2026

The things we use most every day (and rarely think about)

We use them every day without thinking about them, until the day they stop working.

Nicolai Arnholm
Nicolai Arnholm
Writer
A man puts muddy football kit in the washing machine while two boys laugh

There's a washing machine in most homes. Along with the coffee machine, the robot vacuum, the computer and the bike, it's part of everyday life, and we use many of these things every day, some of them several times a day. Still, we rarely think about them until they stop working.

Three children play with building blocks on the floor while a woman watches from an armchair

We've built our days around them. In many homes the washing machine runs several times a week and the robot vacuum every evening. The laptop is open most of the day, and your bike may be how you get to work.

A woman on a sofa puts her phone down on a marble coffee table

The day your laptop or your bike breaks, you notice how much of your day rests on it.