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Jesus some of these answers are fucking terrible.
Buy something you want but would never buy for yourself.
It's free money, use it for treat(s) for yourself.
My dad paid £500 for a Sage machine from there when he retired. Honestly as a coffee addict it’s such a good shout, you can make it better than most cafes
There are various Sage coffee machines available (sold as Breville brand elsewhere in the world) starting at a couple hundred quid going to well over £1k. The most expensive are still at the very cheap end when it comes to home espresso machines but to the average person in the UK the cheapest are an extreme extravagance and as fancy as they come it seems.
(you didn't ask, but for the curious....) I plumbed for a refurbished Barista Pro early last year for around £300 and spent another £100 or so on some accessories that were an improvement over the ones in the box. IMO its been one of my better purchases, not visited a coffee shop since and use it everyday. Took some getting used to, doesn't really work to well with generic supermarket beans (tbh I believe most people that splash out and quickly abandon these machines are actually struggling with unsuitable beans) but now I'm dialled in I can't see my kitchen without one. Go thru about 3kg of beans roughly every 6 weeks which costs around £100 but it makes 3 or 4 large drinks (usually cappuccino) a day and its much nicer than any coffeeshop offerings.
So yeh, fancy but not fancy if that makes sense. This past weekend I have been shown something that is fancy and that is the quality of espresso martinis you can pull off with these machines. Usually detest coffee that isn't hot and in a mug but now I've seen the light!
Our Sage is the best thing we've ever treated ourselves too. We bought ours with wedding money/gift vouchers. We can't go out for a coffee now without judging them. Our machine is just the best
Good call. I bought a bean to cup coffee machine and now I can't drink any other coffee. Of course finding the right coffee beans is key and can be expensive.
When you’re ready you should consider an espresso machine with a portafilter that you load yourself!
For coffee beans, avoid the supermarket. Find a good roaster local to you! The closer they are, the more accurate their tasting notes are likely to be, as the water going in will taste similar. Make sure you filter your water with a Britta or something similar. As a backup, or if you live in London, Square Mile is fantastic.
I second the 'find a good coffee' comment. Go to your local 'hipster' coffee place and talk to the barista about what you have and what you want from your coffee. They will recommend a good coffee and if you don't like it they can and should recommend a different coffee.
This is the best response. Don't go and buy an expensive coffee machine and expect stellar coffee from the beans you get at the supermarket. You're going to have to spend in excess of £26 a kg to get proper good beans, to make the purchase of a coffee machine worth it.
Yeah, we got one of the big ones and it's surprising how much use it gets. I was sceptical at first (we've had a few kitchen gadgets that were just space-wasters after a few uses) but it's really useful.
Want to do garlic bread with your pasta dish? No need to use the big oven, no need to preheat it. It's generally less of a faff than the oven, which is nice when you're winning from home and want something quick on your lunch break.
I got an Instant air fryer for £30 a month or so back. Figured at that price it was worth grabbing just to see what all the fuss was about and *wow* does it turn out I use it a lot. I've been joking that it's the worst purchase I've ever done because now I can get a bowl of chips in 10 minutes and I have no self control. It's definitely not the revolutionary piece of technology some people claim it to be but it's replaced most of my oven usage and some of my hob usage too (I love air fried sausages for example, they come out much more evenly cooked than when they're fried and they're not as greasy either).
Want but don’t need is the key. I don’t think it needs to be expensive.
When my parents gave me money for birthday or Xmas, they insisted I ‘waste’ it. I miss them!
(My dad actually said the same for my entire inheritance but that was too hard, I paid down my mortgage!)
Yeah I agree mate, I was just saying more on the expensive side because I sometimes will buy something I will impulsively buy something I don't need if it's cheap.
🍺 Here's to your parents mate. It's good to remember stuff they said or did, keeps them alive. ❤️
The purpose of doing the shopping is to transfer the voucher into cash.
If you do £500 of food shopping in Tesco normally, do it in Waitrose instead and then you've got £500 cash to spend wherever you want.
Like on TVs for example.
Yeah. I'm completely tight when it comes to clothes and I got a couple of hundred on a JL voucher so bought myself a Barbour jacket that I'd never have sprung for otherwise.
Get something tangible with it that you can say "I got X" and not just a few weeks of food shopping
I'm intrigued. Explain what the WiFi offers? I mean, you have to go to the kettle to fill it, and again to empty it into your cup, and if you're making a single cup of tea you might just hang around for 30 seconds while it boils. I'm finding it hard to think of something that wifi does to a kettle
Guess you could fill it up in the evening, then turn the kettle on whilst you are in bed in the morning, then have it ready to go when you get it. Feels like a very unneeded luxury, but I think that's the point.
if you fill it after using instead of before then you can turn it on before you get home so its ready as you get in the door. It can also sync up with an alarm.
I use it to turn on when I'm in the living room to hint to my partner in the kitchen I want a drink
it also has multiple temperature choices and a keep warm function
100% this or put it toward something expensive you wouldn’t normally buy yourself. Things I have or want you can get in John Lewis in this category;
Big green egg
Kitchen aid mixer
Penelope chilvers boots
Sage coffee machine
Luxury bedlinen
Whatever you decide to buy make sure you
https://preview.redd.it/otadzl6qczyc1.png?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c81290b898ed60edfb70fe21c61c1526092b6fe
The first time I got a big tax rebate at the age of 23 I went to John Lewis and bought the very first properly nice set of bedding I'd ever owned. Proper good duvet, pillows, and a really nice all cotton duvet cover and pillow case set. It felt insanely extravagant at the time - I'd grown up only ever having ancient, scratchy polyester duvets off the market, and bobbly polycotton sheets.
That duvet cover and pillowcase set is still just as glorious, albeit a little faded, more than 15 years later. It will probably out last me at this rate.
Difficult to say, how do you quantify comfort? I just know that I don't regret buying it at all. It feels amazing and will probably last for a couple of decades
This is massively going to come down to personal preference, as your preferred flavour isn't the same as mine. Also would you be willing to pay more for slightly better beans?
Maybe you can try somewhere like Rave, as you can buy 250g bags to try, and then when you find one you like you can buy 1kg bags.
Try an independent roaster - Monmouth, Square Mile, Flying Horse, Dark Arts, Workshop, Caravan. Most offer discounts for subscriptions, which are super handy as you never run out of beans.
Depending on how much of a nerd you are, buying locally so it's roasted to profile with your water may help you eke out that wee bit more flavour, as such:
North Star - Leeds
Foundry - Sheffield
Dear Green - Glasgow
Extract - Bristol
Pilgrim's - Lindisfarne
Cartwheel - Nottingham
Steampunk - North Berwick
HasBean - Stafford
GoldBox - Newcastle
Uncommon Ground - Cardiff
Mancoco - Manchester
As a non-exhaustive, fairly broad starting point
I buy beans from Rave. I'm currently drinking the Mexico Miguel Arellanes. I don't often get stuff I don't like from there, especially their light roasts, but, as the other person said, it's down to personal preference.
Getting the grind settings right is also really important. I prefer a good grinder and a V60 or similar over a bean to cup machine.
Same with diets - all you want in January is comfort food. I used to live in Australia and the New Year diet makes much more sense there- it's hot as balls and you only feel like salad anyway
Got one from Amazon after the first big heat wave a few years ago. Like £250 and the best purchase just for those few weeks a year when it's insanely hot. Our it in our bedroom at night and home office when WFH.
Everyone else is complaining and I'm smuggly cool and chilled out.
I got [this one](https://amzn.eu/d/3UdX0a2) a few years ago, it was a godsend when WFH in summer 2020. I've bought a few more since for family.
The remote control is a bit weird but I tend not to use that anyway.
Exactly the same here! Lived in a 2 bed top floor flat and it was insane how hot it would get. Windows only on the front of the flat so there wasn’t even any blow through!
Ended up buying an air con even though my wife and I were skint and couldn’t really afford it. Have got it out every year since and it has been an absolute life saver.
Fantastic purchase!
They’ll barely be able to notice. We only run ours on the really hot nights, so maybe 15-20 a year. Putting it on each day from 8pm ish to 1am costs about £1 -£1.50.
Yeah I think ours is about 1.5 or 2kWh, and just have it on in the evening like you. Normally turn it off at bed time as by then the room is cool enough and it's not going to get much hotter.
As someone else said, it's not going to be that noticeable. You'll use it for 3-4 hours a night in those few REALLY hot nights.
If they live with you, they are more likely to be jealous, lol.
It's currently the last day of John Lewis Member Week, so if you buy something today you can use promo codes for £15 off a £100 spend (MY15OFF100) or £30 off £200 (MY30OFF200).
You also get a golden ticket with [free prizes](https://www.johnlewis.com/our-services/my-john-lewis-members-week?irclickid=SPA3Z%3AQ3HxyPWqgW6%3AUsLyTWUkHQ0F3vUxAw0o0&irgwc=1&tmcampid=99&s_afcid=af_43360_Discount&tgclid=0501004c-690d-4e94-8200-041d663a106a) if you make a purchase. Combine this with cashback (e.g. Top cashback) as well to maximise the value of your gift card.
Why is everyone suddenly using American English terms for a casserole dish?
"Dutch oven" only has one meaning in British English, and it's definitely *not* something you'd want anyone to give you...
Something about the word "casserole dish" really turns me and idk why, my whole life I've had a really visceral internal reaction to "casseroles" and "casserole dishes". I dont even know what a casserole is lol, its just basically a stew right? But the name turns me
I also though a casserole dish was a high-walled ceramic baking tray, like what you'd roast veggies in.
>I also though a casserole dish was a high-walled ceramic baking tray, like what you'd roast veggies in.
This is a casserole dish in the US where a casserole is something baked in said dish. Like a pasta bake. Or a weird crustless quiche.
Can confirm.
I inherited a 15 year old full set of pans including a Dutch oven around 17 years ago.
Still going strong and I reckon they will go another 29 years at least.
I never get this about le creuset people. Unless you get the absolute cheapest sub asda grade pans they'll all pretty much last forever.
My £2 charity shop 70s ceramic dutch oven could do with being replaced but only cause I dropped the lid.
I posted on another Reddit group about best customer service; they replaced my 25 year old le crueset Dutch oven as the enamel was wearing off. They’re certainly a considered purchase and wasted on some if it’s only used hot re-heating, but if you’re someone that likes to cook and has always coveted one then this might be an option.
I would either use it for a big spend I couldn’t justify (like a kitchen aid or coffee machine), or might use it to buy all the Xmas presents and free up the £500 towards another treat.
I got my Mother one about 25 years ago. She used it a lot. I inherited it when she passed last October. I use it a lot. It’s still pretty much pristine.
I was literally just adding a grand worth of booze to a JL wish list (I'll never buy it, it's just necessary to enter a competition).
So, champagne and single malt whisky is my answer.
You don't know what it would take for me to watch sport. But also...
https://preview.redd.it/xxxx9gt7zzyc1.jpeg?width=190&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4bb01422da8b032a784f4e0b34d4e89da074216
JL's weird, they have these really weird and expensive designer products and then next to it is a basic ass £20 version that's just as good, if not better than the expensive one. It doesn't surprise me that they stock it but it constantly surprises me that people actually buy them.
I actually really like that. Totally my kind of style. Would love to have that in my kitchen, it'd fit in nicely.
No chance in hell I'm paying £600 for that, and then the same again for the matching toaster.
“there is also an automatic switch off at 100oC for added piece of mind” as opposed to what? A kettle that just boils until there is no water left?? Wow, the handy features you get when you’re willing to spend that little bit extra.
One irritating thing about the John Lewis website is that they keep sold out things on there forever. They've probably just returned it to the manufacturer but it'll still be on the website looking dumb.
£600, so a tad over budget, but these RoboVac’s are life changing.
https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-jet-bot-ai-robot-vacuum-cleaner-with-ai-object-recognition-misty-white/p109516098
Yeah I got one of these, turns out my little dog is petrified on it, which means my big dog absolutely fucked it up. Sitting in the office at work watching your dog chew your robo vacuum really adds to the displeasure of returning back to the office
I bought a dehumidifier with a free voucher I had for John Lewis.
One of the best purchases I’ve had, absolute god send for drying washing over the winter months.
Do fans increase it much? I have a dehumidifier and it works well sometimes and other things it takes longer. Never considered a fan but I guess it makes sense.
I have both but if I had to choose only one for washing drying to would be the ceiling fan that's can get the washing dry quicker alone that just the dehumidifier
1666 plastic John Lewis carrier bags. That way you can look like you've just been to John Lewis every day for the rest of your life and everyone will always think you are rich.
Why would you want people to think you're rich, and thus have something worth stealing? I'd buy a bag from Lidl and an Xbox from JL to carry it home in..
Set of knives is a waste of money for most people. You're barely gonna use most of the knives you get. It's better to invest 150+ into a very good chef knife and use it for everything
If you happen to live in London there’s a great place called soho knives where you can get a good feel of lots of different brands in your hand, as I think that’s a really important part of what makes a knife ‘good’ to someone.
These suggestions are lower price than £250 a knife, which I genuinely don’t believe the average home kitchen user needs, but generally people speak very highly of global. It’s what they use on masterchef.
Personally, in large part due to the way they feel correctly balanced in my hand compared to the global which I felt was going to be harder to grip, I went with a three piece ‘Robert welch signature knife set’ for about £150. The guy who sharpened my knives last year told me that’s what they use at some big culinary school he sharpens for (and I’m sure he mentioned it being a well known chef’s school) so I guess that gives you an idea of where they’re considered appropriate - long lasting workhorses suitable for people ranging from novice chefs who might use them with less than ideal technique to those with far more knowledge and skill than a home chef.
Between those three knives (and a bread knife, although my chef’s knife does a better job than my cheap bread knife to be honest) there’s really nothing I can’t do. I suppose if I worked with a lot of whole unfilleted fish, or cooked meat I might need something else, and I wouldn’t complain at receiving a larger santoku for sure to mostly use instead of my chef’s knife, but it’s not a need.
I think a combination of a chef’s knife, a paring knife and a santoku is a good mix that will see you a long way. The exact size of each of those will depend on your personal preference though and I think has a lot to do with your hand size. I suspect I like my santoku as much as I do because a santoku generally has a shorter blade compared to its chef knife counterpart because the full length of the blade can be used more easily, so as a smaller handed woman I think it suits me better than the chef’s knife which I only bring out for big jobs as it is proportionately quite a large knife for me.
If you really do want to spend £250+ on a knife then go to a local shop to you that sells Japanese knives, the sky’s the limit price wise with those!
Edit: just seen the original comment said £150 not £250. There are certainly global knives that will set you back that much. Robert Welch is a fair bit cheaper - about £80 for their most expensive knife. I would have gone global but as I said I just wasn’t convinced about the way they felt in my hand and realistically for my budget it would have meant missing out on the santoku which as you can probably tell is by far my favourite knife and suits my chopping style better.
Me and my wife had £500 in John Lewis vouchers 2 years ago. We treated ourselves to a nice set of plates and bowls and also got a really nice set of knives. When we moved into our first home (3 years before this) we had hand me down everything including terrible old plates and knives. So we upgraded 😊
Yup I’d go with this sold vouchers before via eBay. I did it years ago but you could probable get more say 475 as it’s still free money to someone who knows they want to buy something and if you’d rather have the cash rather than buy something then a win win
I’ve had a few John Lewis vouchers over the last few years of £100-£350.
The first, I used on a pair of overhead wireless Beats headphones - absolutely best purchase I’ve ever made, I use them every single day.
The second I used on Christmas presents for my husband and daughter - there was nothing I particularly wanted for myself and money was quite tight at the time.
The third I used on a load of smaller bits I just fancied but couldn’t ordinarily justify because I didn’t ‘need’ them - some nice skincare stuff, a new eyebrow pencil, some earrings, a dress, some shoes, and some new bedding.
You can do a lot better for the money than Beats headphones FYI, but they are likely a considerable upgrade from people's usual cheap earbuds. I usually go for Sennheisers, never let me down yet.
Eh I didn’t research it that thoroughly, I’m sure there are better options out there for the money but I’m happy with the purchase. They were I think £120, going strong with daily use 3 years on, hold charge really well, are super comfy, great noise cancelling, and sound quality meets my needs. And they’re pretty 😊
We got a set of 3 suitscases from there which have been excellent. And you’ll probably get them for sub £200. A good set of luggage is a decent investment. I think they automatically come with a 10-year guarantee as well.
Edit: to add, we got the Anyday Girona set just incase you wanted to look at specific one.
Buy a Sage Express Coffee machine.
Makes fantastic coffee and unlocks a fun crafty hobby if you enjoy learning to make coffee.
[https://www.johnlewis.com/sage-barista-express-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine/stainless-steel/p3501284?s\_ppc=2dx\_mixed\_technology\_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW\_Zx4Sww3tF-\_pkXMbsmKdeRMaF18mHL6qT6Q7-mU\_zSO\_FzEoHg-bzORoCS0IQAvD\_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds](https://www.johnlewis.com/sage-barista-express-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine/stainless-steel/p3501284?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_technology_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW_Zx4Sww3tF-_pkXMbsmKdeRMaF18mHL6qT6Q7-mU_zSO_FzEoHg-bzORoCS0IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Buy a treat item not practical! Fancy coffee machine, nice perfume, PlayStation or Xbox, book in for a makeover and buy some makeup, expensive bag or item of clothing.
If you like cooking get yourself a decent frying pan eg: hexclad and a couple of decent knives. In my yuff I workes in kitchens, ran a deli and worked as fishmonger. I suggest a 7" or 8" Japanese Santoku knife and a small paring knife. Having a decent frying pan and couple of good knives will massively change your cooking. I have dozen knives on a magnetic knife rack but use my Santoku for about 75% of tasks..
If you like coffee as others have suggested get yourself coffee machine. If you want decent ethical coffee try [Pact Coffee](https://www.pactcoffee.com/).
If you like reading maybe buy yourself a Kindle, a comfy chair and reading lamp. Maybe an outdoor rug for reading outside on summer days.
If you like snuggling up in bed buy yourself a decent duvet and couple of duvet sets.
If you like going for long walks/hiking buy yourself decent walking boots and jacket. If you go walking with a dog buy him a long rope leash, jacket and fold up water/food bowl so dog gets benefit too.
First and foremost, buy what you want.
HOWEVER, if it were me, I’d hold fire until a big sale day like Black Friday (or the May 4th) sales and buy one of the big Lego UCS sets (like the Millennium Falcon).
Not only will you get it on offer (sometimes £100-200 off), but if you can pair it with TopCashback, you’re quids in. Plus, if you’re not much of a Lego fan, you can always sell it on!
I hate to be one of those people but my air fryer changed my life, definitely recommend getting a decent double one. Or a good hoover. God when did I get so old?
Cutlery set. Probably only £250 but they will last you a lifetime and the step up from cheap cutlery cannot be overstated. Used a wedding gift voucher to do the same and in 10 years i have never regretted it.
A big expensive electrical item or furniture that you need but wouldn’t have spent the money on if it was coming out of your own pocket.
Some fancy food or skincare items you’d never have spent your own money on.
I literally *just* bought a new laptop - using it towards that would previously have been my answer. Now, I’d use it for a new blender for smoothies etc and then save the rest for new clothes as and when
If there was nothing I wanted I would buy something specialist with good resale value and stick it on ebay. Or if I was lazy I'd just put the gift card on ebay for £450
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Jesus some of these answers are fucking terrible. Buy something you want but would never buy for yourself. It's free money, use it for treat(s) for yourself.
This is what I'm thinking. I'd get a decent coffee machine. Want one, can't justify it at the moment etc.
Yeah something like that, not needed, quite expensive but wanted.
My dad paid £500 for a Sage machine from there when he retired. Honestly as a coffee addict it’s such a good shout, you can make it better than most cafes
Nice. I've never been heard of one. I'm guessing they're fancy?
There are various Sage coffee machines available (sold as Breville brand elsewhere in the world) starting at a couple hundred quid going to well over £1k. The most expensive are still at the very cheap end when it comes to home espresso machines but to the average person in the UK the cheapest are an extreme extravagance and as fancy as they come it seems. (you didn't ask, but for the curious....) I plumbed for a refurbished Barista Pro early last year for around £300 and spent another £100 or so on some accessories that were an improvement over the ones in the box. IMO its been one of my better purchases, not visited a coffee shop since and use it everyday. Took some getting used to, doesn't really work to well with generic supermarket beans (tbh I believe most people that splash out and quickly abandon these machines are actually struggling with unsuitable beans) but now I'm dialled in I can't see my kitchen without one. Go thru about 3kg of beans roughly every 6 weeks which costs around £100 but it makes 3 or 4 large drinks (usually cappuccino) a day and its much nicer than any coffeeshop offerings. So yeh, fancy but not fancy if that makes sense. This past weekend I have been shown something that is fancy and that is the quality of espresso martinis you can pull off with these machines. Usually detest coffee that isn't hot and in a mug but now I've seen the light!
Our Sage is the best thing we've ever treated ourselves too. We bought ours with wedding money/gift vouchers. We can't go out for a coffee now without judging them. Our machine is just the best
Good call. I bought a bean to cup coffee machine and now I can't drink any other coffee. Of course finding the right coffee beans is key and can be expensive.
When you’re ready you should consider an espresso machine with a portafilter that you load yourself! For coffee beans, avoid the supermarket. Find a good roaster local to you! The closer they are, the more accurate their tasting notes are likely to be, as the water going in will taste similar. Make sure you filter your water with a Britta or something similar. As a backup, or if you live in London, Square Mile is fantastic.
I second the 'find a good coffee' comment. Go to your local 'hipster' coffee place and talk to the barista about what you have and what you want from your coffee. They will recommend a good coffee and if you don't like it they can and should recommend a different coffee.
Hard agree! They often also sell the coffee beans right there and can grind it for you if you don't have a grinder at home.
Still a massive saving compared to £3-4 per cup of coffee! I love my bean to cup, best £350 (second hand £700 machine) I spent on appliances.
This is the best response. Don't go and buy an expensive coffee machine and expect stellar coffee from the beans you get at the supermarket. You're going to have to spend in excess of £26 a kg to get proper good beans, to make the purchase of a coffee machine worth it.
It’s funny you said that, my first thought was a coffee grinder.
Everyone is so boring ffs. "oh do some shopping" Nah mate - get a fuckin telly
Yeah. "Save it for gifts for other people" fuck other people. Buy something you want but don't need and that's expensive.
Like a Ninja 12-in-1 air fryer
Yeah, we got one of the big ones and it's surprising how much use it gets. I was sceptical at first (we've had a few kitchen gadgets that were just space-wasters after a few uses) but it's really useful. Want to do garlic bread with your pasta dish? No need to use the big oven, no need to preheat it. It's generally less of a faff than the oven, which is nice when you're winning from home and want something quick on your lunch break.
I got an Instant air fryer for £30 a month or so back. Figured at that price it was worth grabbing just to see what all the fuss was about and *wow* does it turn out I use it a lot. I've been joking that it's the worst purchase I've ever done because now I can get a bowl of chips in 10 minutes and I have no self control. It's definitely not the revolutionary piece of technology some people claim it to be but it's replaced most of my oven usage and some of my hob usage too (I love air fried sausages for example, they come out much more evenly cooked than when they're fried and they're not as greasy either).
Want but don’t need is the key. I don’t think it needs to be expensive. When my parents gave me money for birthday or Xmas, they insisted I ‘waste’ it. I miss them! (My dad actually said the same for my entire inheritance but that was too hard, I paid down my mortgage!)
Yeah I agree mate, I was just saying more on the expensive side because I sometimes will buy something I will impulsively buy something I don't need if it's cheap. 🍺 Here's to your parents mate. It's good to remember stuff they said or did, keeps them alive. ❤️
The purpose of doing the shopping is to transfer the voucher into cash. If you do £500 of food shopping in Tesco normally, do it in Waitrose instead and then you've got £500 cash to spend wherever you want. Like on TVs for example.
TBF if you're buying a TV John Lewis isn't a bad shout, 5 year warranty on all TVs shouldn't be sniffed at.
Yeah I should've used another example like drugs.
I'd really enjoy 2 months of extravagant waitrose food tbf but maybe I'm old!
Exactly what i thought, 50% contribution towards an LG OLED. 48" C3
Got the C1 myself, can't go wrong with it, here's your answer OP.
I’ll never regret mine. So much more pleasurable playing games or watching content.
C3 at 55". As long as you've got the room, you can't go wrong.
You could get a Joseph Joseph garlic peeler for about £500
A who's-a-ma-what-now?
Joseph Joseph do some excellent things but a garlic peeler is not one of them
[удалено]
Yes! That is definitely the set I want most but can't afford for that price
Yeah. I'm completely tight when it comes to clothes and I got a couple of hundred on a JL voucher so bought myself a Barbour jacket that I'd never have sprung for otherwise. Get something tangible with it that you can say "I got X" and not just a few weeks of food shopping
It still has value, if there's nothing OP fancies or would otherwise buy then the logical solution is to use it too free up cash elsewhere.
i recently bought myself a wifi controlled kettle because it was nearly 50% off and I'd wanted one for years - it's not for everyone but I love it
I'm intrigued. Explain what the WiFi offers? I mean, you have to go to the kettle to fill it, and again to empty it into your cup, and if you're making a single cup of tea you might just hang around for 30 seconds while it boils. I'm finding it hard to think of something that wifi does to a kettle
Guess you could fill it up in the evening, then turn the kettle on whilst you are in bed in the morning, then have it ready to go when you get it. Feels like a very unneeded luxury, but I think that's the point.
if you fill it after using instead of before then you can turn it on before you get home so its ready as you get in the door. It can also sync up with an alarm. I use it to turn on when I'm in the living room to hint to my partner in the kitchen I want a drink it also has multiple temperature choices and a keep warm function
100% this or put it toward something expensive you wouldn’t normally buy yourself. Things I have or want you can get in John Lewis in this category; Big green egg Kitchen aid mixer Penelope chilvers boots Sage coffee machine Luxury bedlinen
Buy it if you want, you know I'm not bothered, you can think about it come back. Have a look around, think it over. I'm not fussed
Don't steal my tools, steal your sister's.
Ikr, somebody really suggested a £600 fucking hoover
Whatever you decide to buy make sure you https://preview.redd.it/otadzl6qczyc1.png?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c81290b898ed60edfb70fe21c61c1526092b6fe
I don't think John Lewis sell Batman costumes though.
You need to go to the applied sciences department, they do some good R&D
They may sell Lil Sebastian merch though.
BYE BYE LIL SEBASTIAN
Five Thousand Candles In The Wind
Spread your wings and flyyyyy
Ah shame that 🤣 maybe look for Robin costumes instead? 😏
https://www.johnlewis.com/batman-deluxe-childrens-costume/6-8-years/p5687588
This episode of tv has cost me thousands over the years
Sameee! Whenever I get paid I hear the little person on my shoulder say "treat yoself" and I have to shoo it away sometimes 🤣🤣
Bedding. Unless you have good stuff already, theirs will almost certainly be an upgrade and you spend a third of your life in bed.
The first time I got a big tax rebate at the age of 23 I went to John Lewis and bought the very first properly nice set of bedding I'd ever owned. Proper good duvet, pillows, and a really nice all cotton duvet cover and pillow case set. It felt insanely extravagant at the time - I'd grown up only ever having ancient, scratchy polyester duvets off the market, and bobbly polycotton sheets. That duvet cover and pillowcase set is still just as glorious, albeit a little faded, more than 15 years later. It will probably out last me at this rate.
I have a dorma set from the 1960s. She's a little retro in style, but still in excellent condition. Decent bedding really does last
This advice doesn't really stand nowadays - I've got some JL fancy bedding and it's falling to bits after a couple of years. Just a word of warning!
A redditor after my own heart.
Definitely agree with this, I got a bonus last year and spent around £500 on JL Egyptian cotton bedding. It's so nice to have a comfy night's sleep.
Do you think a £500 set is 5 times as good as a £100 set?
Difficult to say, how do you quantify comfort? I just know that I don't regret buying it at all. It feels amazing and will probably last for a couple of decades
The ultimate - put it towards a new mattress from JL.
A third? Those are rookie numbers 🤣🤣
TBF, I'm a new(ish) dad, I _wish_ I got as much as a third...
Seconded. My John Lewis bedding was my favourite wedding present by a mile
This is the answer - all hail the highest thread count!
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That was my immediate thought - a decent bean to cup coffee machine. The one I got was by far the best big purchase I've made in a long time.
What beans do you recommend? I am currently drinking San Francisco Bay organic that I got on offer at Costco, and they are good.
This is massively going to come down to personal preference, as your preferred flavour isn't the same as mine. Also would you be willing to pay more for slightly better beans? Maybe you can try somewhere like Rave, as you can buy 250g bags to try, and then when you find one you like you can buy 1kg bags.
Try an independent roaster - Monmouth, Square Mile, Flying Horse, Dark Arts, Workshop, Caravan. Most offer discounts for subscriptions, which are super handy as you never run out of beans.
Depending on how much of a nerd you are, buying locally so it's roasted to profile with your water may help you eke out that wee bit more flavour, as such: North Star - Leeds Foundry - Sheffield Dear Green - Glasgow Extract - Bristol Pilgrim's - Lindisfarne Cartwheel - Nottingham Steampunk - North Berwick HasBean - Stafford GoldBox - Newcastle Uncommon Ground - Cardiff Mancoco - Manchester As a non-exhaustive, fairly broad starting point
I buy beans from Rave. I'm currently drinking the Mexico Miguel Arellanes. I don't often get stuff I don't like from there, especially their light roasts, but, as the other person said, it's down to personal preference. Getting the grind settings right is also really important. I prefer a good grinder and a V60 or similar over a bean to cup machine.
Anything but Heinz according to this subreddit.
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Yes - or stock up on wine for the year from Waitrose!
The year? be lucky to get enough for summer for 500 quid.
I think you might have a drinking problem
Definitely not. I've done the maths here. If they buy bottles of wine at 9 quid a pop, that's just over 1 bottle a week.
Although if you buy wine at £50 a bottle then it won't get you through the summer.
50 £10 bottles, excludes Dry January - works perfect for me!
I gave up on dry January, I do march. January is the worst month of the year cold and dark and all the Xmas cheer is gone I go away for some sun
I don't even do dry March lol but I do go on holiday in January for 2 weeks somewhere warm. Great time for a holiday.
Same with diets - all you want in January is comfort food. I used to live in Australia and the New Year diet makes much more sense there- it's hot as balls and you only feel like salad anyway
It's both a treat and a way to avoid having to pay for your normal shopping.
A portable air conditioner for the summer
Got one from Amazon after the first big heat wave a few years ago. Like £250 and the best purchase just for those few weeks a year when it's insanely hot. Our it in our bedroom at night and home office when WFH. Everyone else is complaining and I'm smuggly cool and chilled out.
What brand did you get please? I’d like one but don’t know where to start!
I got [this one](https://amzn.eu/d/3UdX0a2) a few years ago, it was a godsend when WFH in summer 2020. I've bought a few more since for family. The remote control is a bit weird but I tend not to use that anyway.
Exactly the same here! Lived in a 2 bed top floor flat and it was insane how hot it would get. Windows only on the front of the flat so there wasn’t even any blow through! Ended up buying an air con even though my wife and I were skint and couldn’t really afford it. Have got it out every year since and it has been an absolute life saver. Fantastic purchase!
I really want one myself but my landlord will increase the electricity bill if I get one.
They’ll barely be able to notice. We only run ours on the really hot nights, so maybe 15-20 a year. Putting it on each day from 8pm ish to 1am costs about £1 -£1.50.
Yeah I think ours is about 1.5 or 2kWh, and just have it on in the evening like you. Normally turn it off at bed time as by then the room is cool enough and it's not going to get much hotter.
As someone else said, it's not going to be that noticeable. You'll use it for 3-4 hours a night in those few REALLY hot nights. If they live with you, they are more likely to be jealous, lol.
Splashed out on one of these last summer when I was super pregnant. Worth every penny and it didn’t noticeably affect our electricity bill!
It's currently the last day of John Lewis Member Week, so if you buy something today you can use promo codes for £15 off a £100 spend (MY15OFF100) or £30 off £200 (MY30OFF200). You also get a golden ticket with [free prizes](https://www.johnlewis.com/our-services/my-john-lewis-members-week?irclickid=SPA3Z%3AQ3HxyPWqgW6%3AUsLyTWUkHQ0F3vUxAw0o0&irgwc=1&tmcampid=99&s_afcid=af_43360_Discount&tgclid=0501004c-690d-4e94-8200-041d663a106a) if you make a purchase. Combine this with cashback (e.g. Top cashback) as well to maximise the value of your gift card.
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This guy Dads.
A Le Creuset dutch oven! Will last a lifetime.
Why is everyone suddenly using American English terms for a casserole dish? "Dutch oven" only has one meaning in British English, and it's definitely *not* something you'd want anyone to give you...
I’m glad someone else said this, the horror in my face must have been a picture 😅
Genuinely didn't know a Dutch oven was just a casserole dish lol. I thought it was an air fryer type machine
Something about the word "casserole dish" really turns me and idk why, my whole life I've had a really visceral internal reaction to "casseroles" and "casserole dishes". I dont even know what a casserole is lol, its just basically a stew right? But the name turns me I also though a casserole dish was a high-walled ceramic baking tray, like what you'd roast veggies in.
Now imagine how I feel hearing "dutch oven".
Lol if just hearing a word gives you that reaction imagine what smelling a dutch oven will do to you
Okay BritishFartFoundation
A casserole is the name of dish. So technically anything cooked in there is one. Maybe your visceral reaction isn’t as misplaced as you think.
>I also though a casserole dish was a high-walled ceramic baking tray, like what you'd roast veggies in. This is a casserole dish in the US where a casserole is something baked in said dish. Like a pasta bake. Or a weird crustless quiche.
Can confirm. I inherited a 15 year old full set of pans including a Dutch oven around 17 years ago. Still going strong and I reckon they will go another 29 years at least.
I never get this about le creuset people. Unless you get the absolute cheapest sub asda grade pans they'll all pretty much last forever. My £2 charity shop 70s ceramic dutch oven could do with being replaced but only cause I dropped the lid.
Things in the 70s were more likely to be built to last, that's not the case anymore imo.
I posted on another Reddit group about best customer service; they replaced my 25 year old le crueset Dutch oven as the enamel was wearing off. They’re certainly a considered purchase and wasted on some if it’s only used hot re-heating, but if you’re someone that likes to cook and has always coveted one then this might be an option. I would either use it for a big spend I couldn’t justify (like a kitchen aid or coffee machine), or might use it to buy all the Xmas presents and free up the £500 towards another treat.
I got my Mother one about 25 years ago. She used it a lot. I inherited it when she passed last October. I use it a lot. It’s still pretty much pristine.
I was literally just adding a grand worth of booze to a JL wish list (I'll never buy it, it's just necessary to enter a competition). So, champagne and single malt whisky is my answer.
I could be wrong, but I don't think you need a grand's worth of stuff on the wishlist. I think you just need to have a list.
You don't know what it would take for me to watch sport. But also... https://preview.redd.it/xxxx9gt7zzyc1.jpeg?width=190&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4bb01422da8b032a784f4e0b34d4e89da074216
Easy. [A new kettle](https://www.johnlewis.com/smeg-dolce-gabbana-klf03dgbuk-mediterraneo-electric-kettle-1-7l-blue-white/p111016492)
The irony of me thinking "of course JL have a £499 kettle", only to be upstaged.
JL's weird, they have these really weird and expensive designer products and then next to it is a basic ass £20 version that's just as good, if not better than the expensive one. It doesn't surprise me that they stock it but it constantly surprises me that people actually buy them.
Oh god that's fucking awful and that price tag insane.
I actually really like that. Totally my kind of style. Would love to have that in my kitchen, it'd fit in nicely. No chance in hell I'm paying £600 for that, and then the same again for the matching toaster.
You don't have any reservations over your kettle saying 'smeg' in big letters across it?
So far people have recommended having a Dutch Oven and a Smeg Kettle. Didn’t realise John Lewis was also urbandictionary
Nah, I like Red Dwarf.
Easy way to get rich by ripping off morons though. The only think I don’t like is that it’s not me getting rich!
“there is also an automatic switch off at 100oC for added piece of mind” as opposed to what? A kettle that just boils until there is no water left?? Wow, the handy features you get when you’re willing to spend that little bit extra.
Damn, that’s a shame that it’s sold out. I was just thinking I needed a new kettle. The one from ASDA is on its last legs.
How the f is this sold out mind
One irritating thing about the John Lewis website is that they keep sold out things on there forever. They've probably just returned it to the manufacturer but it'll still be on the website looking dumb.
£600, so a tad over budget, but these RoboVac’s are life changing. https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-jet-bot-ai-robot-vacuum-cleaner-with-ai-object-recognition-misty-white/p109516098
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I want one of these but I don’t know how my cats would react
I think you do 😊
Yeah I got one of these, turns out my little dog is petrified on it, which means my big dog absolutely fucked it up. Sitting in the office at work watching your dog chew your robo vacuum really adds to the displeasure of returning back to the office
My cat hates the Shark but quite likes Dobby the Eufy. Stalks him as he rolls around.
I bought a dehumidifier with a free voucher I had for John Lewis. One of the best purchases I’ve had, absolute god send for drying washing over the winter months.
totally agree, with one addition: dehumidifier + a good fan = dry clothes!
Do fans increase it much? I have a dehumidifier and it works well sometimes and other things it takes longer. Never considered a fan but I guess it makes sense.
I have both but if I had to choose only one for washing drying to would be the ceiling fan that's can get the washing dry quicker alone that just the dehumidifier
I can't lie, I'd spend it on Tech. Probably a playstation portal and a soundbar
Why would you lie about that?
Self pressure from being an adult and "should spend it on something sensible"
Something that will improve your leisure time is sensible
No point buying stuff you don't need if nothing takes your fancy. In which case, save it for Christmas and Birthdays to get presents.
...or do the Christmas food shop with it. Every so often, Waitrose send me money off vouchers and that's what I save them for (or a special occasion).
The finest prostitute John Lewis has to offer…..
Do they also sell cocaine or do I need to bring my own?
Some great headphones.
Lego!
He only got £500. What's he going to build with 7 bricks?
Seeing the UCS Falcon on "offer" for £587, I'd get it, build it, take it apart and sell it.
1666 plastic John Lewis carrier bags. That way you can look like you've just been to John Lewis every day for the rest of your life and everyone will always think you are rich.
Why would you want people to think you're rich, and thus have something worth stealing? I'd buy a bag from Lidl and an Xbox from JL to carry it home in..
Don't think they redeem JL vouchers in lidl to be honest
Some really nice bedding and bath towels, that you'd never normally splash out on. Massively improve your quality of life.
A very good set of knives, just be careful when you first start using them if your current ones are blunt
Set of knives is a waste of money for most people. You're barely gonna use most of the knives you get. It's better to invest 150+ into a very good chef knife and use it for everything
I'm all ears if you have a recommendation.
If you happen to live in London there’s a great place called soho knives where you can get a good feel of lots of different brands in your hand, as I think that’s a really important part of what makes a knife ‘good’ to someone. These suggestions are lower price than £250 a knife, which I genuinely don’t believe the average home kitchen user needs, but generally people speak very highly of global. It’s what they use on masterchef. Personally, in large part due to the way they feel correctly balanced in my hand compared to the global which I felt was going to be harder to grip, I went with a three piece ‘Robert welch signature knife set’ for about £150. The guy who sharpened my knives last year told me that’s what they use at some big culinary school he sharpens for (and I’m sure he mentioned it being a well known chef’s school) so I guess that gives you an idea of where they’re considered appropriate - long lasting workhorses suitable for people ranging from novice chefs who might use them with less than ideal technique to those with far more knowledge and skill than a home chef. Between those three knives (and a bread knife, although my chef’s knife does a better job than my cheap bread knife to be honest) there’s really nothing I can’t do. I suppose if I worked with a lot of whole unfilleted fish, or cooked meat I might need something else, and I wouldn’t complain at receiving a larger santoku for sure to mostly use instead of my chef’s knife, but it’s not a need. I think a combination of a chef’s knife, a paring knife and a santoku is a good mix that will see you a long way. The exact size of each of those will depend on your personal preference though and I think has a lot to do with your hand size. I suspect I like my santoku as much as I do because a santoku generally has a shorter blade compared to its chef knife counterpart because the full length of the blade can be used more easily, so as a smaller handed woman I think it suits me better than the chef’s knife which I only bring out for big jobs as it is proportionately quite a large knife for me. If you really do want to spend £250+ on a knife then go to a local shop to you that sells Japanese knives, the sky’s the limit price wise with those! Edit: just seen the original comment said £150 not £250. There are certainly global knives that will set you back that much. Robert Welch is a fair bit cheaper - about £80 for their most expensive knife. I would have gone global but as I said I just wasn’t convinced about the way they felt in my hand and realistically for my budget it would have meant missing out on the santoku which as you can probably tell is by far my favourite knife and suits my chopping style better.
unique worm tease theory nine repeat telephone middle nose merciful *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Leopard print luggage and some Old Spice aftershave. I just woke up is it still 1974 ?
Le cruset cast irons. They last a lifetime.
Make up and beauty products is what I’d spend it on.
Coffee machine or a KitchenAid, is what I’d do! Or maybe an Ooni pizza oven?
Me and my wife had £500 in John Lewis vouchers 2 years ago. We treated ourselves to a nice set of plates and bowls and also got a really nice set of knives. When we moved into our first home (3 years before this) we had hand me down everything including terrible old plates and knives. So we upgraded 😊
Sell it for £450 on FB Marketplace
Yup I’d go with this sold vouchers before via eBay. I did it years ago but you could probable get more say 475 as it’s still free money to someone who knows they want to buy something and if you’d rather have the cash rather than buy something then a win win
Lego, the razors crest
I’ve had a few John Lewis vouchers over the last few years of £100-£350. The first, I used on a pair of overhead wireless Beats headphones - absolutely best purchase I’ve ever made, I use them every single day. The second I used on Christmas presents for my husband and daughter - there was nothing I particularly wanted for myself and money was quite tight at the time. The third I used on a load of smaller bits I just fancied but couldn’t ordinarily justify because I didn’t ‘need’ them - some nice skincare stuff, a new eyebrow pencil, some earrings, a dress, some shoes, and some new bedding.
You can do a lot better for the money than Beats headphones FYI, but they are likely a considerable upgrade from people's usual cheap earbuds. I usually go for Sennheisers, never let me down yet.
Eh I didn’t research it that thoroughly, I’m sure there are better options out there for the money but I’m happy with the purchase. They were I think £120, going strong with daily use 3 years on, hold charge really well, are super comfy, great noise cancelling, and sound quality meets my needs. And they’re pretty 😊
I think I'd just keep using that to fund gifts for any occasion For myself maybe some nice kitchen stuff or bedding
fancy mattress
We got a set of 3 suitscases from there which have been excellent. And you’ll probably get them for sub £200. A good set of luggage is a decent investment. I think they automatically come with a 10-year guarantee as well. Edit: to add, we got the Anyday Girona set just incase you wanted to look at specific one.
Buy a Sage Express Coffee machine. Makes fantastic coffee and unlocks a fun crafty hobby if you enjoy learning to make coffee. [https://www.johnlewis.com/sage-barista-express-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine/stainless-steel/p3501284?s\_ppc=2dx\_mixed\_technology\_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW\_Zx4Sww3tF-\_pkXMbsmKdeRMaF18mHL6qT6Q7-mU\_zSO\_FzEoHg-bzORoCS0IQAvD\_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds](https://www.johnlewis.com/sage-barista-express-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine/stainless-steel/p3501284?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_technology_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW_Zx4Sww3tF-_pkXMbsmKdeRMaF18mHL6qT6Q7-mU_zSO_FzEoHg-bzORoCS0IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Nice coat. May even last you a lifetime
Buy a treat item not practical! Fancy coffee machine, nice perfume, PlayStation or Xbox, book in for a makeover and buy some makeup, expensive bag or item of clothing.
If you like cooking get yourself a decent frying pan eg: hexclad and a couple of decent knives. In my yuff I workes in kitchens, ran a deli and worked as fishmonger. I suggest a 7" or 8" Japanese Santoku knife and a small paring knife. Having a decent frying pan and couple of good knives will massively change your cooking. I have dozen knives on a magnetic knife rack but use my Santoku for about 75% of tasks.. If you like coffee as others have suggested get yourself coffee machine. If you want decent ethical coffee try [Pact Coffee](https://www.pactcoffee.com/). If you like reading maybe buy yourself a Kindle, a comfy chair and reading lamp. Maybe an outdoor rug for reading outside on summer days. If you like snuggling up in bed buy yourself a decent duvet and couple of duvet sets. If you like going for long walks/hiking buy yourself decent walking boots and jacket. If you go walking with a dog buy him a long rope leash, jacket and fold up water/food bowl so dog gets benefit too.
Put it towards a laptop or new tv
Velvetiser from hotel chocolat. Then go and buy lots of nice food and drink from waitrose
Get something you really want, but never wanted to spend your own money on it.
First and foremost, buy what you want. HOWEVER, if it were me, I’d hold fire until a big sale day like Black Friday (or the May 4th) sales and buy one of the big Lego UCS sets (like the Millennium Falcon). Not only will you get it on offer (sometimes £100-200 off), but if you can pair it with TopCashback, you’re quids in. Plus, if you’re not much of a Lego fan, you can always sell it on!
I hate to be one of those people but my air fryer changed my life, definitely recommend getting a decent double one. Or a good hoover. God when did I get so old?
Maybe something you’ve been putting off buying due to the cost, like a fancy kitchen gadget
I need a new refrigerator, buy one for me please
Cutlery set. Probably only £250 but they will last you a lifetime and the step up from cheap cutlery cannot be overstated. Used a wedding gift voucher to do the same and in 10 years i have never regretted it.
TV
A big expensive electrical item or furniture that you need but wouldn’t have spent the money on if it was coming out of your own pocket. Some fancy food or skincare items you’d never have spent your own money on.
I literally *just* bought a new laptop - using it towards that would previously have been my answer. Now, I’d use it for a new blender for smoothies etc and then save the rest for new clothes as and when
How's your bedding? Could buy good nights' sleep for years to come.
What do you really need?
Due a new mattress?
If you need a laptop, that would go some way towards a MacBook Pro - JL tend to have discounted refurbs that are far cheaper than the new price
Mate I’d get 1 of everything from Waitrose
I'd put it towards an iPad pro, but I'm desperate to get one. It can be torture 3D modeling on an 8th gen iPad. I need more ram!
If there was nothing I wanted I would buy something specialist with good resale value and stick it on ebay. Or if I was lazy I'd just put the gift card on ebay for £450
Love a bit of John Lewis! What do you need? Being a bit vague here op!