tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post316566026079164311..comments2008-04-08T19:17:59.087-07:00Crunchy Chickenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10612320939936593420noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-62553139014649280342008-04-08T19:17:00.000-07:002008-04-08T19:17:00.000-07:00I voted stove top, microwave and washing machine, but on retrospect I could live without all of them if I HAD to. They just make my life an awful lot easier being there.<BR/><BR/>As for a fridge and dryer, I would hardly miss them. And I mean it.daharjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15497683565965322222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-49856961194450973242008-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:002008-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:00Wow, so many comments already. Will anybody even see mine?<BR/><BR/>I can live without all of them, but I'd still love to keep a very small fridge. I get unprocessed milk once a week from a local farm and it just won't keep any other way.<BR/><BR/>I can live without a microwave too, as I never cook in one. But reheating? Yes, that saves a lot of power over the cooktop not to mention less dishes washed, etc. Still I did without growing up.Stephen B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-46164208700606601792008-04-05T19:45:00.000-07:002008-04-05T19:45:00.000-07:00Where's the option on the poll for "CAN live without any of these"?<BR/><BR/>I know I'll probably get punched for saying this, but my husband and I are in agreement that we realllllyyyyyy believe microwaving food somehow alters the nutrients differently than conventional cooking does, making them sort of "non-foods," since we've found that for ourselves and many others, the taste and satisfaction in eating things microwaved is just not the same as with other sorts of cooking.<BR/><BR/>Ok, now you can throw the rotten tomatoes (ducking!) :)Robbynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860870861321231048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-18097768072663024052008-04-05T19:43:00.000-07:002008-04-05T19:43:00.000-07:00We recently moved into a new home and decided that the microwave was a 'perceived need' item and didn't take the old micro with us. I haven't missed it AT ALL! <BR/><BR/>I used it mainly for defrosting, so now I plan ahead and take my freezer items out in the morning or the night before needed.Carpe Diemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763985033840702781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-52068547303576063212008-04-05T13:56:00.000-07:002008-04-05T13:56:00.000-07:00Another appliance you didn't include was the electric water kettle. I use it to prepare a hot water bottle at night in wintertime, and to make coffee/tea, and for certain foods (water for couscous, for example). Also: if you're making pasta on the cooktop and don't want the burner on so long, you can boil half the water in the electric kettle, and then add it to the half that's *slowly* coming to a boil on the stove. Much faster way to do it.<BR/><BR/>Of course, the electric kettle is only efficient if you ONLY boil the water you know you need.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-79345440620640627792008-04-05T09:03:00.000-07:002008-04-05T09:03:00.000-07:00Hmm...I have actually lived without all of the listed appliances for varying periods, and could probably live without them again, if I were prepared. I would want a cold room/root cellar if I did not have a fridge, though. So they're all optional, really. But I would be mighty unhappy if someone took my coffeemaker or laptop away...Jesshttp://mundanity.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-43016067121713760252008-04-05T05:30:00.000-07:002008-04-05T05:30:00.000-07:00Obviously people lived for generations w/o any of these so I COULD live w/o them all. I think, assuming I had access to a wood-burning range, the freezer is the thing I'd have the hardest time giving up. I just SOOO prefer the taste of frozen fruits & veggies over canned & also use my freezer alot for stocking up when something basic that we use alot of goes on sale, I'll get a bunch & freeze it till we need it. (though I suppose in a world w/o any appliances, I wouldn't be shopping at stores either LOL. But still brings us back to needing to preserve fruits & vegetables in teh summer for use in the winter, and I prefer frozen (it's easier & I like the taste better LOL).Sweetpeashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688283236426618677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-82483339292787118342008-04-04T20:19:00.000-07:002008-04-04T20:19:00.000-07:00We gave away our microwave a couple of years ago and we've never looked back. <BR/><BR/>And I can't even remember when I last used the oven. But the toaster oven we use once in a while. We've hardly been using the burner, too, as we eat a lot of raw foods lately.<BR/><BR/>As far as washer: I grew up in a country where we had someone come in and do our laundry- by hands. In college, I usually hand-washed them myself. So I don't think I want to part with mine. (Especially when you're a family of 5, almost 6, actually.)Yielded Hearthttp://yielded.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-43321927466364903222008-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:002008-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:00i lived for many years with my only appliance as a propane burner and weekly trips to the laundromat. 5 years with either no fridge, sharing one next door, or a cooler. but also i was in hawaii where fresh food was plentiful year round, i was a vegetarian and happy drinking soy milk. now i live in lake placid,ny where there is still plenty snow on the ground. i get a delivery of raw milk every two weeks. once a month i get a delivery from a csa farmer who takes our orders for meats, eggs, frozen berries, honey, jams, etc. everything is local and without the means to preserve it, i'd be eating a lot more foods trucked in from far away. ideally i'd have a chest freezer outside. instead of cooling a box inside my heated box. crazy!melanietainoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-27403838079802356012008-04-04T17:36:00.000-07:002008-04-04T17:36:00.000-07:00cindyw - in response to your stovetop question, there is also the raw food movement. i'm an accidental raw food vegan: i hate buying and cooking meat, so i don't. i'm also lactose intolerant, so no dairy. and i don't cook, so most of my food is raw. it's really easy to adapt to, actually... and i feel a lot healthier than ever, which is a bonus, 'cause it saves me time as well.kimberlynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-60772835767549865912008-04-04T17:20:00.000-07:002008-04-04T17:20:00.000-07:00i don't think any of those things are impossible to live without... i mean, i already don't have an oven, a microwave, a dishwasher or freezer. i use a public clothes washer, but don't use the dryer. i guess the only thing is really the stovetop. but i don't use that much either, 'cause i'm both lazy and unable to cook much other than pasta, or warming up soup. people definitely do convince themselves that they need these things though... i know a lot of people who don't make changes in their lives 'cause they think they couldn't live without certain things, and are too unwilling to try.kimberlynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-64636957597807171132008-04-04T14:42:00.000-07:002008-04-04T14:42:00.000-07:00stella & chile - what I'm cooking up is far more frightening.Crunchy Chickenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10612320939936593420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-12983278916230009292008-04-04T14:26:00.000-07:002008-04-04T14:26:00.000-07:00Oh, yikes, Stella, you may be on to something!Chilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11406176434011890590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-61589589241750100062008-04-04T14:11:00.000-07:002008-04-04T14:11:00.000-07:00uh-oh...is this related to the May challenge that CC is cooking up?stellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-36870478167999571252008-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:002008-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00I can live without owning a personal clothes washer (and I do), but I wouldn't want to live in an apartment complex without one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-51625039076630734082008-04-04T12:39:00.000-07:002008-04-04T12:39:00.000-07:00For cooking without a cooktop, I love my solar ovens, and in the winter we use the wood cookstove, which also heats the house. There are a number of other alternatives, including earth ovens (outdoor masonry ovens that use very small quantities of biomass) and rocket stoves. www.aprovecho.org has a lot of information on environmentally friendly cooking and heating.<BR/><BR/>Sharonjewishfarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17547121621115074866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-90084446981380306702008-04-04T12:11:00.000-07:002008-04-04T12:11:00.000-07:00We have been microwave free since our roommate took hers with her when she moved out. I didn't grow up with it so I don't rely on one. I have been thinking about going fridge free ever since greenasathistle mentioned it on her blog. If I make a bit more money ($10,000 more per year according to my current budget) then I could have my husband stay home permanently and thus not rely on a fridge since he'd be able to make all our meals everyday without worrying about stuff going bad. Once a month cooking wouldn't work though... <BR/><BR/>I've never had a dishwasher...so I can live without it. And we've been drying nearly all our washloads on the clothesline for over a year now. And I didn't grow up with a dryer either. <BR/><BR/>I've cooked using a woodstove and personally I prefer it (food tastes better), so I wouldn't mind going back to using a woodstove when we settle down. <BR/><BR/>I'm thinking of making a cheapo solar cooker and this summer and a more permanent one later this year so see how I can deal without the use of a conventional oven.Beanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03068855919147458057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-31438830445207952402008-04-04T11:52:00.000-07:002008-04-04T11:52:00.000-07:00i marked fridge/freezer. i have a baby and no washer/dryer in our apartment, which makes washing his diapers tricky since i'm working full-time. we have a nifty spin dryer that helps get the extra water REALLY out of his bulky diapers so they hang-dry fast. a spin dryer is a great in-between for people who want clothes dry fairly fast (especially for us that have almost zero space!) but don't want to use the time/energy/money that a heat dryer requires.lindbeamhttp://lindbeam.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-85704306103249895032008-04-04T11:44:00.000-07:002008-04-04T11:44:00.000-07:00It's interesting to me that the poll shows more people can't live out a fridge than a cooktop. Hmmm. I get most of the appliances are somewhat optional. But how do you cook without a cooktop? Collect wood and cook in a fire pit? I must be missing something :)CindyWhttp://www.organicpicks.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-22843964052362938222008-04-04T11:13:00.000-07:002008-04-04T11:13:00.000-07:00I chose all appliances except dishwasher and clothes dryer... I don't fancy washing clothes on a washboard; I need my freezer and refrigerator or risk spoilage which is not being frugal; I have my mom ( 88) living with me and when she is ready to eat she wants it NOW so I use my microwave a lot. I do have a convection oven but find that foods cook unevenly in it.<BR/>Now had you included computer in the list... I would give up all the appliances if I can keep my computer. LOL<BR/>Louise in Alberta, CanadaLouisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11344939433885055743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-64789727506066836662008-04-04T10:37:00.000-07:002008-04-04T10:37:00.000-07:00I finally decided that microwaved foods made me too nervous and stopped using mine for that. I will use it every now and again to heat water for my hot water bottle if I'm feeling a bit chilly when I go to bed but otherwise it sits on a shelf unplugged.<BR/><BR/>Since I'm only cooking for myself, I'm not seeing much of an uptick in electricity usage by using the stove or oven to heat/cook foods. But then I wasn't using the microwave much anyway, certainly not daily.<BR/><BR/>Now at work, all bets are off since there's no stove top, only a microwave. I will heat up my lunch but that's not even every day. It might bother me but my choices are eating cold food or bringing in my own hotplate, pots and pans. My co-workers already look at me a bit askance now ;0<BR/><BR/>While I'm intrigued with the idea of having no refrigerator, I could live without everything on the list. It would be better if I had a woodstove so I could make a clean break but I don't. Not yet anyway.<BR/><BR/>Kerri in AKhomebrewlibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10416576263218131568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-3209155020733364622008-04-04T09:42:00.000-07:002008-04-04T09:42:00.000-07:00I put washer, but then I suddenly realized I don't even own a washer. So I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but I have zero problem going to the laundromat for clothes. (We do have laundry in my building, but the laundromat is across the street and half the time I just go there anyway.)<BR/><BR/>I wish that apartment buildings would have appliance libraries. I don't need my slow cooker every day. I need it about once a week. It would be cool if someone else could use it at other times and we could all share appliances instead of everyone having their own.<BR/><BR/>I think I could do without everything else though. The fridge would be annoying, but I could probably do it (especially if cheating was allowed and I was able to use the fridge at work.)<BR/><BR/>But in the end, I think the point for me is ... right now I think my use of appliances is very energy efficient. As other people pointed out, a microwave is more efficient than an oven. Now if my microwave conked, I would certainly not go out and get a new one, but I would definitely scour Craigslist for a used one because while I CAN do without a microwave, I know my electric bill would be higher without it.arduoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17043512641324366469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-63521439167100159412008-04-04T09:08:00.000-07:002008-04-04T09:08:00.000-07:00I currently have two microwaves. The first one came with the house we bought last year and is leaking radiation according to our inspector so we never use it. It's one of those that's fixed above the stove so we're waiting to replace it but I can't stand that those things cost $300 or more. For crying out loud.<BR/><BR/>I chose the stove top although I'd hate to lose my washing machine also. And my oven. And my fridge. Oh geez.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09786690299330330126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-33393265707687854762008-04-04T08:58:00.000-07:002008-04-04T08:58:00.000-07:00Can't? Well, none of them. I wouldn't *die* without them. But I do love my dishwasher, and I prefer the stovetop inside than cooking on a grill or building a fire on the driveway. ;)Cheap Like Mehttp://cheaplikeme.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-77010886107806961302008-04-04T08:46:00.000-07:002008-04-04T08:46:00.000-07:00As a child, I lived for years without a fridge, freezer, microwave, or dishwasher. We didn't have a washer or dryer either, but we went to the laundromat, so we still used them. I have lived with using the woodstove as a cooktop, though my mother never used it as an oven. We had a propane stove/oven for summertime and baking. I have washed out cloth diapers by hand for seven months before. It used to take me an hour each night to wash them in the tub. I don't know if it is because I am not used to washing by hand or because they were so dirty. Last year I hung all my clothes on the line, or in the closet with a fan if it was raining. I voted that I cannot live without a clothes washer. I know that when the time comes I will, but I wash clothes for 6 and do a load of laundry every single day, not counting the periodic sheets day. I don't know how they get their clothes so dirty every day, but most of the time I cannot say, "That didn't get very dirty, you can fold it and put it back in your dresser." I do rewear my jeans for 3 or 4 days before I wash them. I am going to hang onto my clothes washer as long as I can.Segwynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05873358471387012353noreply@blogger.com