Expert Advice

These 7 Pricey Household Products Are Worth the Splurge

They’re actually life-changing.

By Camille Styles
Alex Van Der Sluys's striking kitchen with stone, brass and pink

Nearly every time I flip the “on” switch of my Dyson hair dryer (which cuts my dry time from 15 minutes to 4 minutes) and feel the super-powered heat blast out of the nozzle, I remind myself, “This hair dryer was worth every penny.” It’s true: I actually derive regular joy from this seemingly unsexy appliance for two reasons:

First, it totally solves a daily problem for me, which is that I hate blow drying my hair because it takes too long. And second, it’s lightweight, well-designed, and just gets the job done so much better than its competitors, that it is basically perfect.

To be clear, this post is #notsponsored by Dyson, but my hair dryer got me thinking about why some big household purchases don’t spark joy in our lives (and may actually spark regret), and why others make our lives easier, happier, or more beautiful in ways that fully justify a large price tag. Scroll on for 7 other pricey home products that are worth the splurge.

photo by Nicole Ramsay

vitamix blender

High-powered blender.

In my experience, anyone who graduates from a dinky countertop blender to a true high-powered version never looks back. Yep, they’re a lot pricier – I’ve got a Vitamix and home and a KitchenAid at our studio – but I literally use mine every day for smoothies, soups, salad dressings, pesto – and I even use it to make ice cream for a last-minute dessert. This is the busiest small appliance in my kitchen, hands-down.

samsung the frame tv

Samsung The Frame TV.

This is one of those purchases that I actually can’t stop talking about. When people walk into our play room or bedroom (yep, we’ve got one in each room) and mention the art on our walls, nothing delights me more than to grab the remote and blow their minds with the fact that it’s actually a television!! This is another product that solved a major problem for me: how to have a crystal-clear TV viewing experience without the eyesore of a big electronic up on our wall. Done and done.

simple human sensor light mirror

Simplehuman Sensor Lighted Mirror.

A few years ago, I decided it was time to upgrade my bathroom counter with a lighted makeup mirror. I did a bunch of research and decided to splurge on this mirror, and boy am I glad I did. It lights up automatically when you get close to it, has the perfect amount of magnification without warping, and also looks sleek and streamlined on the bathroom counter. Yeah it was more expensive than the competitors, but for something that I use every single day and actually improves my makeup and skincare routines, there’s not a doubt in my mind that it was worth every penny.

And a few favorite household splurges from our team members!

ring doorbell

Ring doorbell

When my husband and I moved from our fourth story loft to our home, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy at the thought of  strangers walking up to our front door. Especially when the doorbell would ring at night when I was home alone! Our Ring doorbell has totally squashed my fear. It let’s me see who’s at my door even when I’m not home, and it’s especially helpful in this era of package theft! — Chanel 

tempur-pro adapt mattress

Tempur – Pro-Adapt

Our bed is the place we go to drift off to sleep, roll over to start each day, and our total happy place (especially come Saturday morning). This isn’t somewhere you should cut corners. A high-quality mattress will have features that make it worth more than the cheaper or used versions, and the Tempur Pro Adapt is definitely a splurge we made with zero regrets. It has thicker, higher quality padding that prevents sagging, making it last longer, and helping to avoid back and neck problems. It also has cooling technology (and actually works!) – a must for hot summer nights. They say that we spend about a third of our lives in bed, so why not do it right? — Kat

dyson v10 animal

Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal

With a (600 sqft) household of two humans and three dogs, this vacuum is an absolute lifesaver. It’s powerful, small and cordless, long-lasting with a big reservoir, and comes with multiple different attachment heads! My favorite: the upholstery attachment that removes pet hair from my white sofa like magic. When I’m done, I hang it up on the charging wall attachment in a closet. Voila! — Megan

eame's padded management chair

Eames Padded Management Chair

When I graduated from design school, I gave myself this chair as a gift. It was then — and still is — an outrageous splurge, but I justified it by telling myself that I would have it and work from it for the rest of my life. 10 years later, I don’t have any regrets. It’s truly the most comfortable and most beautiful piece of furniture I own. Sitting in it feels like home and I know I’ll never get tired of the classic design. If you spend a lot of time in front of your computer, a super comfortable office chair is an investment you won’t regret. — Jenn Rose