In the midst of all the bedbug brouhaha, and the worry that the wingless creatures might cash in their Club Eurostar points and invade the UK, a minor detail set my pulse racing.
According to bedbug specialists (a profession whose time has truly come), one way of eradicating the blood-sucking pests is by using a steamer on your sheets. Few things make me happier than the prospect of investing in a new gadget; 20 years on, I still mourn the demise of the Innovations catalogue.
The quest for a new gadget is a balm for the soul: after bribing a loved one to part with their precious Which? magazine login, I will happily spend hours researching the highest rated yet miraculously cheap item.
Unfortunately, it is here that I come up against a problem. There are no best-buy tables for the bedbug-zapping, Cimex lectularius-eradicating steamer. So, buying one could be a gamble. Also, as I do not have bedbugs, do I need to add another item to my already stuffed home, which is a graveyard of fad gadgets past?
Glancing round my kitchen, I spot a poor abandoned spiraliser with its set of extensive blade attachments. Then there’s the mini blender that Delia once promised would transform any life, but I’ve never been able to get the lid off. There it lies next to the cordless iron with rechargeable base that holds heat for a precisely pointless 54 seconds.
You may think this is all a triumph of hope over experience but there are occasional wins that keep me hooked. When I bought a soup-maker, I could practically hear a chorus of my scotch broth-making ancestors shouting at me: “You already have one of those – it’s called a pot!” But, honestly, it’s brilliant, as is the slow cooker.
Still conflicted about the steamer, I turn to Google. A hairdryer might be a possible alternative weapon. As it happens, I’ve seen a lot of rave reviews for these new supersonic ones with digital motors and amplified airflow. I’m sure it will change my life.
Anita Chaudhuri is a freelance journalist
