Last newsletter, I focused on practical, inexpensive things that are really great. This week’s the reverse: the items are still great and mostly practical, but they’re absolutely pricey and, like many things in life, not 100 percent necessary. However, unlike something exorbiantly expensive you’ve purchased and thought well, this isn’t very good at all and not worth the money, all of the items below are, in my opinion, genuinely great.
Smeg Milk Frother
I use this milk frother nearly daily for both hot and cold foam (lately I like doing a cup of oat milk, a teaspoon of vanilla matcha, and a tablespoon of this vanilla syrup I saw on TikTok). It has lines in the interior of the cup to gauge the max and minium for frothing and a simple control dial. It’s also beautiful, of course, and I don’t mind it hanging out on my countertop. During the cold months, it’s great for hot chocolate (it really does heat drinks to the exact right, piping hot temperature), but the hot cocoa mixture can sometimes clog the whisk. It’s not a huge deal—just something to note.
Aarke Carbonator
Unlike many soda makers that are made from plastic, the aarke has a sleek metal body (available in a handful of finishes—I have matte black). For something that stays on the countertop at all times, its aesthetics are important to me. While it can be finnicky to screw the bottle on (sometimes it takes a couple of trys to seat it straight) and it lacks carbonation level indicators, I think two pumps—stopping each when you hear a buffering noise and meet resistance—works well.
Estelle Martini Glasses (or Any of Their Glassware)
I had my eye on Estelle Colored Glass glassware for years before I bought a couple of their martini glasses. They’re absolutely beautiful and substantial feeling, so I can actually clean them by hand without fear of breaking one. I bought mine at a local shop in Burlington, VT (Slate, for those in the area), that sells them individually, which is nice if you’re trying to slowly build up your collection. However, Estelle Colored Glass also sells them in pairs.
LL Bean Premium Dog Couch
I (very luckily) got to test this for work and I’ve never seen my dogs happier with a bed. We have the large size and it’s huge (truly, like a dog couch). My dogs love to sprawl out on it individually, resting their heads on the bed’s walls. It’s also big enough for them to share the bed. We’ve washed the bed’s cover a handful of times, too, and it still looks like new.
Apple Airpods Max
I’ve had my Airpods Max for almost a year, and if you’ve been considering them, they’re one of the best gifts I’ve ever received and my favorite headphones. They’re extremely great for travel (noise cancelling), it’s easy to lower or increase the volume with the knob on one of the ears, and they’re comfortable for wear over extended periods (unless you’re wearing hoop earrings). I also love that you can replace the ear pads if they become damaged and I found a Shout wipe works well for cleaning them. Unlike my standard AirPods, they switch connectivity easily from a phone to an iPad to a computer.