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30 Things That Are An Integral Part Of An American House, As Assumed By Non-Americans In This Online Group
Now that we live in such a global environment, there is nothing weird in admitting that we’re influenced by various cultures. Naturally, by being interested and learning about other countries' customs, habits, foods, and other things, we learn about their everyday life, and how it’s similar or different from our own. One of the most interesting, often talked about and compared places is the United States. Having this in mind, Reddit user @u/Ryrylx was curious to find out what are some of the things that non-American people have noticed and now are convinced that these items are in every American house.
Whether it’s picked up from shows or movies or seen in one of their travels, users online were quick to provide their answers to the question that received almost 48K responses. While some people reminded everyone of some American “classics” such as peanut butter or the variety of dressings and sodas found in one’s fridge, other users were fascinated by the garbage disposal installed in the sink and “washing machines where you put everything in the top”.
What are some of the things that you think every American has in their home? Leave your suggestions in the comments down below!
More Info: Reddit
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#2
Laundry dryer. In my country almost everyone dries their laundry on a wire outside, so the concept of a dryer is baffling to me. I only see them in American Movies & shows. Do majority of you have it or not?
Frando Bone 3 years ago
Probably every house has both but it depends on where you live and the time of year whether you can line-dry or not. Where I live I can technically line-dry all year but can't do so when it's windy and dust is blowing.
#3
Air conditioning
Frando Bone 3 years ago
Depends on where you live. I grew up in WA state, and it's not common there. I also lived in Alaska; no one has it in their homes. Where I live now, you wouldn't survive summer without it.
#4
Every American household have a drawer full with random s**t (died batteries, screws, shoelace etc)
#5
That garbage disposal thing I always see in shows and movies
Edit/update: In ten 10 hours, I've gotten nearly 20k upvotes and 317 replies. Some of you dudes and dudettes have very passionate opinions about your garbage disposals, I love it
Squirrelly Panda 3 years ago
The proper use of a garbage disposal is for those food scraps that inadvertently gets in the sink during food prep or clean up. So convenient to turn on the tap. Run the disposal for a moment, and the mess is gone, theoretically won't clog the drain. Most food scrap should go in the compost at best, bin at worst, but it is nice to not have to muck about with cleaning a nasty drain strainer for the bits that make it to the drain.
#6
Drywall....lots of drywall
Eat Dirt Crow 3 years ago
I mean, it's not like we have stacks of drywall just laying around the house. They're usually hanging around the walls and ceilings.
#7
Fridge with ice dispenser built in
Squirrelly Panda 3 years ago
We do like our cold drinks and our convenience. So, I guess I do resemble this comment.
#8
Eggs *in* the fridge
sturmwesen 3 years ago
Isn't it because in the US they wash the protective layer off before sale?
#10
Individual cans or bottles of soft drinks
#11
A gallon of milk in the refrigerator
Squirrelly Panda 3 years ago
Yeah, we in the U.S. never have warmed up to shelf stable milk, and milk does go well with the cereal mentioned in another post.
#13
Cereal
Uncommon Boston 3 years ago (edited)
There is not any cereal in the photo. One a bag of 'Cereal Toppers', not sure what it is
#15
A garage fridge. Filled with beer and frozen boxes of c**p from Costco.
#16
A dishwasher.
Sans Serif 3 years ago
A dishwasher cycle can often be more conservative of water than hand washing and rinsing. A gallon or two versus quite possibly many more!
Jennifer L. Davis 3 years ago
2 for the dishwasher vs 5 or 6 handwashing. Definitely more conservative.
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Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
Only if you have space in your kitchen. Mine is too small, so I hand wash my dishes.
RedCorvette 3 years ago
There are small dishwashers. I saw one that’s just 24 inches wide.
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Claudia Schmid 3 years ago
I'd say every household that has the space and money for one - not just an American thing
Honu 3 years ago
Yes. They may be more common here simply because the housing stock is much newer. So much of our housing was built in the post WWII era.
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Mario Strada 3 years ago
I grew up in Italy, I am 60 and I don't remember a time when we didn't have a dishwasher.
Michael Largey 3 years ago
When I was a kid, the architect asked my mother if she wanted a dishwasher in the new house. She pointed at me and my two brothers and said "No thanks. I already have three of them."
Whitefox 3 years ago
I love my dishwasher but, there's just 2 of us so a lot of the time its faster to just hand wash.
Sue User 3 years ago
Faster and more hygenic. Not the cleaning part, dishwashers do clean well. But if are single, it can take 3-4 days before it is full. Yucky to have them dit unwashed that long.
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Jude Laskowski 2 years ago
I don't care for a dishwasher because I don't use that many dishes. Also, most of my dishes are antique china or stoneware that cannot be put in a dishwasher. Yes, I use them daily; not just for company.
Steve Robert 3 years ago
A fantastic way of not only hiding dirty dishes, but much convenient when you just put the detergent in and press the start button. I mean really who wants to spend valuable time washing and drying dishes. Do you still wash your clothes by hand?
Blondieybat 3 years ago
We have one that came with the house but we never use it. It’s as old as the house: ‘70-ish.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago (edited)
I (US) have rarely lived in a home without a dishwasher. Now that I'm getting, gulp (older) it's a MUST have. Along with washer & dryer & garbage disposal.
Catherine Walsh 3 years ago
Dishwashers use less water and really clean your dishes better that a sink full of dirty water. They don’t save a lot of time as leading and unloading is a pain.
Heather Colleen 3 years ago
The dream! Sigh... Saves water & more hygienic. Unfortunately few apartments in my area have them.
Corby Neal 3 years ago
Even in the shitty of apartments I’ve ever lived in, there was a dishwasher.
Diana Pahule 3 years ago
This also came with the house. It's really nice after company eats dinner here.
RafCo (he/him) 3 years ago
I have lived in the United States for nearly 30 years. I got my first dishwasher s few months ago. It's glorious
Desiree Cretan 3 years ago
Had one until it died, didn't have to worry about doing dishes at all and it was better on water vs hand washing, i do recommend to have one it saves time and headaches.
Niki A 3 years ago
Every time I comment, I sound poor lol. I have no idea how to use a dishwasher, and I have never lived in a house with one. I was once asked to load one, and I had to ask for help. They looked at me like I had grown two heads. I had to explain I had never used one, and I am in my late 30s.
Phil Green 3 years ago
Most of this list pertains to me. We have pretty much all of the things on this list, except the "gallon of milk", ours is in liters and I have two in the fridge. I don't see anything strange in any of this list really.
featherytoad 3 years ago
My house came without one and the kitchen is too small to rip out a section of cabinets and drawers to add one. I would lose vital storage space. It's also only me and I would run out of dishes before the washer was full.
Caiman 94920 3 years ago
I have one in my kitchen but not enough storage space for my storage ware, so I keep it in the dishwasher as its just 2 of us and we don't use that much so its easier to hand wash the few dishes we do use
SirWriteALot 3 years ago
Next you're going to say "toilet"? A dishwasher is, after a washing machine, the second most important device in your household. Ok, after the fridge. So third most important.
Xenon 3 years ago
Damn just jump on imaginary comments with both feet when currently no one has has said jack s**t! Your comment isn't even funny or amusing so what are 'kidding' about? You are freakin' disturbed lady
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#20
Oh oh, the washing machines where you put everything in the top! This fascinated me when we visited the states. They’re huge!
Frando Bone 3 years ago
and they suck too...because they frequently go off balance in the spin cycle.
#21
Just a literal block of cheese just chilling in the fridge. I'm certain they woke up randomly at 3am and go 'Omg cheese sounds good right now.'
MotherofGuineaPigs 3 years ago
Always have cheese n the fridge and peanut butter in the cupboard
#23
I’m convinced almost every american has a mountain of pillows on their bed
Firstname Lastname 3 years ago
We have a mountain of stuffed animals instead of pillows. Much more cuddly.
#24
Bbq sauce
#25
Apparently americans are rather fond of Pickles and Peanut Butter. Is that a fair assumption to make?
Edit: I meant either or not both at the same time. ☠️
#27
Those f*****g red disposable beer cups
#28
Plastic bags
Firstname Lastname 3 years ago
Alternatively, an ever increasing pile of reusable and paper bags when people forget certain places have banned plastic bags.
#29
Something that is individually wrapped that doesn’t need to be individually wrapped
Frando Bone 3 years ago
Compared to Singapore?? LOL They would individually wrap grapes if they could LOL
#31
An outside porch. Basketball net. Basement. Walk in closet. Top loader washing machine . Triangular college flag. Outside post box. Bedroom window that teenagers come and go by at night. Front doors which aren’t locked.
John Ambrose 3 years ago
This OP thinks we still live in a 1950s sitcom and not a capitalist dystopia over here.
#32
A garbage shredder thing in the sink
Industrial quantities of soda
Blueberry breakfast pancake mix
Assorted boxes from Amazon
Dad's ugly comfy chair
Coupons
#33
A thermostat
EDIT 1: the thermostat I’m referring to is the little dial attached to the wall in every American movie and house I went to while visiting.
EDIT 2: to those asking what the alternative is
A reverse cycle air conditioner we turn on when we’re no longer comfortable.
If it gets hot we turn it on and select cold
If it gets cold we turn it on and select heat
EDIT 3: I’m aware some people call these “heat pumps” but no one calls them that where I live
Sans Serif 3 years ago
"A thermostat" is a rather obscure inclusion. It's the logical component of a heating/cooling system to prevent them from running out of control. Not much different than those in refrigerators, ovens, space heaters. etc. Heating/cooling systems might be more apropos here...
#34
Hot pockets
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
They used to taste better than they do now. I suspect the manufacturer swapped out good ingredients for cheap s**t to increase profits, and basically ruined a good thing.
#35
Someone with diabetes
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Diabetes is a human malady. It doesn’t care about artificial lines drawn on maps.
What do you think ?
Caro Caro 3 years ago
HUH??? What kind of people wrote this thread? Where do they come from? It's like saying most USA houses have a toilet. DUH. Most of the things mentioned here are available in the modern western world. They may look a little different but that's about it. Oh GOSH ... you have a washing machine? I mean really. Sheesh
wowbagger 3 years ago
Since turnabout is fair play: I watch a lot of British crime dramas. From these I've learned that every house in the UK has a collection of transferware dishes displayed on a china hutch. Also, everyone is having an affair, and it leads to a lot of murders.
MimSorensson 3 years ago
And a butler. I’m fairly sure. And, possibly, a massive candle stick.
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Colette Connor 3 years ago
I feel like most of the things on this list could be in any house in any country. The only one I would consider "American" is the waste disposal in the sink, not that I think every American has one but more I have not seen or heard of one in any other country.
Justin Trouble 3 years ago
I'm from america I only have about a quarter of those things that the entire rest of the world has. So here is my assumption based off tv and movies that every house in Europe has. Turnips
Rebecca Broscombe-Adams 3 years ago
Unless these are answers from the 3rd world this is a ridiculous thread.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
A handegg that father and son can play catch whilst having a father/son talk.
JC 3 years ago (edited)
Ahh yes, the American hand egg as opposed to the European testicle boing boing that can neither be thrown nor kicked with any accuracy. Also, let's not forget the futballers who deserve an Academy Award every time someone hurts their feelings and they end up rithing in pain on the pitch until they're healed by the magic sponge...or a yellow card.
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Dirk Daring 3 years ago
I would like to point out to a lot of the commenters here that the list does not say that these things are ONLY found in American homes.
JMil 3 years ago (edited)
I have 24 from the list (live in the US). Edit: gotta get me a musket
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
I'm American and have very few of these things in my house. It constantly baffles me how people can understand that diversity exists within their own country, but simultaneously believe Americans are a bunch of clones who think, behave, eat, drink, etc. exactly alike.
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Trentin Quarantino 3 years ago
Other than the gun, the waste disposal, and a sofa facing a studio audience, many homes in Europe have these
Caro Caro 3 years ago
HUH??? What kind of people wrote this thread? Where do they come from? It's like saying most USA houses have a toilet. DUH. Most of the things mentioned here are available in the modern western world. They may look a little different but that's about it. Oh GOSH ... you have a washing machine? I mean really. Sheesh
wowbagger 3 years ago
Since turnabout is fair play: I watch a lot of British crime dramas. From these I've learned that every house in the UK has a collection of transferware dishes displayed on a china hutch. Also, everyone is having an affair, and it leads to a lot of murders.
MimSorensson 3 years ago
And a butler. I’m fairly sure. And, possibly, a massive candle stick.
Load More Replies... Colette Connor 3 years ago
I feel like most of the things on this list could be in any house in any country. The only one I would consider "American" is the waste disposal in the sink, not that I think every American has one but more I have not seen or heard of one in any other country.
Justin Trouble 3 years ago
I'm from america I only have about a quarter of those things that the entire rest of the world has. So here is my assumption based off tv and movies that every house in Europe has. Turnips
Rebecca Broscombe-Adams 3 years ago
Unless these are answers from the 3rd world this is a ridiculous thread.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
A handegg that father and son can play catch whilst having a father/son talk.
JC 3 years ago (edited)
Ahh yes, the American hand egg as opposed to the European testicle boing boing that can neither be thrown nor kicked with any accuracy. Also, let's not forget the futballers who deserve an Academy Award every time someone hurts their feelings and they end up rithing in pain on the pitch until they're healed by the magic sponge...or a yellow card.
Load More Replies... Dirk Daring 3 years ago
I would like to point out to a lot of the commenters here that the list does not say that these things are ONLY found in American homes.
JMil 3 years ago (edited)
I have 24 from the list (live in the US). Edit: gotta get me a musket
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
I'm American and have very few of these things in my house. It constantly baffles me how people can understand that diversity exists within their own country, but simultaneously believe Americans are a bunch of clones who think, behave, eat, drink, etc. exactly alike.
Load More Replies... Trentin Quarantino 3 years ago
Other than the gun, the waste disposal, and a sofa facing a studio audience, many homes in Europe have these
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