Holy Grail Gift Guides
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Welcome to my holy grail gift guide that is filled with products that add value to my life.
Here you will find a list of items I would purchase over and over again; their quality, and the value they add to my life is well worth the money we have paid for them…knowing that I also gain points on my credit card and get cash back with Rakuten (formerly Ebates), heh.
If you have any questions about these items, feel free to reach out to me. I’m passionate about these products and would never mention something I didn’t believe in.
Kitchen Tools
This blender is a game changer. Can you even just call it a “blender”? It purees hot soups, which my Nutribullet can’t do. The Vitamix takes my chunky frozen ingredients and makes them super smooth. This is really what I was after when I purchased the Vitamix. However, I have since made a plethora of dips, sauces, flours, butters, raw vegan desserts, you name it. The Vitamix makes eating nutritious real food fun and easy…even for my husband. If it ever breaks I will be purchasing another one.
These knives are of superior quality and keep my hands from getting sore while cooking, since they are super sharp and cutting giant root vegetables has become easy as pie.
I LOVE these two knives, and receive both as gifts. If I were to purchase these myself I would likely opt for this 3-piece knife set to get the best value for my money.
These are the greatest. I purchased them to reduce plastic waste. We use them mostly for snacks to bring to work or to store items in the fridge. They also can be used for sous vide, and a variety of other things.
We have a variety of colours in these two sizes.
Instant Pots were super on-trend for a while. My relationship with my instant pot has far outlived the craze. I love it most for one-pot meals like pastas, soups, curries and stews. My favourite use is for when it’s super hot out and you don’t want to turn on the over or slave over the stove. Pasta done in less than twenty minutes, and only one dish to clean? Yes please!
I got one of these for Christmas and I absolutely LOVE it! I have the large size in the slate colour. they look good, feel good, and appear to age well and be long lasting.
Career
I work on one and I absolutely love it. I appreciate that if a component breaks or I want to upgrade, it’s made to let you do that. I replaced my CD drive with a 1TB hard drive…why? Because my old laptop crapped out on me and you can buy an adapter for my new laptop that allows you to do just that. You can also get a larger battery that lasts longer. I like the simplicity and flexibility that this laptop provides. Plus, it’s incredibly affordable, especially if you can find a refurbished one!
Get the 9-cell not only as a general backup to avoid running out of battery, but the it has more juice than the original 6-cell that comes with the laptop. Never be stuck without power again. I received this as a gift and my battery lasts six hours, and nearly ten hours when combined with the original battery. Perfect for traveling, working where there is no power (camping), or if you don’t want to pack your charger to school or the coffee shop.
Great quality, clean lines, extra fine point, variety of colours, what else could you ask for?
This is a lightweight and classic fountain pen that is sure to strike up a conversation. You can buy a variety of ink cartridge colours. It’s fun, affordable, and I love it. If I were to purchase this again I would go for a medium or broad nib (I purchased extra-fine) for extra personality.
Lifestyle
The standard ones. While I dream of owning the airpods, I have had major trouble spending the money to pick these suckers up.
I’m a bit addicted to headphones. I really want some truly wireless earbuds but haven’t figured out which ones to o for yet. I actually have Bose noise-cancelling headphones (which I saved up for) and honestly, I prefer the simplicity and multi-purpose quality of the Apple headphones. Their size is perfect for stuffing in my pocket as I leave the office, or in the sleeve of my laptop bag to listen to music while I work. The quality is good for my purposes: listening to podcasts, music and making phone calls. These also have still been usable after going through both washer and dryer cycles (not that I would recommend it), and if required, the replacement cost is fairly affordable.
I find the standard corded apple headphones that have the microphone and volume adjustment to be the best headphones for everyday use. Personally, I originally thought that the original headphones with the lightening adapter was ideal. However I experienced more issues with the headphones going fuzzy, intermittent, or completely silent. I like to have a set with the headphone jack to keep with my laptop, and a lightening jack to keep with my headphones. I figure fewer parts causes fewer issues.
I purchased these compression packing cubes to be able to travel lighter and pack more clothing into my carry on bag rather than checking baggage on flights. I actually also use them for quick weekend trips to Vancouver. They are fun to use, durable and make it easier to jam a lot of clothes into an overnight bags.
I love me some merino! Basically, merino is super comfortable and natural. It keeps you warm when it’s wet and manages to keep you cool and dry when its hot out. Icebreaker makes merino wool accessible, they have tons of products and it’s easy to understand which pieces are right for you. They have tons of reviews for each item so you’ll know how it fits, and their pieces range from performance to casual wear (which I love). They aren’t inexpensive but I believe they are quality, good value and have a great warranty. I get really hot when I exercise, even when it’s super cold outside, so merino keeps me a comfortable temperature when other fabrics don’t.
They also produce some of my favourite lifestyle pieces as well. Some of my favourite items include their thicker socks, waypoint crewe sweater, headbands, hoodies and Helix jacket.
This shit is amazing! Actually, it’s the only deodorant you’ll ever need again. I bet that all of Routine’s natural deodorants are amazing. Their branding is beautiful and fun, and they are made by a sister duo in Calgary, AB, Canada.
I have tried a lot of natural deodorants. I really wanted to like Lush and Schmidt’s brand because they smell SO good.
Honestly Every brand I have tried made my skin so irritated. I used them for long periods of time despite having a giant circle of a rash under my arms because I was trying to troubleshoot how I could get it to work for me. I tried making my own. I tried the potted kind and the stick kind.
I have spent a lot of money over the years trying to find one that worked for me. Search no more. It turns out, baking soda was my main issue. Routine’s baking soda-free deodorant will be my go-to forever. I have been using this deodorant for months and have been loving it. I love the “Sexy Sadie” scent as it is very earthy and feminine. I’ll be picking up the Blackberry Betty scent next time I need a refill.
P.S. If the ladie’s at Routine are reading this, I would love to use a baking soda-free coconut vanilla scent!
Did somebody say collab? 😉
Okay we know I love wool. I got a pair of Glerup Slippers for Christmas and I am IN LOVE! They are super comfy and I love that they are meant to be worn without socks. The wool makes sure they stay odour free and keep your feet feeling dry and cozy. I also love they they don’t make me too hot if I’m busy meal prepping or tidying the house.
I have the open heal style with the leather sole. These up your cozy game so much that I fully intend to buy myself the boot version with the rubber sole to wear at inside at the office.
I first tried the Diva cup in 2013 and was NOT looking forward to it. We were told to use them when we traveled to Ghana, because other supplies would not always be readily available and it would reduce waste. Since getting over the barrier of trying it, I now use it regularly. It is comfortable, reliable and convenient compared to pads or tampons. Plus, it feels good to be more sustainable.
This is a fantastic tool. I have had the Fitbit Ionic since it was released and I absolutely love it. It is a part of my everyday life and links to other apps I use like Strava. I like the additional features of this version including onboard GPS, the durable band and on-screen workouts.
I use the GPS regularly since I prefer to not fiddle with my phone when I am out mountain biking or commuting to work, but I still want to track my route. If you’re ready to spend some money on a product like this, I love mine.
Personally, while I prefer the additional functions that the Fitbit Ionic has for myself, I think that this is the next best thing. The main benefit of this fitbit is the heart rate monitor. If you also want on-screen notifications and the Apple Pay function then definitely go for the Charge 3. Otherwise, the heart-rate function is a useful tool for assessing how hard you are pushing yourself during a workout, and allows you to see progress over time. It also has great functions for tracking your sleep, which I review every morning. If you are trying to decide on a Fitbit, and want something a bit more economical, this is my second favourite device that Fitbit produces.
This is my go-to sunscreen. I have always had trouble finding the perfect sunscreen for my oily and acne prone skin. Without fail other sunscreens would sit on the surface of my skin, feel greasy and sting like a mofo. I even tried super gentle Cetaphil with SPF and was left with another full, wasted bottle of product.
Finally I discovered Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence from watching a skincare specialist on youtube. I decided to give it a go, and now I buy it three-at-a-time on Amazon, because I can’t find it anywhere else.
I really enjoy the functionality of this scale. My favourite part about it is the app that it comes with. The scale measures a whole bunch of metrics including weight, body fat percentage, BMI, fat-free body weight, body water, muscle mass and metabolic age. If you enjoy the stats that come with the Fitbit app, you’re likely to enjoy this scale. It’s really complementary to any weight loss, fitness, or strength program since you can so easily chart your progress. The photo is from my husband’s body analysis, but it gives you an idea as to how some of the information shows up when I select the “muscle mass” metric. Did I mention this scale is super affordable at about $25 USD.
