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10 Common Items Non-Americans Assume Every U.S. House Has: Are They Right?

We learn a lot about a country from the movies we see, and it is especially true when it comes to America. A lot of what people think about this country is what they have learned from T.V. shows and movies.

Sometimes it is a miss, and sometimes it is accurate. A Redditor asked, Non-Americans, what do you think every American person has in their house?

and, the answers are so apt. Here are the top 10 items

1. Garbage Disposal 

Garbage disposals are pretty standard in an American home, but this conversation made us laugh. 

You can find a switch that, when you flick turns your sink into a blender” said one. 

Yeah, pretty much everywhere I’ve ever lived has had a garbage disposal, and I am far from wealthy” added another. 

Even the worst apartments have garbage disposals in Houston and Louisiana. It’s more common than washing machines, central a/c, and dishwashers. And I’ve lived in houses built in the 1930s (Old by American standards)” added another. 

Related: Debunked: 19 Frugal Myths That Don’t Actually Save Money

 

2. Coffee Machine

The spend on coffee products in the U.S. was US$95.58 bn, and tea was 13.47 bn in 2022. That goes to demonstrate how famous coffee is. 

A coffee machine with a large glass jug full of black coffee being kept warm. The UK mostly has electric kettles for making hot drinks individually” shared one.

That’s because tea is your preferred hot beverage, not coffee. In the US, I’d wager coffee outsells tea by 10:1. Likely more like 50:1. In a large grocery store, it isn’t uncommon for there to be an entire aisle of just coffee. Tea gets like one shelf. Maybe two at a large grocery store” added another.

Related: 17 Things Non-Americans Thought Was A Rumor, But Turned Out To Be True About America

 

 

3. Plastic Bag Container

A plastic bag filled with plastic bags. Though a lot of stores are going plastic bag free lately, depending on your state” said one. 

The Bag of Bags is a time-honored tradition in many American homes” added one. That one definitelyt made us laugh. 

 

4. Drywall

Drywall….lots of drywall” said one. 

It’s fire safety. Our houses are built out of wood, not stone. (even the brick ones just have brick on the outside)” shared one. 

Drywall is just gypsum plaster between two sheets of paper to give it strength so that it can be made into 8×4 segments used in construction.

Back to the fire safety. Gypsum plaster absorbs water from the air and can take 2+ hours to burn through. So it gives you crucial time to exit a house during a fire.” explained a user. 

Related: 10 American Quirks That Americans Think Are Typical, But Aren’t

 

5. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is healthy and can make for easy to make breakfast. 

Peanut butter is a staple in many American households, often used as a sandwich filling, ingredient in baked goods, or snack” said one. 

 

6. Laundry dryer

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?” asked a user. 

Most of us either have it or have access to one, such as a shared laundry room in an apartment complex. Those who don’t have one usually go to a laundromat, which is basically just a room with a dozen or so quarter-operated washers and dryers. Almost no one, and no one I know, uses a clothesline to dry clothes. Where I live, it would be a nightmare; it’s either raining, so humid you can dang near drink the air, or snowing. Sometimes it’ll do all 3 to make us question why we live here.” explained a Redditor. 

Related: 8 Things Non-Americans Find Confusing About America

 

7. Fridge with ice dispenser built in

As an American living in Amsterdam, I miss my ice dispenser” said one.

 

8. Sauces

Every country has different cuisines, but Non-Americans believe there are many sauces in American homes.

So many sauces. Every American entire refrigerator door is filled with sauces” said one. 

Hot sauces, buffalo sauce, barbecue sauce, hoison sauce, pizza sauce, sour cream, salsa, curry, sweet chili sauce” added another

They take up 1/4 of my fridge, I didn’t realize this is weird…”  added one user. 

 

9. Dishwasher

According to this, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that over 89 million homes in America have a dishwasher

Dishwashers are a standard appliance in many American homes” explained a user. 

 

10. Pillows

Everyone loves pillows, and we have a sufficient amount, but do Americans have a hill of those? Let’s find out.

I’m convinced almost every american has a mountain of pillows on their bed” said one. 

Not a mountain but perhaps a small hill said another” added another. 

We hope you enjoyed this Reddit discussion on whats common in American homes. Do read Don’t Waste Your Time: 8 Overrated U.S. Tourist Destinations to Avoid

This originally appeared on Mrs. Daaku Studio.