Shelly Wutke

There’s a little known fact no one told me about being a parent: when you finally have some dedicated free time, your creativity goes into overdrive. When all my kids go back to school I pull out my favourite appliances and create all of those great dishes I stopped making when it warmed up outside. Read on for my favourite appliances for back to school.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been compiling a list of the best appliances to take along to your dorm room and a few recipes you can whip up with each of them. We’ve looked at rice cookers, slow cookers, and microwaves, and this week we’re going to head into toaster territory and explore why you should bring a toaster oven with you when you go back to school.

Every year during back to school time, my kids pick out a new backpack. It’s a fun tradition we’ve had since my first child started school, and I love seeing what cool new backpack they’ll pick each year. Here’s a look at all of the trendy and practical backpacks available on Bestbuy.ca right now.

Does your fridge talk to your smartphone and let you know that you’re out of milk or butter? Can your stove turn on wirelessly based on a recipe you’ve created and plugged in? Maybe your washing machine can send you a text if you forgot the fabric softener or your laundry is on the verge of becoming smelly from being left behind? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I’m jealous, but thanks to the Internet of Things, having my very own WiFi enabled appliances isn’t that far off.

There are some amazing new products hitting the shelves of Best Buy this month. Here’s a quick look at just a few of the cool products you can pick up right now.

All it took was one set of steaks cooked on the T-fal Optigrill Non-stick grill and it was time for my BBQ to step aside and let a handier appliance take over. Here’s what I found out when I tested out the T-fal Optigrill.    

I have a lot going on at home so leaving the house, even for just a few hours, can be stressful. If my kids are in school I worry about what my pets are up to, and if my kids are at home, I worry about whether or not a fight is breaking out or if someone is destroying the kitchen.  That’s why I was so excited to hear about the newest Nest product, the Nest Cam. Not only is it a crystal clear 1080p webcam you can hook up in your home to check in on everything, it belongs to the Nest family of products so you know it will work alongside your Nest devices.

The phrase “starving student” doesn’t just refer to not having the money to eat, although that’s not a stretch when you consider the high cost of tuition, books, and living accommodations when you’re going away to school. Some students go hungry just because they aren’t quite sure how to quickly whip up a meal in their dorm room or first apartment. 

A bedroom is a sanctuary, somewhere you can go in your house, close the door, and just breath a sigh of relief. That’s why bedrooms hit the top of my list for when choosing rooms that need a face lift. Although it’s fun to redecorate, you want to make sure you go through all the steps to ensure your bedroom makeover is right for you.   

For the past few weeks Shelly’s Friday Favourites has focused on foodie trends, and we’ve covered gourmet popcorn (with bacon), berry creations, and even artisan homemade ketchup. This week we’re branching out a bit and heading into wedding territory to explore another food trend—cake pops.