You be the judge: should my flatmate start using the spice rack I made?
When my flatmate, Murad, and I moved into our new flat last year, I made us a spice rack. We've been friends for a few years and lived in another house before this, which wasn't as nice. The spice rack was supposed to symbolise a new beginning.
After the pandemic, I got into making things with wood, and thought the spice rack would be good for the kitchen, but Murad seems to hate it. I do care more than I probably should about it, but it's because we live in a shared flat with limited space and I genuinely thought the spice rack would be a helpful, practical upgrade. I even bought matching jars and arranged everything thoughtfully.
I haven't got around to labelling each jar, but I don't think it's a big deal. You can just sniff a spice to work out what it is. My sense of smell is great – maybe Murad is triggered because he can't smell things as well as me.
Instead of using the rack, Murad has taken over our cupboard with shop-bought jars and packets he's picked up in every shape and size, and it's chaos. Once, when I opened the cupboard, I had cumin spill all over me because he hadn't put the lid on properly, and that was really annoying.
Murad says we both need to take ownership of the way things are arranged in the shared cupboard, but it wouldn't have been me who left a jar of cumin hanging off the edge. I think his side of the cupboard is way more chaotic than my spice rack. Murad has created his own junk-shed of random spices, but his just have branded packaging.
I get that Murad wants me to label things, but life got busy. Plus, as I made the spice rack, maybe he could help with decanting and labelling? Meanwhile, we could make better use of the shared cupboard space.
Our kitchen is small and I don't think two sets of spices is economical. A flat isn't just a collection of solo zones, it's a compromise and requires teamwork. The rack isn't perfect, but with a little collaboration we could make it better.
I want ease and functionality. I don't want to try to solve a puzzle every time I make a curry
I cook almost every night and love to use spices, but Alex's rack is a mess – it has no labels and no logic, and I don't have a clue what's in each jar. I don't want to try to solve a puzzle every time I make a curry, so I buy my own spices and put them in my section of the shared cupboard.
Alex says I'm taking up too much cupboard space and don't empty my old jars. He also says the spices have fallen on him and spilled everywhere when he's opened our cupboard, but that's not my fault as it's shared, so he can't blame me for all the organisation.
I actually think he's hurt that I'm not using his DIY spice rack, but it's not personal. It just doesn't have everything I need and it's not clear what's what. I prefer shop-bought packaging as it actually has labels. It's not like I'm buying gold-plated saffron. It's just basic things that I use regularly.
I want to know that when I reach for cumin, I'm getting cumin, not a mystery dust. I don't want to have to sniff-test every jar. Alex may think it's fun to live as if we were in a Victorian apothecary, but I think it slows everything down and makes cooking, which I actually enjoy, feel frustrating.
I've brought this up before and said I'll clear out my shelf if he tidies up the spice rack. He always says, 'Oh, I'll label them soon.' But the labelling never happens. It's been months. How long am I meant to wait for the organisation to materialise?
I'm happy to share store cupboard staples, but not when it means playing Russian roulette with flavour. Alex needs to get his spice rack in order before I give up my shelf space. At this point, I want ease and functionality, but his spice rack creates chaos and confusion. I cook mainly for myself, but sometimes for Alex too. If he wants delicious, flavourful food he shouldn't police where I source my spices.
Should Murad use Alex's spice rack?
Labelling the jars would improve their appearance and spare Murad the tedious sniff test routine. In a spirit of collaboration, Murad could source some nice labels and Alex could write on them. If Alex's sense of smell is as keen as he says, it shouldn't take long.Kate, 68
It takes two to tango in a shared household, and Alex has warmed the new flat with a thoughtful, handmade spice rack. Since labelling is the main issue, would it be too much for Murad to curry some favour by filling the jars and labelling them himself?Patrick, 31
As someone who likes cooking and does it a lot, unlabelled jars would annoy me too. It is a nice effort from Alex to have made a spice rack, but surely labelling is not a massive job. Until the jars are labelled, the rack is not strictly finished, as it can't be used properly.Diana, 32
Both need to dial it down. Alex, make some nice labels – it'll be fun! Murad, if Alex doesn't label the jars, do it yourself. Masking tape and a Sharpie will do it – it may even spur Alex to upgrade it.L, 46
It's sweet that Alex made the rack but he needs to be less possessive over it. It's good to live and let live.Anice, 67
In our online poll, tell us if you think Murad should get on track with the rack?
The poll closes on Wednesday 23 July at 10am BST
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The good stuff: it's stylish, has excellent build quality and a 3kW element that boiled very fast. It also clicked off as soon as it reached 100C, and has a base that allows the cable to emerge from anywhere it pleases. There's an extensive choice of colours, too, plus a soft-rise lid for minimal splashes. It didn't make the final cut because … minimum fill appears to be 500ml, although it's not marked as such, and the external temperature reached a sizzling 99C after boiling. Heat retention was decent at first – 70C after 30 minutes – but after two hours, it had reduced to a tepid 41C, meaning more energy is required for a reboil. Time to boil one litre: 2mins 17secs; minimum fill: 500ml; power use: 0.114kWh = 3p at 25.73p per kWh; matching toaster? Yes; maximum noise recorded: 60dB; temperature settings: 100C; warranty: two years £24.99 at Tower£24.99 at Wayfair Best for: an affordable luxury kettle If the price of the two stylish kettles above has you wincing, fear not: you can bag an attractive kettle for less than £30. Enter Tower's Scandi kettle, available in black or two shades of matt grey, all of which have faux wood and chrome-effect detailing. There's good stuff besides the design, too: it's lightweight (940g), has a speedy boiling 3kW element, and water windows on both sides that are marked with cups and litres. It didn't make the final cut because … the minimum fill is 500ml, and it took six seconds to click off after reaching 100C. It's also not very well insulated: the exterior reached 84C after boiling, and while the water temperature was 72C 30 minutes after boiling, it registered at only 44C two hours later. Time to boil one litre: 2mins 21secs; minimum fill: 500ml; power use: 0.117kWh = 3p at 25.73p per kWh; matching toaster? Yes; maximum noise recorded: 59dB; temperature settings: 100C; warranty: one year How you use your kettle will probably dictate which functions you'll find the most useful, but generally, any feature that helps to save energy is valuable. For example, kettles that are dual-walled help to trap heat inside, so the water stays warmer for longer while the outside stays cool to the touch. Those with low minimum fills enable you to boil just enough water for a single cup, so you don't waste energy heating more than you need. Some kettles also have a keep-warm function that stops the water cooling below a certain temperature, which is ideal for those who become distracted after boiling or drink consecutive cuppas. It's a good idea to check for safety features too, such as an auto shut-off to prevent it from boiling dry if there's not enough water. Other features are more 'nice to haves': variable temperature models enable you to choose water heated to lower temperatures than boiling, such as 70C or 80C, for other types of tea or for filling a hot-water bottle. Concealed elements, which are easier to keep scale-free, and removable, washable limescale filters will be useful for those who live in hard-water areas. Then there's connectivity. While wifi-enabled and voice-controlled kettles can feel a little gimmicky, they can be a gift for busy parents who usually have their hands full. Rapid-boil kettles don't have a strict industry definition, so while a rapid-boil kettle should boil water quickly, it may not differ much from one that's not labelled as such. A more reliable indicator of how fast a kettle will boil is its power rating: this is listed either in watts (eg 3,000W) or kilowatts (eg 2.2kW). The higher the number, the more power its element can use to heat water quickly. 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If your kettle has a removable filter, take it out and rinse it under running water at the same time. Rachel Ogden has worked as a consumer journalist for decades, becoming an expert unboxer before it was a thing, although she's much less adept at repacking. Her home has hosted hundreds of small appliances, from kettles and toasters to robot vacuums. When outside, you'll find her messing about with pizza ovens, barbecues and heaters. It takes a lot to impress her – many appliances have tried and failed
