Exactly Where To Spend (And Save) On Homewares, According To R29 Editors

There are a lot of homewares out there; almost too many to keep track of. On top of that, the noise around what's good or not tends to ebb and flow — for a while, all you'll hear about on TikTok is the reign of air fryers, but it's never long until everyone changes their tune. Such is the fickle nature of trends, even in the homewares world.

When you're buying things that you going to be using every day and are supposed to make your life easier and your home nicer, you want to know that they will last and that you're getting your money's worth. So we need to be able to discern which homewares are a real long-term investment (and which ones are not).

Ahead, see the homewares that are worth investing in, according to the Refinery29 Australia Editors.

As the literal ground beneath our feet, rugs are an investment that you should feel okay splurging on. Not only will cheap ones wither away to nothing one frayed edge at a time much quicker, a good rug can also be more than a soft item underfoot — a large one with a gorgeous design or colour can be a work of art, and a statement piece that completely pulls your space together. Rugs that are on the exxier side are also often made of natural materials like wool, cotton or jute, and are far better for the environment than synthetic fibres.

Air fryers seem to divide the population squarely in half, so this might be a risky declaration to make. But for the sake of truly honouring the word 'investment', an air fryer is just one of those things you can live without. While the air fryer has the quick-and-dirty appeal which we totally appreciate, your oven can ultimately do the same thing. Among the air fryer owners in our team, we found that after the initial post-purchase excitement, most of us don't tend to use ours very often. So if you haven't picked one up just yet, perhaps pocket that money for the time being or direct it somewhere else.

Buy good knives — then look after them! Japanese knives in particular are widely renowned to be exceptional, and while yes, you'll probably be splashing out a bit, they truly are the definition of an investment. As long as you love them by keeping them clean, dry and sharpening them regularly, they will love you back. When you opt for cheaper knives, they'll get rusty and blunt (and subsequently, very dangerous) pretty fast in comparison to genuinely good ones stainless steel ones, which will probably last you your whole life.

While you don't want super cheap ones that will break, blow your fuse or harbour dangerous BPA (we're looking at you, super cheap plastic kettles), you also don't need to go overboard on these appliances. Mid-range will suit you just fine, and you can leave the complicated machines behind. Like, it's hot water and hot bread — what the heck are all those knobs for?

Towels, sheets, pillowcases and pillows. You're rubbing up (quite literally) against these things every single day, and when you're washing them frequently, you want to make sure they can withstand all that laundry-related irritation. Bath towels should ideally be large and high quality, and not leave fluff all over you after each wash. And seeing as we spend so much time asleep and a good night's sleep is everything, breathable bedsheets and fluffy pillows are absolutely worth investing in. But beware — while a 400-thread count sheet might be softer and nicer than a 200 thread count sheet, anything that says it's above 400 is almost definitely only tricking you with a higher price tag, as you literally can't fit more than 400 threads into an inch!

When you invest in good-quality cast iron pots and pans, you'll never regret it. They may be a bit more labour-intensive to look after and season, but the results you get in your cooking will be much better once you get used to it, as they got hot fast, retain that heat and don't fluctuate in temperature as much as thinner pots and pans. They're also meant to be a lot safer, as they won't leach out any toxic chemicals or heavy metals into your food (which the coating on your other pots and pans might just be doing).

It's a great idea when you're in a waffle or panini mood, but ultimately, you can live without these one-use items or at least opt for cheaper versions. If you'd rather save money, just know that you can make a great toastie with a frying pan and some kind of weight, be that a small plate or utensil, and waffles can just be the treat you go out to brunch for. When it comes to investment homewares, things that are long life and/or multipurpose are best.

If you're still turning on your main ceiling lights, we recommend you hop onto the lamp life immediately and invest in a collection of pieces you love (which don't have to be expensive). Lamps are both a beautiful source of light as well as an opportunity to make an interior design statement, as they're some really unique and gorgeous designs out there. If you've ended up with lamps that have a white light, we highly recommend you make the change to warm light bulbs — it makes your space feel warmer (obviously), cosier and just much more like a home.