Unusual home essentials from around the world that locals swear by

Iconic staples from around the world

Every nation has a signature everyday essential at home that is often a total non-negotiable for locals, but relatively rare or practically unheard of elsewhere. Whether it's a special appliance to ferment cabbage, a sink that eats trash or a space-age toilet seat straight out of sci-fi, these must-haves are cultural touchstones hiding in plain sight.

Click or scroll on to see the unique household essentials you'll find across the globe.

South Korea: kimchi fridge

Kimchi isn't just a side dish in South Korea, it's a national obsession. More than 98% of households own a dedicated kimchi refrigerator, an appliance designed to ferment and store cabbage at precise, stable temperatures regular fridges can't match.

Another unique near-universal feature is ondol, the country's underfloor heating system, which circulates warm water beneath floors. This means you rarely see radiators in South Korea.

UK: electric kettle

In many countries, water gets heated on the stovetop or in a microwave. In the UK, a love of tea puts the electric kettle at the heart of the kitchen, and most Brits wouldn’t dream of making a cuppa any other way. Over 94% of UK households own at least one, a level of adoption unmatched anywhere else.

The nation's passion for its go-to beverage even extends to the bedroom with the teasmade. This vintage, uniquely British gizmo is a bedside alarm clock that automatically boils a kettle when the alarm goes off.

USA: garbage disposal unit

In the US, the kitchen sink often hides a motor that grinds leftovers away at the flick of a switch. Americans grew used to them during the postwar suburban boom, when new homes were built with wide plumbing systems designed to handle food waste.

In much of the world though, older pipes and stricter waste rules make them rare or outright banned. And for many visitors, these horror movie-worthy drains with teeth are nothing short of terrifying.

Other everyday American features that are unusual in other countries include central air conditioning and walk-in closets.

Italy: bidet

In Italy, the bidet is no luxury, it’s a legal requirement. A 1975 building law made it standard in new homes, which is why Italy leads the world in bidets per capita and the vast majority of bathrooms include one. For locals, it’s simply part of daily hygiene.

Italian kitchens have their own hallmark staples too, from the classic stovetop moka pot for coffee to electric cheese graters that make light work of mountains of parmesan and pecorino.

Japan: smart toilet seat

While a separate bidet is standard in Italy, it's usually built into a state-of-the-art toilet seat in Japan. More than 80% of households use Washlet-style smart seats, with heated lids, built-in bidets, automatic flushing, self-cleaning wands and control panels that look more like a TV remote than a bathroom fixture. What started as a luxury in the 1980s is now ubiquitous nationwide.

Other uniquely Japanese staples include built-in fish grills, fuzzy logic rice cookers and kotatsu heated tables.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

Australia: Hills Hoist

Dubbed 'the rotary clothesline that shaped suburban Australia', the Hills Hoist is a backyard icon. Invented in 1945, it became part of the classic Australian dream: a house, a big yard and laundry spinning in the breeze.

That outdoor lifestyle shows up in another way too. Australia leads the world in residential swimming pools per head, with around one in seven Australians living in a home with a pool or hot tub.

Sweden: drying cabinet

On the flip side, Swedes rely on the torkskåp, or drying cabinet. It looks like a standard locker but uses a stream of warm air to dry soaking-wet snow boots, heavy parka coats and delicate woollens without shrinking them. In a climate where hanging clothes outside is impossible for much of the year, this heated closet is indispensable.

Among the other items common in Swedish homes but rare elsewhere are cheese planes, soda makers and window lamps.

India: masala box

In India, cooking often starts with a masala dabba, a flat, round spice box filled with small cups of everyday seasonings, kept within arm's reach of the stove. Instead of rows of jars, many kitchens rely on this single container to move quickly from cumin to chilli to turmeric in the space of a few seconds.

Another quintessentially Indian staple is the tiffin, a stacked stainless-steel lunchbox used to carry home-cooked meals to work and school.

Mexico: molcajete

In Mexico, sauces often start in a molcajete, a low, wide mortar carved from volcanic rock, flatter and broader than the tall pestles used elsewhere. Used to crush chillies, garlic and other ingredients by hand, it’s the traditional tool for making proper guacamole and other classic salsas, which is why many kitchens still reach for it every day.

Mexican homes also rely on simple, purpose-built tools like handheld lime squeezers and tortilla presses, reflecting how central fresh citrus and hot tortillas are to everyday meals.

Spain: ham stand

Spanish cured ham doesn't need to be kept in the fridge, so it lives out in the open, proudly on display. For this reason, many kitchens in Spain boast a jamonero, a dedicated stand that holds a whole leg of jamón at room temperature, ready to be sliced as needed.

Another common feature in Spanish kitchens is the dish-draining cupboard built directly above the sink, so plates can air-dry without ever touching a tea towel. While it's also found in places like Finland and Poland, this practical, time-saving setup is absent in many countries.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

Now take a look at which countries pay the most for eggs