5 Things that are COMMON in Germany but DON'T EXIST in the US! | Feli from Germany

[@davidyoung8529]

Hi Feli, the measuring sticks were common in the US years ago when I was young (50 yrs. ago), but haven't been used too much since the take over of the measuring tape.

[@arnodobler1096]

I use both. The customs rod Zollstock is sometimes better due to its rigidity.

[@kilsestoffel3690]

I work at a work shop in Germany and we use mainly measuring tapes. The yardstick is mostly in use, when one of the bureau ladys or guys wants do craft something for them selfes (hence we have the better tools there and or at least someone to instruct them)

[@richardturietta9455]

Yes, they are somewhat of an "antique" in the US. I have a couple from Dad and my wife's Dad, but they have been largely replaced, as you say. The truth is, I like them!

[@russellcannon9194]

Yes, we called them folding rulers, and they were very common until about the 1970s when measuring tapes started to come in. My dad had several of them of various fold spans and overall lengths. I have one myself, but measuring tapes are much more practical since they are longer while compacting to a smaller space. But, yes, they were very common here in the past. The other things are really not surprising due to the cultural differences between the two countries. For example, Germans always remove their street shoes at the front door and even usually have a little room, alcove, or closet for the purpose. Americans have never really done that. Even those who don't walk around the house in street shoes would typically remove them in their bedrooms. The electric kettle is a European thing and not just Germany. Most British homes have those too. They just haven't been our thing here in the US. Same with the single cup coffee dripper thing. I have never seen one of those in the US (I am 60). We have full blown drip coffee makers, Keurigs (since those have been a thing), but when I was a kid, percolators were very common here. Some of those were electric, and some went on the stove.

[@markadams7046]

Another benefit to tape measure is you can bend them more readily around corners and edges.@@russellcannon9194

[@M.Campbell]

The folding ruler is often sold as a "carpenter's ruler" My father was a carpenter and used one his entire life. They have largely been replaced by tape measures, but they still exist and are in use.

[@mikepalmer1971]

Surveyor engineers use them often still.

[@shadowproductions969]

exactly, tape measures have become the commonplace. I grew up with seeing a few of those and of course yardsticks were a lot more common 30 years ago as well but rare today as well

[@DanG85]

Definitely. My grandfather was a carpenter.

[@ShemZ664]

That weird size pocket on carpenter’s pants are for this ruler. I’m not sure why they are still there since nothing else really fits in that pocket.

[@fsinjin60]

@@ShemZ664the fit cell phones, which drop to the bottom & can’t be taken out. Meanwhile they bang into everything

[@tonylyons7104]

My grandfather, who died in 1999 at the age of 90, was a carpenter, and he had one of the folding rulers you described in the final segment. My grandfather was not German. He lived almost all of his life in Tennessee. I remember seeing my grandfather's ruler many times when visiting, but I haven't seen one like that in at least 25 years! Thank you for reviving some old memories!

[@dwerenat1]

I still have two of my own. Of course I've had the larger one since I was in high school-- back when dinosaurs ruled the world-- but we don't discuss that in polite circles. 🙂🙃🙂

[@TedSeidler]

My father, born in the USA in 1924 to a German from what is now the Czech Republic, was a carpenter and always had one - even when his clumsy kids would break one from time to time. I think he called it a 'carpenters ruler'.

[@duanecounts4799]

My grandfather, who was a carpenter, used those folding rulers too. He was not German either. I think that they were replaced by the tape measure.

[@captchrispike]

the folding rulers were a common item in every carpenter's apron here in the USA back when i was a child, in the early 1960s. my dad was not a carpenter, but even he had one.

[@theyremovedmycontent9643]

Us older carpenters in the US all had a few folding rulers.

[@artistryandmotion]

I am an American who has never been to Europe, but I have been using electric kettles for at least 25 years. Mine gets used every day for nearly all of my boiling water needs, including making tea, pour-over coffee, warming the coffee cups, and giving pasta water a head start before transferring it to the pot on the stove. I cannot live without one.

[@TremereTT]

I assume electric kettles aren't as usefull in most American homes, because the wattage output of a regular wall outlett in Europe is just higher than in the USA. A regular European single phase wall socket pushes through 16 Ampere on 230 Volts = 3680 Watts of power A regular American single phase wall socket could push through 15 Ampere on 120 Volts = 1800 Watts of peak power...but only 1440Watts of continuous power draw is advertised... I don't know why, maybe building code allows for cheaper cables that get hot, or just some room for errors without invoking disaster. The usefullness of an electric kettle is it's speed, so I use an electric kettle rated for 2800 Watts. I don't think that Americans get the same utility out of a slow cooking 1800 or 1440 Watts kettle... Could it be 1800 Watts for new and 1440 Watts for old houses ? Because 1440 Watts would imply a 12 Ampere circuit breaker?

[@tonys1636]

@@TremereTT The voltage difference also, 110-120v US compared to 230-240v EU/UK means that the US kettles are lower wattage so take longer to boil. European power circuits are 15 amp. Cooker/Oven circuit 30 amp.

[@TremereTT]

@@tonys1636 I'm pretty sure Europan power circuits are made for up to 16 Ampere as the circuit breakers are breaking at 16 Ampere of "flow". I looked up the difference between continuous power and peak power of the wall sockets. Running the installation long times at peak power basically shortens the live span of especially the circuit breakers...and it lowers the peak power on wich they might run too. So there is an 80% rule in place to prevent them form deteriorating. thats why US wall outletts are rated 1440 Watts.

[@bsheek59]

I can tell you that the shoehorn and wood ruler were very common household items in the US when I was a child (born 1959). Everyone had these. The wood ruler was eventually replaced by the tape measure but I'm not really sure why the shoehorn disappeared.

[@judibess6173]

Yardstick! I still have two of these and I often reach for one when needing to measure fabric or such. They were often used to advertise various businesses.

[@mariekesslerkaminski4685]

Tbh in my (born 2001) experience,,we did have a shoe horn for like my dad’s business shoes but they were always such a hassle tbh

[@hmvollbanane1259]

That's exactly how they are in Germany. We have about 20 or so laying around as they are common advertising gifts. I find it really weird that the measuring tape replaced them in the us as in 7/10 cases I find a Zollstock way more convenient (plus they made great swords, air planes and whatever else you could fold out of them as a kid - as long as no adult was watching)

[@Platypi007]

I'm guessing the shoe horn has fallen out of favor as the wearing of sneakers has risen. When you had dress shoes with firm leather it was a lot more common to make them easier to get on and to prevent damaging them.

[@rascta]

I've seen shoe horns but never understood their purpose, I just always bought shoes (or more often boots) that fit and didn't need a tool to wedge my foot into a wrong-sized shoe. Similarly with the electric kettle thing. We have hot water coming out of the tap which is plenty hot enough for drinks. And if you want to cook something, like a cup of ramen, just fill it up and pop it in the microwave for a minute. Quicker and easier than finding and dragging out a kettle, filling it up, plugging it in, and waiting for it to get hot. The sodastream thing too, I guess, our water here is drinkable as-is, straight out of the faucet, so we just don't need that. The folding wooden rule is cool though. I now want to get one of those. I have regular rulers, a bendable ruler, an architect's scale, and a few slide rules, and of course measuring tapes, but I don't have one of those folding wooden rules.

[@folkehoffmann1198]

The dedication Ben shows to you and your guys' relationship is amazing. Like he is making the effort to learn a whole new language so he can dive into your world a little more and communicate with your family and German friends in their mother tongue.

[@grepora]

Any relationship can be amazing as long as both partners respect each other and strive to maximize positive experiences while manage negative ones constructively. English is a West Germanic language, so it is not as difficult to learn as Arabic, Hindi, or Chinese. The hardest part is correct pronunciation and remembering the correct gender (das, die, der) for the nouns.

[@KenHenderson-n1c]

What's amazing is that he doesn't HAVE to. Feli's parents and brother all speak English pretty well. It would seem that he's making the effort because he WANTS her family to feel free to speak German around and to him.

[@johnzubil2875]

Russia will probably wipe Germany off the map. How's that for a neighbor.

[@sureshmukhi2316]

If my wife spoke a different native language, I would make the effort to learn it. It's normal for a committed relationship. Since my wife and I speak the same languages, no need for us to learn anything new.

[@Quoa]

I am so sorry to say this, but for me this would be the bare minimum of effort to at least learn some of the language of my partner 😅

[@LiveSimpleLiveFree]

I'm a retired contractor here in the US. When I first started building in the early 70's, the folding wooden ruler was a standard item for every carpenter. You could buy a tape measure, but most carpenters used wooden rulers. But I think in the 80's most contractors switched to tape measure because they are so much faster and easier to use and can measure 30 feet or more, whereas the wooden ruler usually only goes 3 feet (a yard stick). Now wooden rulers are mostly considered antiques that no one uses anymore.

[@Rocketsong]

I worked as a cabinet maker for a while in the 90's. The cabinet makers all had 16' tape measures, and the carpenters all had 25 or 30 foot ones. All Stanley power locks of course.

[@pete_lind]

2M folding meter , sold under several brand , Milwaukee and Stanley have slapped their name on few wooden and plastic versions , those do have the benefit that they wont conduct electricity , so you can use it in area were you have a risk of electrocution , of course these days electronic measuring tool has same benefit .

[@ericderami]

I was more or less a 3rd generation carpenter in the US and remember them from my childhood in the 80s but yeah, it is an outdated tool. I moved to Germany and worked as one for a short time and I was really surprised to see everyone using one especially when almost all other tools were more modern than what I was used to using in the US!

[@brucejacobs4026]

My local Lowes says they have three in stock. Being an olde retired person, I can tell you that these were everywhere in 1960's and before. I think if you use both for a while you will eventually go to using a metal tape measure almost exclusively

[@irtheLeGiOn]

All over the place in the 80s. Used them growing up. I think they got trapped in the 80s as I haven't seen them since.

[@missbiancaleigh100]

Like several others here, there was measuring stick in my house when I was a kid in the 60s/70s, and shoe horns were pretty common back then. I toured the UK in '94 and saw my first electric kettle, which I thought was absolute genius. I couldn't find one to save my life when I returned to the States. They are much easier to find now. I think the main reason we didn't have these for so long is that Americans are not big tea drinkers. They are great for heating up water for ramen noodles, also.

[@TheSuper2346]

Folding rulers were common many years ago. I remember my father had one in his tool box. I checked Home Depot’s website, and they are still available.

[@Glaaki13]

its weird as a danish carpenters will never go anywhere without one and it have to be in wood (yes plastic work fine, but let the be a snob about something)

[@denisehomer7572]

I have my father's folding ruler. He was born in the 1930s.

[@RealConstructor]

@@Glaaki13Same here in The Netherlands and we call it a ‘duimstok’, a thumb stick. A ‘duim’ means thumb, which also measures as an inch. It is an wooden ruler of one meter, folded in four, with brass joints. It folds in two ways, which is difficult to explain, but I’ll try. Halfway there is a pivot point and on a quarter and on three quarters there is a hinge. First you use the pivot point so both stretches lay beside each other and the hinges are aligned, then you fold both legs of the parallel sticks. The folded ruler is now 25cm long. A carpenter’s work trousers has a special long small pocket for it. So a Dutch carpenter’s ruler is not the same one as Feli showed in the video.

[@markrossow6303]

or fiberglass Rhino-brand made in Switzerland

[@selwynowen6213]

I believe that most homes in Europe have kettles in them. They are the most essential kitchen appliance in the UK. And that yard stick, which here in the UK we call them a ruler. Which is mostly used by carpenters

[@xaverlustig3581]

The UK has a tea addiction though. I'm in Germany and I don't have an electric kettle. For boiling water I use the microwave.

[@3.k]

@@xaverlustig3581 I’m German as well, and I use the electric Kettle all the time. Sometimes even to speed up heating the water for spaghettis and the like. :)

[@kooltom4]

And Australia and New Zealand, I guess it's our UK legacy but it's standard in homes to have one. I think the US has lower voltage (120 instead of 240?). Makes them less practical as they take a long time to boil I've heard.

[@ogribiker8535]

​@@kooltom4It is THE reason why Americans don't have electric kettles, they take about the same time to boil as using the stove.

[@YukiTheOkami]

In germany we lern a rule is a stiff messuribg item exclusidly and in our inagibination not lobger than a Meter or yard for thst matter😅 Couse we lern the word by lerning the vocsb for school supplies and vere almost never given a second meaning by our teachers 😅

[@aikidragonpiper71]

I remember seeing folding yard sticks as a child here in Arkansas, USA but yes they've been replaced by tape measures. And my mother used to have a measure roll for sewing and making clothing.

[@DrofJustice]

Huh. I have all these things in my US home but I’m older and my grandparents were raised in Germany. ❤

[@johngraesser4911]

you can still buy cloth measuring tapes in the fabric section of walmarts.

[@AdamYJ]

I’m an American who owns both an electric kettle and a Sodastream. But the thing with the electric kettle is that not only aren’t Americans big tea drinkers, but the culture around tea and coffee is very different around here. Tea is a drink often associated with both older folks and relaxation in the US, so the idea of “I need hot water for tea FAST” never really occurred to most people. And by the time it did, people were using the microwave. On the other hand, coffee is a beverage people want quick and ready before they’ve even finished making breakfast. And coffee makers often have timers that make them automatically start brewing coffee in the morning.

[@Dee-x9f]

I'm American and have owned all five items for years. Before SodaStream, we had just a regular seltzer bottle that took Co2 cartridges. In the 1970s-80s we'd use them as "whippets"-inhale the CO2 using a balloon to get high.

[@OGNorb]

I'm also American. I love my electric kettle, and I have not once used it for tea or coffee. It still gets used almost daily though for anytime I need boiling water that doesn't have to stay on the stove. Instant oatmeal is probably what I use it for the most, quick easy breakfast.

[@brettbuck7362]

@@Dee-x9f It's nitrous oxide, not CO2 - CO2 can be poisonous, nitrous oxide is laughing gas.

[@D3nn1s]

Tbh most germans dont use their kettle for beverages, in face almost noone i know drinks tea and many dont drink coffee. But where i find it to be really handy is cooking, its just a lot faster to have boiling water in the kettle while also heating up water in the pot at the same time.

[@VincentVegas64]

@@brettbuck7362 It is indeed CO2. It is called CO2-cylinder for a reason. Carbonated mineral water is not unhealthy.

[@jeffbonekemper8163]

As a tradesman, *folding rules* were common in the USA before tape measures became better in quality and lower in price circa 1980. Interesting to see them still about, as I thought Germans would have micron-level, laser designators for basic home use by now. ;)

[@Eysenbeiss]

Our folding rulers also have both measurements on them, metric and imperial ... and yes, some have laser-tools too.

[@walterwhite415]

Laser designators? In the land of slow internet and fax machines? 😅

[@nikomangelmann6054]

a lot of germans have thouse micro level, laser designators but a folding ruler is mor practical. for quick measuring, as a bottle opener or just for looking important with the ruler in one hand and a notebook in the other hand.

[@Suzuki_B-King_Hooligan]

Can never go wrong with a good German made digital caliper measuring in microns 😁 Makes engineering and DIY fabrication jobs just so much easier to design yourself.

[@derpapito1391]

I guess we still use folding rules because a lot of companies that sell items for contractors and the like, give them away for free since they feature the companies logo and are basically advertisement. I have at least 30 of them. And yes, I also have measuring tapes in different lengths and some laser measure tools

[@87ormore]

Something else I (born in America) use regularly in my German kitchen is a weighing scale hanging on my wall that measures up to 1kg. In the USA a set of 4 nested measuring cups (and also labelled spoons) would have served the same purpose, because recipes always use volume instead of weight.

[@ZepG]

I've said to my wife multiple times that I wish all ingredients were measured by weight not volume. As an example a cup of flour can vary so much in weight by how compacted it is!

[@MartinMenge]

@@ZepG ....and preferably in metric. As an English first language speaker that grew up in a strictly metric country, finding recipes is a pain.

[@CabinFever52]

Excellent point.

[@robincastle2209]

@@ZepG Even the relative humidity can make a difference on the volume of flour. I would LOVE to be able to use weight instead of volume!

[@kenyanicholas6809]

Ohh 😮

[@karladoesstuff]

Before microwaves, small electric kettles called hot pots were commonly found in university dorm rooms in the US. I mostly made tea with mine, but my older sister used hers for soup.

[@kateruch7196]

I had one in college - they were called Hot Pots in the 80s.

[@beckycaughel7557]

Yes, me too. I had a hot pot in college in the 80s mostly made ramen with it.

[@FD2003Abc]

Exactly. It is faster to just nuke a cup of water for 1.5 mins. Microwave footprints have gotten pretty small.

[@sondra919]

We also used Mr. Coffee drip coffee makers for hot water and ramen.

[@GGysar]

@@FD2003Abc Microwaves are faster in the U.S., but in Europe electric kettles are faster.

[@HaroldCrews]

The folding rule used to be much more common in the US, especially among masons. The reverse side often has marks useful in laying brick or block. My father when young was a brick mason and had two or three folding rules. He also helped two of his brothers build their houses and normally used the folding rule. They of course have their advantages, you mentioned a couple, but they're much shorter than a tape measure, which is their primary weakness.

[@NickSchweitzer]

My wife and I just got back from a trip to Germany to visit her high school pen pal, who she's kept in touch with for more than 20 years. The electric kettle was definitely a thing we saw. The two that came to mind that you didn't mention were the heated towel rack in the bathroom (totally new to me but pretty cool) and the kitchen slicer which apparently every German kitchen has.

[@NWer-c5u]

A mandoline?

[@peterdevuijst2368]

European guy here, from the Netherlands. In my bathroom and in my kitchen I have 'heated towel racks'. I'm not sure what you saw and how the towels are heated. Mine are central heating radiators that have like hollow horizontal tubes with enough room between them that you can use them for draping towels over them. Lovely dry and warm towels❤

[@Eysenbeiss]

@@peterdevuijst2368 It's the same.

[@Eysenbeiss]

Nope, not everybody has a "kitchen slicer" anymore and also, not everybody owns an electric kettle, cause it doesn't make sense, if you own a microwave. Thos kettles are only owned by lazy people with too much money and heated towel racks are usually only to be seen in newer homes and they differ too. Some are part of the general heating system, some are electric.

[@woodpecker8116]

​@@Eysenbeissnow im courious why you think of the word "lazy" here.

[@ChickensAndGardening]

Funnily enough, we have a kettle, the super-fast kind; a Soda stream; a coffee drip cone (though I prefer to use a French press these days); and one of those long shoe horns which I found at Ikea for $1.50 a couple of years ago. A German visitor would feel right at home here!

[@chrissiesbuchcocktail]

Electric kettles: Also very useful to make instant soup or other instant snacks (5-min-terrine). Items pretty common here but not in the US: My American friend was pretty confused when I told him about the "Einkaufstrolleys" (Shopping-Trolleys or whatever they translate to) many people use here to bring home their grocery purchases when not using a car. It used to be something for elderly people but I see more and more younger people use them too. Since I have no car (not even a license) I started using one in my late twenties when I grew tired of carrying heavy bottels with water or soda home.

[@kilsestoffel3690]

Ich kenne die Dinger als Marktporsche oder auch Hackenporsche.

[@Habakuk_]

Das Soda Zeug schmeckt aber nicht dann kann ich auch gleich Brause in Tabelttenform kaufen und mit Wasser aufgiessen.

[@Irishfan]

Another thing Soda water, we don't like the taste of instant plain carbonated water in the US. However it is sold in the softdrink isle of grocery stores and in liquor stores. It is used for mixing drinks of the alcoholic type.

[@chrissiesbuchcocktail]

With Soda I meant Soda drinks like Coke or Fanta... @@Habakuk_

[@chrissiesbuchcocktail]

Yes... but do you know an english word for it?@@kilsestoffel3690

[@jessedonelson7966]

I'm from Texas, and electric kettles were much more common before automatic drip coffee makers took over, and now Keurig and similar machines. We have owned a Sodastream for years. I don't know anyone who uses a shoehorn anymore, but they used to be common. Here, we call that a folding ruler, and you can find them at any hardware store, but I don't know many people who use them

[@LaneysStudio]

I remember the Soda Stream was really popular in the US during the mid 2000s because they heavily marketed it as a healthier and cheaper way to make your own soda at home

[@dustybookshelves2948]

True, though they must still be popular b/c Target, WalMart, Kohl's, etc. still carry the SodaStream kits & refills. Everyone I know eventually got a DrinkMate instead b/c DMs can be hooked up to any size of CO2 vessel, has standard threading (meaning many types of plastic bottles can be used for carbonation + easy refizz for soda/seltzer) & they can carbonate any liquid. IIRC DrinkMate also recently came out with an all-stainless version (including the liquid container). SS is more tied to the company's flavoring & vessel product ecosystem.

[@regenesteffen2814]

It was difficult to exchange the co2

[@krissimay78]

Oh yes, I got my sodastream in 2017 but the C02 was a pain to always buy and the syrup bottles always leaked for me. Plus, I am a fan of Lacroix so it was just easy to buy that anyways

[@ApartmentKing66]

Those CO2 cartridges can't be cheap to replace, either. That may be one reason why they aren't as ubiquitous as they are in Germany.

[@Shinyone1963]

What does Soda Stream actually sell? Overpriced carbon dioxide.

[@tonygumbrell22]

1) Folding rulers were quite common here when I was young, probably replaced by tape measures about 50 or more years ago. 2) I used to have a small electric kettle, which I use to make coffee and tea. I gave up coffee for tea exclusively about 30 years ago and discovered that heating the tea water in the microwave is the quickest and most energy efficient way to do it. 3) When I drank coffee and when I still make it for my friends, I use(d) a Melita paper filter cone, which I keep handy for the rare occasion when a coffee-drinking friend visits. 4) I keep a shoehorn handy for putting on tight-fitting shoes. 5) I like the idea of making your own carbonated water, nifty idea

[@bryanhyde8850]

Feli, when Ben is speaking German you look like a Mom whose child is doing really well in school ! :)

[@fat-hen649]

I love Germany even though I am not from Europe and I'm glad I found your channel. I am trying to learn German so I can speak to my family who knows lots of German. I hope you make more cool videos!

[@vnabhi]

I spent 3 monthis in Munich from April this year. What amazed me the most was that the doors and windows tilt about 30 degrees to facilitate ventillation. I've not seen this anywhere else--at first I thought I had broken the window!

[@all_in_for_JESUS]

The magic German window 🙌

[@robertcrabtree8835]

Yeah, Feli mentions the benefits of German windows in one of her earlier videos about how German homes differ from US ones.

[@vnabhi]

@@robertcrabtree8835 , thanks, but it looks like I missed that video.

[@colleenmarin8907]

I love those windows (used in standard construction throughout much of Europe) and wish we had them in the USA

[@mpetersen6]

I think you are refering to awning windows in the US. Have them in our bedrooms. High enough for privacy but will open to about 85° from vertical. In that position virtually the whole window is open to the breeze. Crank open just like a casement window.

[@teresa_wiggins_gallery]

US born here, I have an electric kettle and a pour over coffee dripper. My parents had a smaller shoe horn when I was little. Now that I'm older and putting on shoes can be difficult, I'm going to look into those longer ones. I like the idea of those folding yard sticks.

[@sadee1287]

If you have IKEA where you live, they have a long shoe horn. It's a bit more expensive than their older version (which came in four colours and looked a bit like a snake) but likely much the same. I prefer IKEA's to any other I've tried (and are more expensive). Don't get a telescoping one -- they tend to collapse just as you're trying to get your foot in the shoe.

[@Amtrak.taz.]

Dollar tree normally has long shoe horns. I bought one of mine there for after I had neck. Physical therapist liked mine more than the expensive ones they sold to patients.

[@emileclede4510]

The folding-ruler, or folding measuring stick, used to be quite common here in the US. My grandfather and several uncles had several in their toolboxes. Like so many things that us old folks can remember from our growing-up days, the younger generations have replaced what we used with their "new and improved" items. :)

[@sondra919]

My dad and grandpa, both carpenters, had them. Yes, they were once pretty common.

[@ericmkendall1]

That was my sense of it, too--I remember seeing them around as a kid, but that was more years ago than I like to admit.

[@paulmarshall9189]

I remember folding rulers being popular in the building trades when I was growing up in the eastern US in the '70s. I had one as a kid.

[@walterwhite415]

An important thing to know about the Zollstock is, if you are in any workshop and borrow one of these, you might get the personal one from one of the workers. And those are usually in mint condition and they treat it with care, because if you are not careful, the hinges wear out too fast, or they even break. They are not fragile, but want to be handeled correctly and want to be folded step by step. So if you get the good one borrowed, you should treat them with extra care, because otherwise the worker won´t ever trust you again. xD

[@1FUZZTUBE]

Feli, Your last item may not be common in most American households anymore, but it certainly was something I remember from my childhood and growing up, because my dad was a carpenter, cabinet maker, and remodeling contractor. Not only did he have several of these, but he often wore pants and coveralls that had a pocket specifically designed to conveniently carry one on a job site. If you've ever seen or worn "painters" pants or bib overalls, you'll see such a pocket, though most people probably use it for a mobile phone today. Btw, back then he called it a "folding rule" or a "foot rule", because it did fold and each segment was a foot long, since in America we didn't really use metric measuring unit until the mid-Eighties outside of scientific and engineering occupations

[@drescherjm]

As a native of the US I have had an electric kettle for 5 or so years because I like to drink tea mostly in the fall through spring. I used to use a keurig for that but it makes the tea have a little bit of the taste of the coffee. I also have a few stick rules (your last item) but I have them because my father was a carpenter and I worked with him on the weekends from my teens to my thirties.

[@Amtrak.taz.]

I'm an American. I live in Cleveland. I have all the things you mentioned except the soda stream. My carpenter's ruler is an antique one I inherited from my Dad. It is over 80 years old. I've used an electric kettle for over 50 years. Can't imagine having to boil water on the stove. My shoehorn. I have several come with each new pair of my favorite shoes. I can almost cook an entire meal using my electric kettle. Just need to use the oven to melt the cheese on the chili cheese casserole.

[@w.williams2694]

Folding rulers used to be fairly common in the US. I bought one a couple of years ago and recall having to really search for it at the store. I'm assuming they have gradually been replaced by tape measures due to convenience. As for the electric kettle, they are amazing and good for all kinds of things in the kitchen. I'm guessing the reason they've never taken off in the US is that folks think of them primarily for tea.

[@taniagruning4559]

Due to the electricity differences between europe and us, the kettles are not as quick to heat the water in the us.

[@w.williams2694]

True, but if you're heating for cooking, that's one less stovetop burner you're using. @@taniagruning4559

[@GGMCreates]

​@@taniagruning4559my electric kettle and coffee pot are about the same amount of time. Kettle holds more water cause my kids just have a small coffee pot.

[@theRealBryan]

I have lots of the folding rulers from grandfather and great grandfather. They used to be VERY common. They are still popular among cabinet makers, but mostly they are a popular antique tool item among collectors. They aren't unamerican. They are just no longer the thing here. (BTW, I own all the things in the video, but I did live in DE, A, CH for many years.)

[@Keith2XS]

I remember my dad having one as a kid but measuring tape is just more convenient to measure very long things.

[@pattymcphee3638]

I have had all of those things in my home and studio over the years. Currently we have a electric kettle, coffee drip cone (it was one of the first gifts my husband gave me when we first met) Soda Steam, shoe horn (long and short) and folding ruler. I did not realize we were so unique. Patty

[@davidschnell2591]

Feli, I really like this episode! I live in the US northwest, last name Schnell but don’t speak German and have not been to Germany. But … I do make my coffee one cup at a time with Melita filters and “ the cone”, heat my water in a “hot pot” (discovered on a trip to Italy) AND I am one of the few people I know who keeps a “shoe horn” by the door. Maybe I belong in Germany ?? Please keep making these fun videos. Thank you! Ps. I also have a folding wooden rule that belonged to my great grandfather.

[@jolly0000]

Tack!

[@spotlight3465]

Poland is so close to Germany and there are small differences. 1. Electric kettles are always used at work, but at home you can often find stove top kettles. 2. At home, you either brew coffee with grounds or use an espresso machine. 3. We drink a lot of sparkling water, but rather mineral and bottled water from the store. 4. Shoe spoon, everyone has, not everyone uses. 5. Everyone has one at home, but a folding one is used on a daily basis, and a wooden one is mostly used by carpenters or other technical professions.

[@sawanna508]

It is simlar here in Austria only the electic kettel is really populare here as well. The stove top kettel is something I conncet more to rural areas. They have much more charme to me than the electric kettels. -Since our stove runs on gas we don't have an electric kettel because it takes about the same time to boild water in a pod (the warm water in our ktichen is quite hot as well).

[@johnmichaelchance1151]

(Sorry for the long comment, I’m a southerner and we love telling stories and I had to tell this one when you brought up the shoehorn.) I live in Mississippi and I have a shoehorn, but not for it’s intended purpose. It’s a small brass shoehorn that my grandfather had and when he started to live by himself he was hanging up some pictures in his new house but he couldn’t find his hammer, so he grab the closest thing which was the shoehorn. When my dad moved out of the house my grandfather gave him the shoehorn just as good luck charm and my dad used it to hammer in nails for the first pictures he hung in the house. That’s when the tradition started, when the oldest son moves out the dad gives him the shoehorn for good luck and to use as a makeshift hammer. Two years ago I moved out to go to university and I have my own apartment, so as a good luck charm and to use to hang up pictures my dad gave me the shoehorn. There are some small dents and tiny cuts on it, but I can’t help but smile every time I see it. Because when I look at it I see the years it has collected from being in my family and it reminds me that my dad and grandfather were my age and they were able to make things work in life, just like using a shoehorn as a hammer. A family tradition that just started out of nowhere without intention. I know when I have a son when he moves out I am going to pass down the shoehorn to him and hope it brings him good luck as well.

[@ericaperez6287]

❤

[@jstringfellow1961]

See, that's a better use for it.

[@carolfolger-brown6340]

My dad and grandfather both had and used the wooden folding measuring stick regularly. They were both furniture carpentry men, so they were used all the time. Wish I still had one of my dad's as they are very handy and you won't cut yourself when a metal one snaps back. Nice to see them again!

[@wolfgangbarreto1833]

My grandfather used measuring sticks. They are a thing of the past here. Instead of a heating kettle we have a water bottle dispenser with both hot and cold which made the kettle irrelevant. The coffee strainer reminds me of something my grandmother used years ago .

[@tfleischhauer6114]

I am American of German descent. I am 70 years old and I began working in summers starting in 1971 as a construction carpenter, and I remember using a "folding ruler" as the common measuring device at that time. Measuring tapes were just coming into vogue at that time but most carpenters were still using their folding rulers. I still occasionally use my folding ruler. I believe you can still buy a folding ruler today at Lowe's home center. I am on the waiting list to join you on your Germany/Austria trip, maybe in the coming springtime? Cheers

[@davidkantor7978]

Yes. The various hardware/tool stores do carry folding rulers, but they are not displayed prominently.

[@johntynio3416]

The folding ruler was very common in the 1960's ( and probably prior decades ) in the US. I saw them everywhere, I have one also, but it is from the 1960's! The tape measure completely took over the market in the US. Thanks Feli!

[@joycejarrard6958]

My adult son in Iowa asked for a sodastream a couple of years ago. We don't have a shoehorn, but that could be a handy thing to own!

[@TDFon]

Agreed, 1960s, and probably before, they were commonly used by carpenters. It's quicker and more accurate to measure between two items, like door jams, especially if the ruler has the little slide feature on the end. My father was a sheetmetal mechanic at that time and used one constantly. I still can see him grab one end, give it a pull and open half or 2/3rds of the ruler. He would never let me do it as a kid because he knew I would pull it at an angle and break the ruler. I still have two of his; one white and the other natural wood color with the carpenter slide in one end.

[@joubess]

Hi, Feli, We acquired our electric kettle from some Vietnamese friends. We use it to make tea and instant coffee, but they mostly use it to make noodles. It's so much better than heating water in the microwave, and faster! I'm finding more uses for it as time goes on, like when I need hot water for a recipe, or I need to add water to something simmering on the stove, but I don't want it to cool by adding cold water.

[@thomasmoeller3446]

Personal drip coffee contraptions can be found in use at your local Starbucks. They use it when they don't want to make a full pot of drip coffee. However, they often forget they are making a personal drip coffee and it takes 10 minutes and then they have to warm it up in the hidden microwave.

[@harrymaciolek9629]

Folding rulers are considered an old fashioned tool though they’re still available. Yardsticks were usually given away as store premiums and are less common, likely because there are far fewer hardware stores today.

[@clivewilliams3661]

Yardsticks were often found in stores selling cloth as it was much easier to measure by stepping the stick down the length of cloth as the bolt was unravelled.

[@sciencewithharriet8879]

Fountain pens for school kids! I was lucky enough to visit my US Air Force sister in Germany several times, and I thought it was so cool that school supply kits nearly always had at least one fountain pen. Here in the US, they are more of a novelty item for adults who are really into pens.

[@deirdrevergados971]

70 years go, fountain pens were compulsary in my primary school in the U.S.

[@Molekuelorbital]

​@@deirdrevergados971You mean compulsory, right?

[@yknott9873]

@@deirdrevergados971 Mine too; we had to do our homework with fountain pen. I gather the story is, at the time ball-point pens were not acceptable for signing contracts because it wasn't known whether the ink would fade-out over time, whereas fountain pen ink was known to last for hundreds of years. GLAD to not have to use a fountain pen anymore - but the ballpoint pens back then used to scrape-up lumps of their ink on the ball, and be almost as messy as fountain pens. I've always preferred to type everything because I can't read my own handwriting anyways, and neither could anybody else...

[@odietamo9376]

When I was in Germany in the 90s I also noticed how you could buy fountain pens everywhere, including inexpensive ones for schoolchildren. I was very impressed with this. I learned to write with a fountain pen about a hundred years ago-at least that is how it seems-and I still use them. In fact, I buy wonderful vintage ones, from decades ago, when there were many, many manufacturers making pens at all price levels. Most of them are a lot better than new ones, too. It’s also possible to repair and restore old ones that are not in the best shape. What is really shocking in the last few years is the skyrocketing price of INK, and not easy to find either-in the US, I mean.

[@yknott9873]

@@odietamo9376 You can still buy new ones, including really REALLY expensive ones - but not much good if you can't find ink tho'... 🤥

[@stephengoetsch349]

As others have said, the measuring stick that folds up was common when I was a kid (I’m 66 now). (While I have a German name, my ancestors came to America in 1842 and 1845). We use a kettle for my wife’s tea, I have a sodastream for making my own sparkling water, my son uses the single cup coffee cone/filter device. I don’t use a shoe horn myself, but I am not at all unfamiliar with them; I’m sure we have some around the house here. So I am surprised at your choices. I admit that we use a kettle because I was living in the UK for several years, and it was there that I developed a taste for sparkling water, and was informed that I could get a Sodastream device so I could make my own sparkling water without wasting so many plastic bottles. Anyway, the five items you chose for this video are really not all that uncommon in the US! BTW, one reason a kettle may not be as popular here is that they heat up much slower than in Europe due to the lower line voltage we use (120V). So their advantage is not that great compared with using a microwave or a stove-heated kettle.

[@TEKMOTION]

Thank you for your video. Welcome to the 70's . . . . . A little explanation. The coffee drip system was sold in the US (Southern California) in the late 60's/early 70's for coffee. It was branded as "Melita" and It was popular because it was simpler than a percolator and quicker. It fell out of favor when the "Mr. Coffee" (automated coffee maker) came out. The Shoe Horn is only used for dress shoes in the US now. Since most people either wear Sneakers or boots you don't see them much any more. Small ones are still for sale at Walmart. Folding measuring sticks were compliantly given up for Tape Measures in the US due to the size of what is measured. Most shops (Wood, Metal, Sheet Plastic, etc) need to measure things that can be 4 meters to 1 Centimeter all day long. Most sheet stock is sold 4 feet x 8 feet. (1.219 M X 2.438 M) Also Durability. They can take quite the beating and still work. I have a few Tape Measures that are over 10 years old. Hope this helps.

[@brettthornsberry7169]

Great video! After a 16 day vacation in Germany, my wife and I learned a lot of differences. From reserved seats on trains, motorcycles not being loud or annoying, the usefulness of a 1 and 2 Euro coin, rocket salad (which is arugula), my first name (Brett) means a wooden board which resulted in laughing at customs when we arrived, and finally, most public restrooms were amazingly clean and charged a Euro or so to use them.

[@CatCow97]

Actually, the rule IS available at Home Depot. The store I worked at usually had 2-3 different models available. Most are wood, but I think you can find plastic or fiberglass versions as well. I think it's generally considered an outdated way of measuring, and most people use a tape measure now, as they are more compact and durable. A more common sight in grandpa's tool box, but certainly still available.

[@timduncan6750]

If you've ever used a folding ruler you'll understand why the tape measure has replaced them. Invariably the measure I needed was on one of the folding knuckles and it's hard to make your mark when it's 1/4" above the wood as opposed to a tape measure laying right on the wood. Also, tape measures are longer...

[@jfess1911]

@@timduncan6750 The folding rules are especially useful when measuring interior dimensions inside something relatively cramped, like a closet or cabinet. I am an American and still use them occasionally. They typically have a little metal part that extends. You unfold the sections until it is slightly too short, then extend the metal piece until it reaches the other side and read the marking to see how far it has extended beyond.

[@CabinFever52]

Now you can even measure with lasers.

[@jfess1911]

@@CabinFever52 Ding-Dang kids and their newfangled gizmos! (mumble, mumble.....)😀

[@ericwuest1753]

I'm American / German (Schwäbisch) living in Gilbert Arizona. Love watching your channel. We own all items you showed in our house hold as well. I can switch back and forth between English and German without an ascent. Meine Mutter hat mal zur mir gesagt. "Hey Eric, take the Hund naus." lol

[@SeniorChief604]

Hi Feli, Where I grew up in Washington State, we called those measure sticks a, "Carpenter's Ruler". Back in the 1950's and 60's (Yes, I'm older) you would always see carpenters with one folded up in a leg pocket on their carpenter jeans. Look for a pair of carpenter jeans in a store. you will find a small pocket on the side of one of the legs. That was for this tool. I still have and use them.

[@BPonTour]

Hello Feli, I’m German and I haven’t been to the US before. But I was lucky enough to have native speakers from Britain and the US while I did my formal training. They explained that the electric kettle wasn’t common because of the power it requires to heat up so fast and older American homes do not run on 230V but a lot less.

[@jeremynv89523]

American here. You are correct. I personally do have an electric kettle, but it doesn't save me any time. I use it for convenience.

[@Doug_in_NC]

I use one all the time, but they are very slow to heat up here compared to in Europe. As the max current you can draw is about the same, having 110V instead of 230V means you have a bit under half the power, so it takes more than twice as long to boil a kettle.

[@jeanvignes]

Agreed. It is faster to heat water in the microwave than in an electric kettle plugged in to 110V to 120V. Only our largest appliances (e.g. an electric stove/oven with a plug hidden from access/view behind the appliance) has a giant plug for the higher 220V. This is a safely feature, as 110V is less lethal but 220V or 230V typical in Europe is far more likely to kill you.

[@KattoTang]

It's not even older homes in the US, the US just uses 110V/120V as a standard.

[@kayf8738]

Technologies Connections did a video about electric kettles some time ago...kzbin.info/www/bejne/laqwfoeMi698asU

[@kamibeckmann196]

So.. I came across your channel a while back (when I thought I was German- totally not and it's a long story🤦‍♀️😅) anyhow, just to let you know, thank you for not only making it fun but interesting ! If I were your mom, I'd be so proud that you have a top rated rated channel without ever sacrificing or compromising your principals and integrity 💯 Bravo 👏 I do have a question, Mz Feli.. do you speak any other languages besides German and English ?

[@jimburns3636]

After college and marriage in the late 70s, one of our first household purchases was a Melitta coffee filter cone. While our parents' drank percolator coffee, every under 30s household made drip coffee, Supermarkets still sell paper cone filters. It was only when Joe DiMaggio (think America's Franz Beckenbauer but of baseball) told us to buy Mr. Coffee brewing machines that most households bought an electric appliance for coffee. I also grew up in a house with foldable yardstick. (But I'm 70y.o.)

[@PeterPanMan]

I'm happy to inform you that the "Zollstock" does exist in the US! In fact, it is called a "foot rule" and you can buy one in any Lowes. My Dad used a foot rule in his trade as a roofer and I do have one of his old ones in my workshop, just as a piece of nostalgia, because I also use a tape measure on my home projects.

[@ChineseChicken1]

I bought one a few years ago. People comment on it whenever I use it like they're not sold anymore lol

[@spokanetomcat1]

Yard and Meter sticks are still common like rulers are too. But, the folding rule your father has was more common 50 years ago as many people here have noted. Woodworkers and single construction workers used them because tapes were very flimsy and you had to have another person there to hold them in place.

[@lukawalli]

So why aren't they used today? Tapes are still very flimsy and you still have to have another person to hold them in place?

[@toyhappyutube]

As a Canadian, I used to have a soda stream for making my own beverages - like cola - however after the costs of the CO2 cartridges and syrups, it turned out that the soda stream was much higher in cost to just buying cans of pop. I also have an electric kettle and a drip coffee thing, but they're both in a cupboard since I don't drink coffee or tea (they're just around for guests)

[@silkwesir1444]

Same experience here, in Germany, even with just sparkling water. The like 19ct (?) per bottle price tag (Pfand not included) for 1.5 Liters of sparkling water is just impossible to beat.

[@FrankenSpielt]

@@silkwesir1444Well, I've tried this 19ct water and it was plain disgusting. It tasted of the cheap plastic it was bottled in with some metallic aftertaste. Bah! Germany has the best monitored tap water in the world. We have much higher standards for tap water than for bottled. And the price for tapwater is much lower than for the bottled. 1 cubic meter of tapwater (that are 1000 liter) costs around 2,50Euro.

[@richkosmerl3381]

The mesuring stick was something my father used. He was a logger and often was asked to estimate the yield of a forest so the logging owner could know weekday to pay to buy it. He always used a measuring stck when he measured sample trees for his estimate. I think my brother still had my dad's sticks.

[@kennethbrown1919]

My father, who grew up in MI and lived most of his life in the US (he did spend 3 years in Japan while in the Navy) and passed away last year at age 88, had several of the folding rulers and i have 1 or 2 of them. They've largely been replaced by tape measures but, as you mentioned, there are times when a folding ruler is very handy. I also have an electric kettle which i use for tea. I do not have a coffee maker since i don't drink coffee and do have shoe horns that i use for dress shoes and longer ones that i use when i wear boots.

[@jamespaul2587]

While watching this video in Canada, I used my electric kettle to boil water for my pour over coffee. 😊 Sodastreams are also common in Canada, however they are often used to make pop.

[@ripkenfan86]

I use both the electric kettle (daily) and the one cup pour over (when not using my French press or Aeropress) to make my coffee. You're right, they're not super common, but they make a WAY better cup of coffee than the standard drip/spew coffee maker. I need to learn German and move there! 😅

[@foxx121]

When soda streams first came to our area, they were like a 1 to 2 use item, then you had to buy more CO2 cartridges. It was a lot more expensive then just buying already made soda

[@davidkermes376]

i started using sodastream to save money on pop. (soda to you snobs.) then covid came along and stores stopped supplying co2 refills.

[@gene7887]

We used the wood folding ruler all the time when I used to be a bridge inspector. When you're in a bucket on the back of a truck or trying to take a photo of a measurement it's so much easier when the roller provides its own support as opposed to a floppy tape. I'm surprised you didn't see them at Home Depot though, our local ones here (NYC area) typically have them with the measuring tapes though there's often only one option vs dozens of tapes.

[@bethsmith3421]

Feli, I have always lived in the western US. I know tons of people who have electric kettles (my grandmother always had one as far back as I can remember. I was born in the 60s.), maybe it's not so common in the midwest or east. British KZbinrs are always commenting on this as well. I would agree that most Americans have a multi-cup coffee maker, many different types as most Americans don't only have a single cup of coffee in the mornings. Keurigs were really popular a few years ago, but I've noticed a lot of people complain about the coffee, tea or hot chocolate tastes off to them, now. Maybe they aren't cleaning it properly. I've never used one. Soda Streams are also getting really popular out here but you are right most don't use it to make sparkling water, they buy the syrup and make sodas, rootbeer, cola, etc. We've also always had shoe horns in my families homes, but they aren't very common in your average American home. We have several yardsticks but not folding ones, those are kind of cool. Maybe my family and friends are unusual. I like the videos about differences in other countries. It's interesting to see how other people live and do things. I also watch Lost in the Pond, most of his channel is about the differences in the US and the UK. Any content you want to film while in Germany is okay with me, I enjoy seeing it all.

[@windwatcher11]

Yup, I've owned one since coming back from an extended stay in England. Luv 'em.

[@Blox117]

i have a water cooler that keeps hot water

[@chawndel8279]

I live in the western US as well. I have an electric kettle, and grew up with a folding yardstick and shoe horns being around... I prefer sparkling water, but I prefer it flavored and I'm not sure that's a soda stream option yet. But, I know people who have them. I think she's basing her comparisons against a specific area of the US and also a specific demographic. A college kid in Chicago is going to be different from a grandmother in Florida, and both are different from me in my 40's in Idaho.

[@MeganW_88]

I live in the eastern US. I have one and use it every day.

[@whyrocha]

We've always had one, before them we used a reg old tea kettle that sits on the stovetop. Even my old county grandmother used a drip coffee maker. Most people don't want to wash them. We would never use a plastic one tho, if you're going to the trouble of drip coffee get a glass drip. I'm one of the lazy ones, gave mine to my youngest son. I do love his coffee tho.🙂

[@barbaraann2558]

My father, who would have been into his 90s today, had the folding ruler. I remember using it. And you are right, that ruler is much easier to do measurements alone. I also have a tea kettle in my basement somewhere, probably with the stovetop kettle. With limited kitchen cabinet space, it is just easier to use the microwave or a small pot on the stove.

[@JohnPilling25]

Plug in kettles in the US plug in to a regular wall outlet which is 110V which means that a 15A circuit can only supply about 1.5kW so it takes a long time to heat the water. I'm English in the USA and I installed a UK 240V outlet in my US kitchen hooked up to the 220V circuit that powers the stove top. Using a 240V UK sourced kettle it runs at 3kW like in Europe and heats water much more quickly. It can be done.

[@jimshields4]

Feli, ein Zollstock was very common in the US many years ago. There were called a contractor’s rule when I was a small boy. I am 75 years old. My father had several. They were superseded by tape measures, because tape measures are more compact and convenient, and less fragile.

[@billwang4181]

Same here. My dad had one. As Feli noted, they can be handy when rigidity is needed. However, with a tape measure, you can hook the little tab at the end over the edge of an item and just pull back to find the length. Tapes are probably less fragile, but I have kinked a couple, and overextended at least one to where it wouldn't retract.

[@wanderschlosser1857]

​@@billwang4181It's handy to have both! 😁

[@oldtop4682]

The last item WAS really common in the US and you can still find them, but the tape measure has pretty much replaced folding rules. I have a couple of them, and they are very handy for certain measurements (especially angled measurements). Folks used to carry them in a holster on job sites. There is another type btw, but they are shorter and fold differently. (Google antique folding rule) I have one of those as well.

[@sensorpixel]

Weird that tape measures have replaced them in the US. In Germany, tape measures are also common, especially to measure longer distances as the typical Zollstock is two meters. I wouldn't say that one is inferior to the other, they have just different uses.

[@oldtop4682]

@@sensorpixel Zollstock - thanks, I just learned a new German word! In my workshop (at home) I have both types, but use the tape measure most often. Indeed, both have their uses, and I do use both depending on what I'm doing. So, yes, that is what I was getting at. The yard stick that is mentioned is actually a piece of wood that is 1 yard (think a meter) long and has markings for fractions or smaller measurements. Like a Lineal, but about a meter long. Some are made of metal, and I use those quite a lot for woodworking when I want things exact. I'm half German, so I like things exact lol.

[@jeffdecker2963]

I have an electric kettle in the US, but every article I read about them before I got mine was about how common they are in Europe. Also they pointed out that water boils faster in kettles in Europe than the US due to 240V versus 120V power.

[@TheKobiDror]

Sorry to burst your bubble, bro but voltage is just indirectly responsible for longer boiling time. It's power. My kettle has a power outage of 3000W. That would be 25A on an outlet in the US. I think the standard circuit is 20A in the US and that would result in 2400W of power. Regardless, the electric kettle is still way faster than a stove.

[@robertab929]

As you were taught in school volt (240V, 120V) is a unit of voltage not power.

[@yashuady7803]

​@@TheKobiDrorit's more like 15A for a standard household plug in the USA. That would give like 1800watts max but it's not safe to run things at their maximum limit so 1500watts is what is actually used as the upper limit number. That is also the wattage printed on my electric kettle.

[@johnbrobston1334]

@@TheKobiDror The standard circuit in the US is on a 15 amp breaker. US appliances are made around that standard. If you want more than that you need to either call an electrician to wire you a new outlet or wire it yourself if you have the skills.

[@johnbrobston1334]

@@yashuady7803 Whoever told you that it's not safe to draw 15 amps from a 15 amp circuit is mistaken. That 15 amps is a continuous rating.

[@earlewhitcher970]

I use my Keurig to replace the electric kettle and the drip cone. If all you need is one cup of hot water for tea or coca, simply select the size cup on the Keurig and do not use a K-cup and you have hot water for your needs. As for the folding measuring device, I know that as a carpenter's rule. My grandfather was a carpenter and he had many of them as well. I stopped using them when my clumsiness caused me to break several at the pivot point. Interesting subject, thanks for putting it together.

[@marydavis5234]

I had to buy a new coffee maker in October , I got the new keurig Kcup duo coffee maker, it uses kcups and it comes with a 12 cup glass coffee pot.

[@CallieCatCuddles]

I fell in love with the German butter container that's filled with water to keep it fresh. They're sold on Amazon as butter bells. They are absolutely wonderful at keeping butter cool, but not cold, so it's always spreadable.

[@sadee1287]

I've seen those on Lehman's website. Nice to know they work so well at keeping butter cool. I use a crystal butter dish but only use a quarter of a block at a time and keep it on the counter.

[@CallieCatCuddles]

@sadee1287 The water in the base forms an air block and a cool environment that keeps the butter from going rancid, like happens when kept on the countertop. Only in South Florida after a hurricane knocked out the electricity during the hottest part of the summer did we have a problem... the water was so warm, the butter slid out of the bell and into the water. The water still kept it cooler than it would be in a butter dish and softer than in the refrigerator. I love them.

[@pasqualbarczyk1925]

Hi Feli. Nice vid. A few thoughts on your list: 1.) electric kettle: Electric kettles are (in my view) a fairly recent addition to German kitchens. They became commonplace items the last 30 years or so. Before that everyone used stove kettles. Quite a few people had coal fired stoves back then and a kettle was always on the stove. But also people with electric or gas stoves usually had a kettle (often with a whistle making noise when the water starts to boil. In the mid-80s I first went to the UK. Everyone there had an electric kettle but it was another 10 years or so until they became common in Germany. The kettles coming from the UK is the reason why they hold the amount of 1.6 or 1.7 litres: It's 3 pints. 2.) drip coffee filter: I haven't seen them for ages in any household around. They become rare nowadays I think. People have either coffee makers (the fashionable pad systems or things like that becoming a thing) or a french press or use instant coffee (which should be a crime in my opinion!) 3.) Sodastream: These became a household item at the beginning of the 1990s. Before that I have never seen one of those. Some people had a soda siphon, but that was more of a bar item. There was a program called "Hobbythek" on German TV which made the Sodastream quite popular. They showed how to make your own soft drinks with syrups thus pushing the sales of the Sodastream... 4.) Zollstock: A "Zollstock" is something tailors use and is a fixed, non-foldable rod as well (you can see them in shops where they sell cloth for home tailoring). The name was just taken over. What we now today as a Zollstock is really a "faltbarer Holzgliedermassstab" (foldable articulated wooden measuring tool). Isn't German language a beauty?

[@P51Dfan]

Feli, As an American I grew up in a Dutch household. It's funny to see some of the items you raise. Like your dad, my dad also had ein Zollstock, and I have one too. They are very useful. We also commonly used shoe horns (though not the log ones). I also have used a Wasserkocker, though I don't use it today. I heat up tea in a kettle on my gas cooktop (which is fast). I love this contrasting content. Much of it is also familiar to me. Tschüss!

[@carlcofr]

Save counter space #1, microwave #2 we have k-cups quicker in time and clean up . #3 we have soda stream #4 it's in the bedroom and sneakers are not tight enough. #5 was replaced by measuring tape and soon to be replaced by apps on cell phones.

[@mideon13]

The "folding ruler" is an old skool" measuring device in the U.S. that was common up until the Baby boom" generation [i.e. my late father had several]. Tape measures became popular in the late v60s/early 70s and market forces relegated the folding ruler to the vintage store shelves and museum displays. Evidently, in Germany, the folding ruler had a strong following that kept it common. Kudos to the German trades persons for maintaining tradition.

[@charcoalmef]

The folding ruler is better for certain measurements. Have a few around the house also have a couple different sized tape measures.

[@jessicaely2521]

Carpenters use the folding ruler still.

[@alexaales7937]

the 'zollstock' is also great tool to figure out the layout of soon to be purchased furniture. i have about 10 of these and they came in handy when we were deciding on which size our dining table should be. just lay them out on the floor. worked also great with our kitchen layout. you basically draw a plan on the floor with them.

[@fishsticks6668]

You can't open a beer with a measuring tape (I guess you can if you don't care about destroying it). I own a Zollstock (marketing gift). I used it twice to measure stuff, everytime else was to open a bottle of beer.

[@alexaales7937]

@@fishsticks6668 cheers to that! 🙂

[@itsahellofaname]

Today is the first time I've seen any of your content, and I don't know if this will mean anything to you, but I just have to say that your English is absolutely fantastic. When I was in the Army, I was stationed in southern Germany for a couple years, and it was surprising to me how many Germans could speak at least enough English to make conversation easy. Of course, their English came with a very heavy German accent, but you have mastered speaking English (or American English) and sounding like a native American. I'm very impressed by that, and you should be proud of yourself for it!

[@manuel0578]

Sounds like a fake American accent and it’s really annoying

[@xtraart381]

​@@manuel0578sie hat so oft von native speakers eine positive Resonanz bekommen, dass wir das gar nicht bewerten können.

[@manuel0578]

@@xtraart381 🙄

[@13DreamRiders]

​@@manuel0578 why are you rolling your eyes? They're praising her for her ability to speak English so fluently that they cannot even evaluate it. They're giving her a positive review of her learning. Not being a smartass.

[@MikeS29]

We have an electric kettle, a filter cone, we make our own carbonated water (we are home brewers and will usually have a small keg of sparkling water on tap; there are even recipies for various brand name knock-offs!), we don't use a shoehorn anymore, but we have a folding measurer, although it is older and was inherited with some older tools. We generally use a retractable measuring tape. So call it 3.5 out of 5 🙂 - Oh, and we are from the U.S.

[@pistolpete6114]

The biggest thing for us was the tilting/flipping windows! That should be a must here just for the cleaning aspect. I loved the windows. For seven years we lived in a small town outside of Leipzig, Germany called Taucha. They actually have their own Facebook page. The town and people were great. The Bürgermeister (Mayor) of Taucha was everywhere and he was very approachable, no protection detail at all.

[@laurablock586]

Windows that tilt in for cleaning are very common here in Central Florida.

[@grantmcinnes1176]

"protection detail". The thought of a small town germany mayoral "protection detail" has me giggling.

[@iggy8702]

Most new windows and replacement windows sold in the US tip in to allow cleaning.

[@mefobills279]

The immigrant areas are low trust.

[@Liz-sz2ee]

All my windows tilt for cleaning, I live in the Midwest, in a fifty-four year old house.

[@GOGOSLIFE]

Just a short story of a shoehorn. When my sister was little, our mom bought her some shoes, but they were getting too tight for her to get on to her feet. We had a shoehorn, and we showed her how to use it. The next day after school, she was complaining about how much her heels hurt. Anyway, she thought you had to keep it in your shoe all day. She did a lot of funny things as a kid, and this is just one of the stories we tease her about to this day. She'll be 57 next week, and hasn't used a shoehorn to this day, lol!

[@pmberkeley]

My German roommate in grad school was both impressed that I had clothes drying racks (because few Americans do) and appalled at how "inefficient" the ones that we have here are. Ours are more vertical with most of the bars located above other bars. Apparently most German households have drying racks, and they're more horizontal with a lot of small bars close together to put clothes on.

[@Ned-Ryerson]

We have two of the vertical ones, as we brought them over from Britain, where we used to live, and are quite happy that we have them, as the standard "efficient" horizontal ones take up a lot more space when unfolded.

[@colleenmarin8907]

Yes, the American ones are just weirdly inefficient, really only good for delicates that are made of thin fabric and dry quickly

[@pmberkeley]

@@Ned-Ryerson yeah, I grew up using them, so I find them to work just fine, and do appreciate the footprint being smaller.

[@andrewstaiger2582]

I used the wood ruler for many years as a railroad track inspector. It was perfect for measuring gauge as well as many other uses such as switch point and frog wear.

[@luborrelli8966]

Hey Feli, electric kettles are common in Australia as well, for tea, coffee and noodles. As a coffee drinker I am horrified by the concept of boiling water and ground coffee, kettles usually used for instant coffee ..... yuk!. I understand hot water in a microwave, but you need boiling water for tea.

[@markgaudry7549]

I boil water all the time in the microwave. You just have to get to know the power of your machine.

[@dg-hughes]

@@markgaudry7549 yeah 1,200W microwave about 3 minutes to boil 300ml of water for a cup of tea and it's boiling. Not sure what the issue is water boiling via kettle or by using a microwave it's the same thing boiling water is boiling water anywhere in this universe heat and water makes it boil.

[@markgaudry7549]

@@dg-hughes Thanks for the details.

[@paulabevan]

Yes the noodles as well I'm a single bloke . It's real odd the Americans don't have electric kettles

[@jayffemt]

My stepfather was a carpenter and he carried a folding rule and used it constantly, especially for cabinetry. The tape measure was used for anything longer than 6 feet (2 meters) They have become more uncommon in the last 20-30 years.

[@MrFearDubh]

I'm American and grew up with kettles that go on the stove, but a few years ago we got an electric kettle. It is more convenient and we probably won't go back. When I was young we had one of those 1 cup coffee things that go over the cup, but rarely used it opting to use a coffee maker instead. When I was young we had a percolator type coffee maker (that had a glass top you could see the coffee going to the top to be refiltered through the grounds), but later got the more modern type you showed. When I was young my father had a few of the folding type measurers, but now we have the metal measuring tape that retracts into its container like you showed. Oh, and when I was young we had short shoe horns and one long one (but the long ones tended to break).

[@michaelb1761]

My grandparents had a percolator that I now have. A few years ago, we had a big snow storm and the power was out for 6 days, but we had a gas range. So, I used that percolator to make coffee. If you get the temperature correct (I can't remember the ideal temperature, but it is a slow perk), you get a coffee that is superior to drip coffee makers in my opinion.

[@biscuitbakerful]

Feli, German household current runs at 230 Volts, in America it is 120 Volts. Thus, an electric kettle will not heat water as fast in the USA as it would in Europe. I think these electric kettles would be more commonplace if we had more juice getting fed to our household appliance. Regardless, I have bought one of these kettles as a Christmas present for my wife. Frohe Weinachten!

[@morthenpedersen3289]

Toilet brush is never found in hotels in the US, but common everywhere in Europe 👍

[@KalEL224]

Have you never been in peoples bathrooms?

[@morthenpedersen3289]

@@KalEL224 no only public and hotels

[@KalEL224]

@@morthenpedersen3289 ok then that explains it. In those areas the cleaning staff will have it not just have them out in public as it be seen as unsanitary. In homes almost everyone has one or more since you have to clean your toilet LOL

[@Skirkly]

You mean the brushes that clean the toilet? We have them in our homes to clean the toilet, but I suppose the assumption is that the hotel will clean your toilet during the day and there will be no need for the brush in the hotel. Or least I hope they clean the toilet when they change the bedding, but mostly I hope they clean it before I arrive!

[@leafbelly]

Because of housekeeping. Also, many Americans (especially woman) do not like to take dumps in hotels.

[@3henry214]

I'm more German than I realized... I have all of those items except for the Soda stream. Before the drip coffee machines came out, those 1 cup drip coffee makers were quite common, they were known generically as "Melitta Coffee Makers". They came in different sizes (#1, #2 & #4 filters) and they also were available with a different number of "drip holes" in them to vary the strength of the coffee, by either slowing down of speeding up the water flow rate through the coffee grounds. My Melitta's were replaced (I still have them as standby backups) by a 1 cup personal drip coffee machine that uses the #2 filters. I've been using it for well over 20 years, that aren't sold/made anymore, so I hope it keeps on going as I do not like the new "K-cup" machines that limits your selection of coffees.

[@psibiza]

"Melitta" happens to be a German company. They have a patent on - you guessed it - the #1, #2 and #4 coffee filters. They're a true staple item in typical German households. The coffee created with these filters is called "Filterkaffee" (translates to filtered coffee, which isn't insanely clever because almost all coffee is filtered in some way). My 90 year old stepfather specifically asks for "Filterkaffee". He eventually accepted that it's a thing for Sundays only because the other methods to make coffee are much more efficient.

[@rogink]

I don't know where SodaStream comes from - I'd always assumed it's the US. Here in the UK they were popular in the 1970s, then disappeared, but made a comeback a few years ago. Even so I think they are still pretty niche. My sister was given one by her German friend. Personally I can't see the benefit - buying the concentrate for Pepsi or whatever can't be much cheaper than buying the 'real thing'. And it never comes out as good as it does from a can.

[@clyndi3246]

SodaStream is an Israeli invention.

[@whyrocha]

​@@roginkthe streams can be a bother when you're in a hurry. Especially since sparkling water is so available in most stores and restaurants. They can be fun on family game or movie nights. We always prefer fresh fruit in ours to the syrups.

[@psibiza]

​@@rogink the company is from Israel. The device makes the most sense in areas were you can drink tap water and that’s why they are so very popular in Germany. In the US they add fluoride to the tap water. Great for their dental health but really bad for the taste of their tap water.

[@RdnyLan]

Awesome set of items. We have a kettle and use it every day. One of our son's found it and it is very useful. We also have shoe horns at our house and have had them for generations. They are not just for "old folks". I was raised with the folding tape measure. You reminded me of its usefulness and I will be getting another one now. Thank you for this fun and useful video.

[@PhinClio]

You need to hang out with more US coffee geeks. Though not as ubiquitous as in Germany, electric kettles and pour-over filter holders are not that unusual in the US. As a fan of sparkling water, I always appreciate Germans' preference for it when traveling in Germany. I always got the sense that Germans fond the American tendency to drink tap water somehow uncivilized.

[@ramonas6453]

That's interesting, I always had the opposite impression, that Germans drink far more tap water than Americans at home. Going out is a different story, as most Germans don't eat out nearly as much as Americans, and water is not free / on the house in all restaurants, so if you have to pay for it anyway, might as well treat yourself and get sparkling rather than flat water (a lot of bottled water is literally just tap water filled into plastic bottles anyway). I agree there has been a disconcerting trend in Germany of people buying bottled water for their everyday water needs and shirking the tap, but that is a pretty recent phenomenon and was rather frowned until maybe the early 2000s. Whereas I've always gotten the impression that there are so many Americans who only drink tap water in a pinch and mainly hydrate themselves with bottled water or soda and it's been like that for decades.

[@markrossow6303]

look up Chemex U.S. made pour-over coffeepot -- basicly chemistry lab glasswear with wood handle for heat protection got the Wife the fancy electric version last Chrristmas, so it does the Pour Over while she showers --

[@BryanAlaspa]

My wife and I had a Sodastream for a while and made our own sodas. Their syrups are pretty good. However, we kinda just got tired of it. We hated having to store the compressed air canisters. A few blowouts happened when we didn't really have things sealed up right. We just got rid of it and went back to buying soda.

[@judykeown]

I donated my soda stream.

[@chrisbirch4161]

We've had Melitta filter coffee pots for years. Simple to use, easy to clean and makes great coffee.

[@Genevahamiltonwinterhaven]

Swiss/Canadian here. I currently live in Florida and can concur with everything you point out in your video. My Florida household contains everything in your video except the soda stream. I still buy my sparkling water at Publix because I hate the tap water here, even with all the filters we invested in. There is no way I would use a Sodastream in Florida until I can get German or Swiss level tap water!

[@Eysenbeiss]

Exactly, same here in Los Angeles,

[@OmniGeno]

As a person born and raised in the US, I got my first electric kettle about 18 years ago. I think it was a gift. We since have upgraded to the kind where you can choose the temperature range, such as for brewing different types of tea. I’m glad that you brought attention to them in this video, because everyone should have one!

[@manuel0578]

Do you drink a lot of tea?

[@OmniGeno]

@@manuel0578 a decent amount, yes.

[@ScrapKing73]

The first three of the five are very common in Canada. Everyone I know has an electric kettle. Many people I know have a “pour over” (which is what I most commonly hear it called). And lots of people love sparkling water here, and (anecdotally) many seem to own Sodastreams too.

[@emeraldibis7510]

Everyone in the UK has a kettle too. There's meme that British people will give every hotel a 1-star rating if there's no electric kettle in the room. How else are we supposed to make tea!?

[@robscott9414]

Must be a regional thing. Here in BC, I've never met anyone who drinks sparkling water or has ordered it in a restaurant. I lived in Switzerland for more than a decade and never got used to having to specifically order "Hahnewasser" (tap water) in restaurants, as the "default" water is sparkling!

[@ScrapKing73]

@@robscott9414 Could be. I'm on Southern Vancouver Island, in case that makes a difference. Though it's clearly not as popular here as Switzerland, as tap water is indeed the default in restaurants here too. But I do know a bunch of people who drink club soda and/or have Sodastreams.

[@ScrapKing73]

@@emeraldibis7510 I'm a bit heathenous, as I exclusively drink cold tea (shake up matcha powder in a bottle, and drink). But I have used electric kettles in hotel rooms to make ramen! I think every hotel room should have one for that reason!

[@Pinkfong2]

My husband is a retired Engineer and we have all three of those measuring items in our home. Our kids grew up using the yardstick to measure snow. Probably the young ones don’t know these items as their parents who are a generation after us didn’t see them used. No one who drinks tea ocassionally (like when your sick) will spend $35 on an electric kettle because most drink coffee and have a Keurig and the younger generation grew up using the mic to make tea. I hate the mic for tea and the Keurig, I like the old fashioned kettle I grew up seeing in British films and it’s the cozy feeling it gives one.

[@DavidCrossgrove-cx5xe]

Yes Feli, the measuring stick used to be a staple in American homes but it went the way of the dinosaur (meaning it is outdated). Nowadays everyone usually uses a measuring tape. Some carpenters still use them though.

[@volairelarp3773]

Several of these items used to be commonplace in the US, but over time have been replaced due to technological advances.

[@DrBLReid]

You need to visit Cullman, AL & Helen, GA.