When "doing the laundry" meant dragging clothes down to the creek and scrubbing them on the rocks, the invention of the humble washboard must have quickly made it the household item. Flash forward: This month readers told Real Simple about the objects they've come to rely on most. From the kitchen sink to a personal computer, the best household items save time and energy and make us grateful that the old washboard is now no more than a quaint antique.

This Month’s Winner

Table Talk
The kitchen table arrived at my family’s home over 50 years ago with words like “solid wood” and “honey maple” swirling around it. As an eight-year-old, I interpreted this to mean “no crayons.” Over the years, this table has remained with me. It’s a desk, a message center, a sunny spot for our pet, the heart of celebrations, and, unceremoniously, a place to fold laundry. Lively discussions and intimate secrets have been shared around the kitchen table. It’s truly the center of everything.
Joani Scarborough
Medford, Oregon
Joani will receive a copy of Real Simple Meals Made Easy.

Kitchen Helpers

Other than a great man and a cat, all a girl needs is a great chef’s knife.
Cynthia Bournellis
San Jose, California

A kitchen chair is a step stool for me, a base for a fort, the driver’s seat of a fire engine, and just about anything else to occupy my three-year-old during meal prep.
Tammi Anderson
Carver, Minnesota

I received a panini maker as a housewarming gift, and I couldn’t live without it now. There are always ingredients in the refrigerator — some bread, pesto, cheese, grilled peppers, or eggplant — to help me put together a great lunch or a light supper in a few minutes, with no pots to clean.
Emmanuelle Veres
Montreal, Quebec

A pizza cutter not only cuts pizza but also does a great job on sandwiches, quesadillas, pancakes, and even spaghetti. With two children who want everything cut for them, it’s a lot faster and easier than using a knife and fork.
Melanie Borin
Citrus Heights, California

My kitchen sink is used for food prep and cleanup and as a drinking fountain for the cats. I can stand at the sink washing dishes and enjoy the view outside my window — the trees, the birds, and the rabbits — and really appreciate the fact that I live in Eden.
Joanne Jackson
Eden, Maryland

Our Weimaraner puppy cleans up the kitchen floor after my 10-month-old’s messy meals. Who needs a vacuum cleaner when you have a little dog to snarf up all the crumbs?
Amanda Buchner
Hightstown, New Jersey

I just started to explore the world of cooking, so there have been several dishes that ended up in the garbage. Give me points for trying, but congratulate me for having a backup plan — the microwave. Nothing says dinner like a frozen meal ready in five minutes or less.
Stacy Gardner
Evanston, Illinois

After moving from Germany to live with my husband in Maine, I happily adjusted to unknown foods such as crab cakes, clam chowder, and blueberry pie. But I missed the brown, crusty, tasty bread that I was used to, so I finally bought a bread maker. After producing several bricks that could have been used to stun any home invader, I was finally able to bake the perfect sourdough German feinbrot, made of rye and wheat and seasoned with anise, fennel, and caraway, with a thin, crisp crust. The bread maker takes care of all the hard work and guards against culinary homesickness.
Karin Anderson
Citrus Heights, California

Back to Basics

I couldn’t manage without my iron and old-fashioned wooden ironing board. Call me weird, but I love to iron. Freshly pressed clothes hanging neatly in my closet give me a sense of accomplishment.
Carol Shibuya
Palos Verdes Estates, California

Unless you happen to have an outhouse or are a guy who lives in the woods, there are no substitutions for the toilet — it’s a pretty essential part of the household. We can come up with alternatives for the vacuum (use a broom), washer (wash by hand), or dryer (clothesline). But as I see it, there isn’t anything more relied upon than the toilet.
Renee Frensko
Chaska, Minnesota

I rely most on a pencil that I keep in a kitchen drawer. I use it to make my shopping lists and to-do lists and to write notes to my family that I post on our refrigerator. I also use it to do the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper every morning while I have breakfast — my favorite way to start the day.
Edna Shipley
Albany, California