14 British Kitchen Objects We NEVER Saw Before Going To The UK 

Egg cups are not posh. You can't have eggs and soldiers without an egg cup!

Measuring cups are the devil’s work, scales are accurate

Washing up bowls: stop you chipping plates and so on against the metal sink and stops the sink getting scratched (important when renting and wanting your deposit back.) Plus, if you are soaking your washing up but need to use the sink, you can just lift the washing up bowl out of the way.

Crumpets are nothing like muffins - that’s like saying an apple pie is the same as a steak pie

Toast rack. The most essential breakfast implement ever. The toast is taken from the toaster placed on the toast rack so that condensation doesn't occur on the underside, making your toast soggy.

Never, ever heard of a Spurtle but a quick Google search said that they're of Scottish origin and as I live in Sussex they've probably not made it this far south, unlike Irn Bru.

Egg cups aren’t posh 😂 Everyone has egg cups in the uk. I can’t imagine how you never used them

Anybody else suddenly craving having a nice runny soft boiled egg?

First blackcurrants, now egg cups: my head's bent from how regular Americans lack some off the most basic necessities!

As Dave Lister once said "Pot noodles aren't food"

I don't even eat eggs and haven't had a boiled egg in literal years but I still have egg cups in my kitchen.

Sorry, Grace, but cooking by measuring everything by volume is really inefficient and prone to error. Weigh *everything*, including liquids: it's much more accurate and consistent. And use sensible units when you do...

Yorkshire pudding TINS,not trays. Straight outta Yorkshire, here!

A good pork pie with the jelly in is a work of art, food from the gods.

I was born and raised in Britain (1970s) but have never heard of spurtles, pie birds, crumpet rings, pie dollies, pudding steamers, egg topper eggshell cutters or Pot Noodle forks - I think you've made them all up.

Going by weight is actually better when baking. Then you always get the right amount. This is especially true with flour.

don't diss the washing up bowl... stops the sink getting scratched

Toast racks stop your toast from going soggy before serving. My Grandparents had one. Everyone who eats boiled eggs in the Uk has egg cups.

The toast rack prevents the toast from going soggy if you're preparing large amounts to be served at a table. It is essential for that purpose, not so much if you're just doing yourself a couple of slices... Though I'd still prop them up against each other for a minute before buttering them.

"Never trust a man, who when left alone with a tea cosy... doesn't try it on." Billy Connolly, Scottish comedian

Life's too short to make your own crumpets

Re the spurtle, the following should be read in a Scottish accent: Why is there no monument to porridge in our land? If it's good enough to eat, it's good enough to stand! On a plinth in Glasgow, a statue there should be Of porridge made in Scotland, signed "Oatmeal O.B.E." - Spike Milligan

Just remember, France is England’s oldest enemy, Scotland’s oldest ally. Look up the “ Auld Alliance”. Fun fact, the oldest ongoing alliance in the World is between England and Portugal ( extended to include the other countries of the UK with the relevant Acts of Union).

‘Toff’ can only be used to describe a person, not a thing!

Back when bread was cut by hand it tended to be thicker, so would retain more moisture when toasted. Putting it flat on a plate meant the underside went soggy, hence a rack to stand it up in.

Scales: digital ones. Seems like the most obvious solution We measure in grams/kilos/litres.

When a Scot told me about spurtles, I thought he was talking about a moderately powerful pokemon (squirtle)...

Not only does a tea cozy keep the tea warm and allow it to brew better, when you leave the house after breakfast you can use it as a hat.

Another great video. We have sliced buttered (in strips) bread to dip in runny eggs, we call them SOLDIERS. If you don't have an egg cup the yolk runs everywhere.

Looking at British kitchen objects will make my mother say, "What in the world?" I love the video as always.

Toast racks are usually used during large group meet-ups or at hotels. It means people can take as much toast as they want, one at a time without touching all the other pieces of toast. It also helps prevent crumb spillage, and makes it easier to grab.

pudding to us is a stodgy thick cake like desert, it’s quite similar to fruitcake, we have christmas pudding which is when we do the dousing in brandy and ceremonious mini bonfire 🔥 (also toast racks are 90/100 on the toff scale but i’d say egg cups everywhere, someone will have at least one in the back of their cupboard)

Pie Birds also help to prevent a soggy bottom!

Tea cozies are very useful, you know when you are grown up when you see one and don't want to put it on your head.

I use digital scales, I can get super accurate measurements.......And then burn the crap out of it.

A word of wisdom regarding tea cosies - "never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on".

Wild object roaming around British kitchen 🤔 is it Eric? 🤣

Ive lived in the UK all my life and i have a toast rack, egg cups, and a washing up bowl, but i can honestly sat ive never ever heard of any of the other items.

They are not called pie-birds, they are called pie-funnels, they are to support the pastry in the centre during baking.

I've never heard of a lot of those things. The only one you'd find in my kitchen are scales and they're digital. In Britain, recipe ingredients are given by weight so we need our scales.

We use our toast rack whenever we have toast, rather than piling the toast on a plate, it stops the toast going soggy! How do you eat a boiled egg without an egg cup, must be challenging to dip your soldiers in!😀😀. Great video, use the majority of utensils though but was born in the 1950s so am getting ancient!🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧💕💖

A crumpet is entirely different to a muffin 🤦🏼‍♀️

When you said that crumpets are a lot like American 'English Muffins' I almost fainted. We have English muffins in the UK too. They are not remotely the same. TOTALLY different things.

Tea cosies are definitely useful. Essentially keeps your excess tea warmer for longer. It's for when you make too much and want another cuppa later 😅

Never seen that first item in my life🤣🤣🤣

Egg cosies are available too! ;-)

I don't own a toast rack but I think I vaguely recall having one as a kid so they're not upper class necessarily. They're of most use when you're preparing breakfast for a large group of people, so people can select however many slices they want, and without the toast getting soggy in a pile. It's been many years since I've seen anyone use one though.

English breakfast muffins and crumpets are both tasty, both available in the UK, but definitely not the same! Definitely deserve individual recognition

Pudding bowl - or,more traditionally, pudding basin. Also how British mum's cut their kids hair.

I love getting here early, no ads just Ravens 😁👍

What amazes me are the number of people who state that just because they are not aware of them will categorically state that they aren't used anymore, are rarely used, or are posh. We'll take it from me, not only was I aware of all the items you listed with the exception of the pot noodle fork, I have seen all of them used, with most of those in the so called no longer, rarely and posh caregories on many occasions. As for the toast rack, I like my toast crispy, and not too hot because I prefer the butter not to turn into a liquid almost immediately so I find a rack an essential item and will use it even for a single slice. The pudding bowl is used for steamed puddings which usually have either a cloth or greaseproof paper secured with string and traditionally a string handle can be created at the same time. If you notice, unlike many standard bowls they always have a pronounced lip - this is to stop the string sliding off when you either lower it into or lift it out of the steamer (or pressure cooker)

re washing up bowls. British houses, and therefore kitchens, tend to be smaller than American ones. For that reason, many British kitchens only have one sink. If you've already filled the sink, what would you do with, say the dregs in a coffee cup? The washing up bowl allows access to the drain hole whilst doing the washing up.

You two are becoming more like us every time i see you, seems you are mastering irony and sarcasm, great stuff!

Bro most eggcups in the uk aren’t even egg ups, they’re just shot glasses. We alternate one for the other. Need a shot glass? Use an eggcup. Need an eggcup? Use a shotglass.

I have the weights and scales and spend once a month polishing the brass weights to a mirror shine. I also have a herb mincer which I use to mainly shred fresh mint leaves to make mint sauce and an old manual winder meat mincer to make what you call ground beef.

I know other people have commented on the use of toast racks (especially useful if you are making a lot of toast for the table when you have guests), but I would like to point out that I have been served toast in toast racks in some American Hotela, so its not completely unheard of over there. Also, aside from fluids, for which we use measuring cups, or small measurements (from quarter teaspoon up to tablespoon) we only measure by weight, not volume as apparently its more accurate (assuming you get the weight right). The only time we might use a measuring cup is if we are using an American recipe (it does happen, but much less often) I think the reason you do not have egg cups is that boiled egg and soldiers (thin strips of toast) is not a thing in US, but we love them here and you cannot have boiled egg and soldiers without an egg cup

I love you Grace but I haaaaaate measuring cups 😅 It doesn’t help that Australian and American cup sizes apparently aren’t the same?! Weight is the only way to accurately measure something! Our kitchen scales is almost exactly like the one in your video, as it happens. We did have a pie bird too but I’ve never actually used it and don’t know what’s happened to it now that you mention it... 🤔 Also, harsh, we definitely used our toast rack when I was younger! Make a whole bunch of toast for the family and people can take it when they’re ready without it going all “wangy” (as Delia Smith once described damp toast) 😂 And SINCE WHEN ARE EGG CUPS POSH??

the washing up bowl also doubles as a receptacle to vomit in. Btw how do you eat a runny egg without an egg cup?

I think washing bowls are used because traditionally most sinks used to be just one sink (not a dual bowl situation)... and the washing bowl allows you to pour liquids in cups down the side of the bowl

Toast racks are great for guests or large families at breakfast/brunch. You can make the toast and put it in rack, on the table so guests can help themselves:-) looks a little nicer than piling it on a plate!

When you steam a pudding with a pudding bowl you cover the top with either grease proof paper or tin foil (aluminium foil) and you would tie that with string, put an elastic band round or scrunch the foil tight to create a seal and then pop in the steamer. There would be an air gap around the bowl and you would havdcaclid on to trap the steam. With a pudding steamer you have the lid with it and the size would fit on a pan of the same diameter so no need for the self made lid on the bowl. I usually make steamed syrup sponge and have it with custard.

Brings back memories my grandma had most of these objects

I think the tea cosy (egg cosies as well) and toast racks enable a longer shared breakfast. Some toast toppings which shouldn't be mixed on the same plate (think sausages and beans and toast followed by jam and butter on toast) hence why one set of toast on the toast rack and one on the plate. Also I always forget I've made a pot of tea and half an hour later finding it hot and extremely well brewed under a tea cosy is one of life's delights.

I think the only things on this list which are fairly ubiquitous in British kitchens are egg cups and washing up bowls (although we currently have one chipped egg cup and no bowl).

One of the most useful, but seldom found housold items these days is a Round Tuit, everyone aspires to getting one.

Steamed pudding is the best! Takes hours but it's worth it. I sooooooo want a steak and kidney pudding now with proper suet pastry!!!

But what do you do when you have soft boiled eggs? If you put it on the plate without an egg cup the egg yolk will just pour out on the plate. With an egg cup it prevents that and it helps when dipping slices of toast in it.

I’ve only ever seen a toast rack in American movies, you know, during those scenes where the student grabs a slice of toast and runs off onto the school bus even though their parents made a whole breakfast feast. I’m a Yorkshire lass btw

Guys, come on, I’m a 52 year old man, a lot of this stuff has passed me by too....although everyone has a washing up bowl :)

Washing up bowls can also be convenient when after-drinking.... well...as long as it's empty at the time...

The washing up bowl stops fragile items from smashing against the metal sink. Also a lot of British homes do not have utility rooms, so things like mop bucket water go down the kitchen sink, the bowl helps keep the dishware separate to where the dirt water gets put.

The toast rack is essential to let your toast go cold without going soggy, while you eat your breakfast. Once a full breakfast has been consumed, can peruse the daily broadsheet while eating your now cold dry toast, with butter and marmalade. Lovely.

I feel I’m letting the nation down by not owning a single one of these items! However I’ll defend the humble toast rack: when making breakfast for a lot of people it’s the perfect way to stop the toast going soggy. Utterly pointless for me as I only have a two slot toaster... but if I had one of those fancy 8 slot toasters you can bet I’d get a toast rack =D

Billy Connolly - "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on." Tea cosies are essential when making proper tea in a proper teapot at home!

OK Eric and Grace, we need a demonstration of how to eat a soft boiled egg without an egg cup.

I find Toast Racks just let your Toast go cold before you have time to eat it they are usually used in Hotel Dining rooms to aid sharing of the Toast around the Table I usually take toast from Toaster or Toasting Fork if toasting on a Fire and buttering it I don't use the rack

When I was small, we always knew when we were going to have steamed jam roll poly. Mother would only wear one stocking.

I've never heard of a bunch of these things before! As for scales, I've seen that type before in museums but never use ones. have both digital scales and the type where you watch the dial with measurements move around until the arrow points at the right thing. Scales are so much more accurate when you're doing anything - such as baking. I always die a little inside if I'm using a US recipe and it's all in cups. One problem with them is that a UK cup isn't actually the same size as a US cup whereas 1g is 1g. With cups you also have to work out if that's a heaped cup, a cup with stuff in as it comes or if you're meant to press the stuff down to make it compacted. There's a lot of room for error - especially if something calls for "chopped xyz" because how much you get will depends on how small you've sliced it. I do use cups occasionally though but that's mainly if a recipe (like crepes) just calls for the same volume of stuff or double the volume of 1 thing and the ratio is more important than the actual quantity. Using something more precise is also useful for those of us who are trying to lose weight. Washing up bowls can be very useful, especially for people who have a kitchen with just the 1 sink as opposed to the dual type (a bigger one and smaller one). If you just have the single one then it makes sense to use a bowl as 1) less water and 2) if you have any dregs of liquid left (like if you've boiled potatoes and have the water still in the pan) you can pour the liquid down the outside of the bowl instead of into the water you're washing up in or without having to drain it all first. I also know some people who use them to put dirty dishes in whilst waiting for enough to justify running the sink and washing them properly. It keeps the kitchen more tidy and prevents having dirty dishes just lying around on your bench.

Was thinking most of these things were middle class then there was the pot noddle fork lol Love you videos there is always something that brings a smile to my face

Hi guys. I don’t know this for certain but I think the US penchant for measuring cups is a consequence of your pioneer heritage. Weighing scales need to be used on a stable and level surface and spring scales can be affected by being jolted about. However, measuring cups are much easier to use when you are living out of a wagon or in tents etc. For a similar reason cups are also popular in Aussie recipes. BTW I use both forms of measure when I bake. 😊😊

Never used a toast rack myself! Hahaha. They seem pretty fancy! 😆 Maybe I'm not posh enough. 😬

Phew, glad I was in the second row😉

The washing up bowl is quite useful for chilling out in front of the TV after work by putting your feet in it, after a hot day (cold water) or a freezing cold day (warm water)

Four year old grandchild, "grandma why does the teapot have a hat?"

This will be interesting 🙌🏻😹

I never knew you didn't have scales My family has two A digital one and one one a bit ike the picture of the measuring thing not the look (I hope you know what I mean becasue it's hard to add pictures XD)

Again a good video that brought back a few memories. The Pudding Basin. When I was a youngster in the 50's we always associated this with cheap haircuts. The right sized basin was put over the head. The hair trimmed around it with a scissors. I never had one styled that way, but I saw few in primary school.

Toast racks are used to keep toast crunchy. Laying hot toast down on a plate will create condensation underneath so one side of the toast becomes soggy. We eat a lot of toast in the UK, mostly commonly during breakfast.

People don’t use those old scales anymore it’s all digital ones these days

Egg toppers are pointless. When you can use a knife

The toast rack is a fundamental implement to avoid the toast getting damp with condensation from its own steam if you put it on the plate straight from the toaster. We like our toast crispy, and crunchy, thank you.

I only ever see toast racks in Bed and Breakfasts where they will bring out your toast in a rack

What era have you been staying in :) A lot of these items are old tradition items and will probably not find many them in most people's house. Especially anyone under the age of 80 :)

I think a toast racks are when you're having an English Breakfast with toast on the side. You can leave the toast on the rack (possibly to cool down) & have a slice when you want it. I think you tend to see them more in B&Bs and hotels these days. Egg cups aren't remotely posh. Dippy egg and soldiers is an everyday food (or was; bit old fashioned). It's a soft boiled egg with strips (the soldiers) of buttery toast that you dip in the egg

Back in the day you sat down to breakfast, lunch, dinner. Kitchens generally had no seating areas and everything was trayed into another room. Toast racks keep slices separate so stay crispy 😋 Hence tea cosies too.

We only ever used to have digital scales until my daughter got into baking, now we have all sorts of measuring cups, jugs, etc., etc.

By maintaining air gaps between the slices, the toast rack allows water vapor to escape from hot toast instead of condensing into adjacent slices and making them soggy if you stacked them on a plate.

I've watched a fair few of your videos and I've really enjoyed. To answer one of your points, tea in a teapot, left for 5 minutes with a tea cosy on the teapot to keep the heat, so delicious. Much nicer than a tea cup/teabag tea. I think you might of missed Typhoo teabags in your teas list, but I might be wrong, could have been another RU-vid vid. I'll say sorry for that, but point out I'm not English but fall under the sorry thing as good manners. So to finish, Cheers (thanks), really good vids. 👍👍👍😊😊😊 no sarcastic nonsense

Washing up bowls are pretty much essential if (as is often the case in the UK) you only have a single sink (drain point) in the kitchen. They allow liquid to be drained without contaminating the washing-up water. Being made of plastic, they also help keep the water hot.