Hard-to-get Items

There are some (non-food) items that we are so used to using in our day-to-day Australian lives that are difficult, if not impossible to get in America. Don't despair though - if you use search engines or just ask a group of Aussie expats, you can usually find somewhere or someone in the country who sells what you are looking for. The following items are not among those you'll see often in your American life - you'll have to put in some effort to find them for yourself.

• Electrice kettles, jugs, and birkos. Given that Americans are not tea-drinkers, nor do they use instant coffee, there is not much call for instruments that boil water. Don't despair though, you can get them online from some major department stores, such as Sears.
• Toasted sandwich makers or Jaffle irons. Toasted sandwiches must be more of an Australian thing, because you won't often see these items. If you try to explain what you need to a sales-clerk, you'll probably be given a confused or blank stare. Again, you CAN get toasted sandwich makers, but you'll probably have to order them online.
• Doonas and doona covers. Americans mostly use quilts and have never heard of doonas. These can be extremely difficult to get in America, but some Aussies have found them after extensive searching. Or you could order them from Australia if you need to.
• Carving plates for roasts - the ones with the spikes on them to hold the roast still while you're carving it.
• Rotary clothes-lines. Americans mainly use clothes-driers, or straight-line wires for drying their clothes. Some Aussies really want their Hills-Hoists, and they are available in the U.S. but it will take some online searching.
• Pillow-cases with the "tuck-in pocket" are not common in America, but not unheard of either.
• Curtain-wire with the eylets at each end. Rather than try to find this American anomoly, use curtain rods instead.
• Crepe paper for making decorations. No tips or suggestions on where to buy this stuff - best to get someone from Australia to send you some if you need it.
• Meat-pie tins - for baking meat pies. You can only buy these from a very few specialty baking stores. Or you can order them online from Myers in Australia.
• Once you've been in America for a while, it gets harder and harder to remember the things you "couldn't do without" when you first arrived.

Reader Feedback on this Topic

• I went to Wal-Mart awhile back and saw not one but two brands of electric kettles there, so anyone looking for an electric kettle might want to give that store a try too. Granted, they're not as big as the ones in Oz, but it's something. :) - Vicky
• Since I came back from Australia, I found two electric kettles at the store (two different stores though, each having the only one style LOL). - Beth
• Americans also drink lots and lots of Instant Coffee. Go into any supermarket and you will find many different makers, with caffeine and without. However, some of the real coffee lovers usually make coffee with beans in a coffee maker, or just buy ground coffee and make it fresh that way. And we DO drink tea also. I think it might depend on what city or section of city you are in whether you find a lot of tea drinkers. Go into an Irish neighborhood in Boston, and all they serve is tea. - Carol
• Crepe paper can be found at Michael's, an arts and crafts store. - Stephene
• I also have seen the smaller, black toasted sandwich makers, though not as common. I had one back in the 90's and have seen them for sale at Wal-Mart, usually in the toaster sections. - Stephene
• You can purchase doonas and doona covers in America as well. Doonas are called comforters and can be purchased at any department stores. Doona covers are called duvet (doovay) covers. They, too, can be purchased at department stores, but usually fancier ones like J.C. Penneys and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. - Stephene

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