Though the term budol originally had negative connotations, this slang term for being “hypnotized” into doing something has turned into a lighthearted joke among Filipinos. Nowadays, especially in the era of work-from-home, “na-budol ako” usually pertains to one making a tantalizing addition to their virtual shopping cart. Before they know it, it’s time for checkout, and also time for some interesting new adventures with the product.

Examples of these budol finds include exceptionally cool, novel, well-priced, or convenient home items. The practice of recommending items to other homebodies (or “home-buddies,” to borrow from the popular Facebook group) has led many to enjoy their home lives more. If the idea of trading budol finds and upgrading your home space in simple ways appeals to you, consider living the full-fledged home-buddy life. Here’s a short list of home appliances that you might find on someone else’s budol list—or that you yourself can entrance other homebodies to buy.

Inverter Air Conditioner

One thing homebodies often say changed their lives is the upgrade from a normal window-type or split-type air conditioner to an air conditioner that uses inverter technology. Many can remember the point where home life became more pleasant thanks to the increased power, energy efficiency, and quietness of an inverter aircon. Reducing one’s electric bill for intensive aircon use—especially in the hot summer months—can feel like an awesome adult hack in itself. If you haven’t discovered the difference between conventional air conditioning and inverter air conditioning, let your fellow homebodies share the gospel with you.

Smart Rice Cooker

As far as kitchen appliances go, many have also sworn by their new smart rice cookers. There’s just something so satisfying about pressing a few buttons on the machine, knowing that you can expect perfectly cooked rice each time. If you have a big family and a busy kitchen life, a smart rice cooker is a must-have. It can intelligently adjust cooking time, pressure, and heat for you, and some models even allow you to use those features to cook other foods. With a smart rice cooker, you’ll have cooking this staple part of every Filipino meal down pat. This is the kind of budol buy you’ll wish you had in your kitchen sooner. 

Personal Fridge

Few things say you’ve made it in life better than a personal fridge for your bedroom, living room, or study. These space-saving fridges provide additional storage for snacks and cold drinks, and save a long walk to the kitchen to get them. One thing that serious homebodies enjoy about their personal fridges is being able to get a midnight snack without disturbing anyone else at home. Another thing is that personal fridges give them an added sense of privacy with the food and drinks they keep. If both sound good to you, you’ll probably make good use of this item after it magically appears in your shopping cart.

Terrace TV

For those wanting to upgrade their outdoor area into a permanent al fresco bar or dining space, a terrace TV is a great long-term home buy. This is the kind of TV that’s specifically constructed for outdoor use and will weather heat, dust, and humidity better than an ordinary flat-screen TV. This is a budol find that you can use to watch movies under the stars or listen to music while having alfresco cocktails. Who says you should only be indoors to unwind to your favorite TV content when you can enjoy it outdoors with some healthy fresh air?

Home Audio Component System

Another entrancing item for your dream home theater setup is a full audio component system. You could subsist on your TV’s current sound system or use a soundbar, but an audio component system will turn things up a notch. Budol buddies who are also full-fledged audiophiles will argue that powerful, strategically positioned sound will transform your experience of your favorite media. You can use this budol buy to crank up your playlist at home parties, make your Netflix binge-a-thons more immersive, or even do karaoke. When you have a dedicated sound system for your home media, the possibilities will seem endless.

Twin Tub Washing Machine

For those who are used to doing laundry by hand or outsourcing it to a laundromat, a handy first budol experience is a twin tub washing machine. The logic behind a twin tub washing machine is simple: there’s one compartment to wash clothes and one compartment to spin-dry them. It will allow you to save space and do more of your laundry work in just one area. Plus, most models have a decent number of preset speeds, and some even come with auto-timers for both washing and drying. This budol has served household members of all ages, as some parents have even taught their kids how to do laundry on this machine.

Spread the Word to Your Fellow Homebodies Today

The budol life is so much more fun if you can rope other people into it. When you find home items that allow you to live the life you want, you can’t help but share the joy with others. Join the conversation about home and kitchen appliances that have made your home life easier, more pleasant, and more interesting. Just remember to budol responsibly and get all the facts about an item before you recommend or buy!