Pandemic-era purchases we still love — and regret — the most

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And we all remember the early days of the lockdown, and the things we were doing — and buying — while we were stuck at home.

Maybe it was a Peloton bike. Or perhaps a bread maker. Or maybe expensive wool yarn for that online knitting class you enrolled in. And it’s possible you still use them all, having become a world-class knitter, baker or cyclist in the process. It’s also possible that they’ve been relegated to your closet or attic or, in the case of many Peloton bikes, repurposed as a clothes-drying rack.

Yahoo News asked readers about some of their pandemic-era purchases, including the ones they love or regret the most. And from pets to personal hygiene, we got some very interesting responses, which have been lightly edited for clarity below.

Pandemic purchases our readers still love

A tower garden, which allows me to grow fresh veggies like a variety of lettuces, squash and lots of herbs. During COVID, I wanted to stay as healthy as possible, and the tower garden was a great purchase to help eat fresh and healthy food!

— Beth R., 62

High-end audio equipment. Brought many hours of enjoyment for music and television.

— Marc C., 65

Mountain bike. It covers remote high desert terrain wherein I find solitude, evidence of old settlements and stunning vistas.

— John S., 75

A ticket to Spain for $350.

— Amy, 50

Hiking shoes! I wasn’t able to work from home being in health care/customer service and mainly worked half days during COVID. After work I would take my four-legged adventure buddy on long afternoon hikes.

— S, 29

Bidet attachment for toilet.

— Anonymous, 77

Nugget ice maker. Everyone loves nugget ice and crunching through it with your favorite beverage, whether it’s a cola or cold brew. Having nugget ice at home that’s soft and crunchy is a real treat!

— Jon, 47

Zoom online classes. During the pandemic, I was able to enrich my education by taking online classes from Vesterheim Museum, San Francisco Early Music Society and Amherst Early Music, something that had not been done before. Before Zoom classes, I could only dream of the classes offered in brochures from Vesterheim and San Francisco Early Music, those places being so very far from where I live. All these classes were a great joy to me, and have stretched my knowledge and technical skills in a most satisfactory way.

— Deborah R., 65

Our farm. We purchased a small 9-acre farm in March 2020. We got a fabulous interest rate and a much nicer house than we could have afforded now. Living on the farm has decreased our stress immeasurably. We no longer have city lights shining in the windows at night, the noise of traffic is gone and the rural community is fabulous. We spend our days raising sheep and chickens and watching the plentiful wildlife that live in our woods. The pandemic forced us to slow down and adjust our work/life balance. Even after returning to the office, the peace of the farm has changed the way that we live day to day.

— Renee, 51

My house! At the time I was forced to move, July of 2020, though against regulations and incredibly scary. But, it forced me to believe I could actually buy a house and I made it happen; my first house not knowing at the time how amazing the 2.5% interest rate was. Because people were still staying indoors I had no competition and bought the house within one day of seeing it.

— Miss M., 53

A Peloton. I only purchased it halfway into COVID as I missed working out at the YMCA. I have never really been a person that liked to work out at home. I now work out using Peloton every day and have been for almost three years. It’s almost like a cult obsession.

— Drew E., 59

My treadmill desk. I was going crazy being at home all day. I needed to move! So I bought a treadmill and converted it to a desk, so I could teach, be in meetings and move! I only had one complaint from my boss about me “bouncing too much” and that was distracting, but other than that it was a lifesaver. Five years later I still use my treadmill during the bad weather days!

— Anonymous, 53

My horse! The barn I was riding at closed due to COVID and I missed riding so much. I had come into a little money so I bought a new horse. She’s great: best decision ever!!!

— Rita V., 68

A mirrorless camera and lens to take family pictures without having to go to a studio. My oldest was 9 months old when the pandemic hit and I was able to photograph special birthday and holiday moments at home. My youngest was born at the end of 2021 and I loved taking newborn photos of him and trying to learn photography as best I could. I’m still learning and using the camera today!

— Stephanie V., 38

Used Ferrari. I was an out-of-work auto mechanic and was able to restore it during COVID. I would have gone nuts without having it to occupy my mind and hands.

— Rafi, 29

Kayak. It’s wonderful to be on the lake, peaceful and relaxing while getting exercise. I often pack a lunch and a book and paddle out to the middle and float while I read and have lunch. I still kayak two to three times a week in good weather.

— Linda, 68

My dog Finley, a Yorkshire terrier/shih tzu mix. We already had one dog going into the pandemic but while my wife and I were both working from home, which we still are, we ended up adding a second. In addition to being a great companion, he was a built-in reminder during the pandemic days to get outside and get some fresh air every couple of hours while he was potty training.

— Matt L., 44

Our cat Gus is the purchase I love the most. For years my daughter had begged for a cat. The answer was always no because her dad claimed to be allergic. But during COVID and all the crap our kids had to deal with from basic uncertainty to fear to the isolation of remote learning, it was my mission to do what I could to make her happy. Dad went on a motorcycle trip and that was our chance! We scheduled an online viewing session with the local animal shelter to select a kitten. ... Bagel, renamed Gus El Gato, was ours and we were able to pick him up two days later. He is now the king of this castle and you’ll never guess who loves him the most... Best. Purchase. Ever.

— Janet J., 48

Gracie, our teacup Maltese, is the love of my life. The pandemic had just begun, and my wife lost her favorite 60-year-old cousin, who was always so strong. We have a full-size Maltese, who was lifeless, on our couch. Our 6-pound Gracie now rules the house and has brought me more joy than I ever could have imagined.

— Peter K., 72

Nespresso machine. We bought it in March 2020 when all the local coffee shops had closed and our Keurig wasn’t hitting the spot. I fell in love with coffee, lattes and espresso in a new way thanks to this machine! I’ve never used anything as much as I use this coffee maker.

— Emily, 36

A new mattress. It has a gel top, and I’m sleeping much better without springs in my tush!

— Buster, 49

Spam. I never thought in a million years I would eat canned meat, but it’s surprisingly tasty and you can use it to whip up some quick meals. I still buy it.

— Brigit A., 62

Pandemic purchases our readers regret

Those thermometers that are supposed to take your temperature by just pointing them at your forehead. We bought two different ones because the schools required an at-home temperature reading before the kids were dropped off once in-person learning started back up. They never worked well to start and we’ve not used them once since.

— Matt L., 44

Toilet paper. It was scarce and allocated, so I paid $1/roll for cheap single-ply TP but never had to use, so these individually wrapped rolls are still in a bin in my garage.

— G., 56

I purchased an obscene amount of Chalk Couture supplies in the attempt to keep myself busy and maybe make some money selling subscriptions and home decor items to other bored people stuck at home. They kept me busy for less than six months and the chalk paste has dried up, gotten moldy and sat unused since October 2020. Maybe I could recoup a tiny fraction of what I spent and clear out the two cupboards that currently house my now defunct dreams of becoming the next Martha Stewart.

— Renee, 51

The weights in the basement for my grandsons. Not because of their benefits but because they have hit the walls and are wrecking the Sheetrock and now will have to redo when they move out.

— Linda, 68

It’s not full regret, but my Meta VR goggles bought for meditation and “world travel” have found their primary home at the bottom of my electronics drawer.

— Lauren D., 35

I bought a six-person inflatable hot tub with all the accessories that were available toward the beginning of 2021. It’s still in the box in my garage.

— Kathryn B., 46

25-pound bags of bread flour. When the vaccines came out, my bread making slowed down. I still have my sourdough starter but it hasn’t been used in over a year.

— Brigit A., 62

Some of the food choices we made: comfort food delivered to the house with various delivery services. That got very easy to do and flab is the result.

— Beth B., 63

Honestly, all of the snacks. Nobody needs that many snacks.

— Deb, 60