5 Things that are COMMON in Germany but DON'T EXIST in the US! | Feli from Germany

I’m currently in Germany at my parents’ place and I noticed 5 interesting things that are totally common here but not in the US!

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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 29, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other topics I come across in my everyday life in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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[davidyoung]

Hi Feli, the measuring sticks were common in the US years ago when I was young (50 yrs. ago), but haven't been used too much since the take over of the measuring tape.

[M.Campbell]

The folding ruler is often sold as a "carpenter's ruler" My father was a carpenter and used one his entire life. They have largely been replaced by tape measures, but they still exist and are in use.

[bsheek]

I can tell you that the shoehorn and wood ruler were very common household items in the US when I was a child (born 1959). Everyone had these. The wood ruler was eventually replaced by the tape measure but I'm not really sure why the shoehorn disappeared.

[missbiancaleigh]

Like several others here, there was measuring stick in my house when I was a kid in the 60s/70s, and shoe horns were pretty common back then. I toured the UK in '94 and saw my first electric kettle, which I thought was absolute genius. I couldn't find one to save my life when I returned to the States. They are much easier to find now. I think the main reason we didn't have these for so long is that Americans are not big tea drinkers. They are great for heating up water for ramen noodles, also.

[tonylyons]

My grandfather, who died in 1999 at the age of 90, was a carpenter, and he had one of the folding rulers you described in the final segment. My grandfather was not German. He lived almost all of his life in Tennessee. I remember seeing my grandfather's ruler many times when visiting, but I haven't seen one like that in at least 25 years! Thank you for reviving some old memories!

[LiveSimpleLiveFree]

I'm a retired contractor here in the US. When I first started building in the early 70's, the folding wooden ruler was a standard item for every carpenter. You could buy a tape measure, but most carpenters used wooden rulers. But I think in the 80's most contractors switched to tape measure because they are so much faster and easier to use and can measure 30 feet or more, whereas the wooden ruler usually only goes 3 feet (a yard stick). Now wooden rulers are mostly considered antiques that no one uses anymore.

[artistryandmotion]

I am an American who has never been to Europe, but I have been using electric kettles for at least 25 years. Mine gets used every day for nearly all of my boiling water needs, including making tea, pour-over coffee, warming the coffee cups, and giving pasta water a head start before transferring it to the pot on the stove. I cannot live without one.

[AdamYJ]

I’m an American who owns both an electric kettle and a Sodastream. But the thing with the electric kettle is that not only aren’t Americans big tea drinkers, but the culture around tea and coffee is very different around here. Tea is a drink often associated with both older folks and relaxation in the US, so the idea of “I need hot water for tea FAST” never really occurred to most people. And by the time it did, people were using the microwave. On the other hand, coffee is a beverage people want quick and ready before they’ve even finished making breakfast. And coffee makers often have timers that make them automatically start brewing coffee in the morning.

[folkehoffmann]

The dedication Ben shows to you and your guys' relationship is amazing. Like he is making the effort to learn a whole new language so he can dive into your world a little more and communicate with your family and German friends in their mother tongue.

[jeffbonekemper]

As a tradesman, *folding rules* were common in the USA before tape measures became better in quality and lower in price circa 1980. Interesting to see them still about, as I thought Germans would have micron-level, laser designators for basic home use by now. ;)

[selwynowen]

I believe that most homes in Europe have kettles in them. They are the most essential kitchen appliance in the UK. And that yard stick, which here in the UK we call them a ruler. Which is mostly used by carpenters

[jessedonelson]

I'm from Texas, and electric kettles were much more common before automatic drip coffee makers took over, and now Keurig and similar machines. We have owned a Sodastream for years. I don't know anyone who uses a shoehorn anymore, but they used to be common. Here, we call that a folding ruler, and you can find them at any hardware store, but I don't know many people who use them

[tonygumbrell]

1) Folding rulers were quite common here when I was young, probably replaced by tape measures about 50 or more years ago. 2) I used to have a small electric kettle, which I use to make coffee and tea. I gave up coffee for tea exclusively about 30 years ago and discovered that heating the tea water in the microwave is the quickest and most energy efficient way to do it. 3) When I drank coffee and when I still make it for my friends, I use(d) a Melita paper filter cone, which I keep handy for the rare occasion when a coffee-drinking friend visits. 4) I keep a shoehorn handy for putting on tight-fitting shoes. 5) I like the idea of making your own carbonated water, nifty idea

[TheSuper]

Folding rulers were common many years ago. I remember my father had one in his tool box. I checked Home Depot’s website, and they are still available.

[ormore]

Something else I (born in America) use regularly in my German kitchen is a weighing scale hanging on my wall that measures up to 1kg. In the USA a set of 4 nested measuring cups (and also labelled spoons) would have served the same purpose, because recipes always use volume instead of weight.

[HaroldCrews]

The folding rule used to be much more common in the US, especially among masons. The reverse side often has marks useful in laying brick or block. My father when young was a brick mason and had two or three folding rules. He also helped two of his brothers build their houses and normally used the folding rule. They of course have their advantages, you mentioned a couple, but they're much shorter than a tape measure, which is their primary weakness.

[walterwhite]

An important thing to know about the Zollstock is, if you are in any workshop and borrow one of these, you might get the personal one from one of the workers. And those are usually in mint condition and they treat it with care, because if you are not careful, the hinges wear out too fast, or they even break. They are not fragile, but want to be handeled correctly and want to be folded step by step. So if you get the good one borrowed, you should treat them with extra care, because otherwise the worker won´t ever trust you again. xD

[aikidragonpiper]

I remember seeing folding yard sticks as a child here in Arkansas, USA but yes they've been replaced by tape measures. And my mother used to have a measure roll for sewing and making clothing.

[pattymcphee]

I have had all of those things in my home and studio over the years. Currently we have a electric kettle, coffee drip cone (it was one of the first gifts my husband gave me when we first met) Soda Steam, shoe horn (long and short) and folding ruler. I did not realize we were so unique. Patty

[Amtrak.taz.]

I'm an American. I live in Cleveland. I have all the things you mentioned except the soda stream. My carpenter's ruler is an antique one I inherited from my Dad. It is over 80 years old. I've used an electric kettle for over 50 years. Can't imagine having to boil water on the stove. My shoehorn. I have several come with each new pair of my favorite shoes. I can almost cook an entire meal using my electric kettle. Just need to use the oven to melt the cheese on the chili cheese casserole.