I treasure the cookbooks in this house. I like that they look a little worn, a little splattered. However there are limits to my approval and appreciation.
Books covered in great big grubby finger marks are a step too far.

The number of times I've had to wedge a book open at a certain page, a can of sweetcorn balancing precariously on one page and trying not to obscure the recipe and a can of red salmon on another.
Fidgety ruddy nuisance!

So how I cheered when offered to trial a Croydex Recipe Book Holder - in smart shiny silver at that (very professional looking - it appealed to my snob nature perfectly). Gleaming mirror-like suction caps to attach it to the wall. No holes, drilling, glue etc needed. Fab! A perfect addition to the kitchen.

Except it wasn't quite as easy as that. The assembling of the product was a doddle [read: very easy] but could I get the dang thing to stick to my tiles, could I heck.

The instructions for using the suction caps are almost anally precise and of course I didn't read them at first. However having failed for over ten frustrated minutes to make them work, I read them carefully. I dissembled the product all over again and started afresh.

Still, they failed!

I cleaned the tiles, I cleaned the suction caps. I stood back and re-read the instructions and tried again. Pfft. It wasn't happening.
Further, as I re-read the instructions I found they were for any product using the suction caps, not recipe book holder specific. Grrr! There was no guidance about whether I hoist this device off the surface or if the base had to be resting on the kitchen top - if I could make it stick. Which I couldn't.

Finally in a mild huff because gadgets aren't meant to be a pain, I gave up and rested the product on the kitchen top. And laughed. Such is the design that whilst I am sure it works better attached to the wall, it works just fine free standing.

I was about to leave it at that - good looking product but failed in application. However, I don't like failure and the next morning with PI to help, we both tackled it. Lo and behold, it worked! With no tenderness whatsoever - I was still a little miffy that such a simple thing had taken so much effort - I plonked a Jamie Oliver hardback book on it. Not a glimmer of it crashing to my kitchen top. So therein I am now the proud owner of a smart working Recipe Book Holder.

Despite the angst, it looks so smart (and does actually work - PI quipped "Don't give up; get a friend", perhaps the new TTB motto?) that I'd offer it's worth the effort. Just.

Retailing at £14.99.

www.croydex.co.uk
(website undergoing refurbishment)