Appliances
New country, new appliances. Unfortunately this can be a big expense but it is much better to buy new here than to bring stuff from back home. Following are my personal favorites for some of the more important items you will need.
Washing Machine and Dryer:
My favorite is the Bosch Maxx model. Newer ones come out all the time so I would say you are best off talking to your local store that sells appliances (elettrodomestici) and see what the latest model is. What I like about the washer is the different cycles and the different spin speeds. The best in my opinion of the current different models is the one that had speeds from 600 to 1000 rpm as well as a machine depth of 55 cm (the 40 is way too small to handle loads properly). For the dryer, the better ones are the ones that work by collecting the condensation so you do not need them to be vented. You can then collect the water and use it for watering your plants.
The Italian Bosch site does not have any good info on their washers and dryers but you can get a lot of info from their US and Australia sites (models are a little different but it will give you a good understanding of their products).
You can check out ePlaza for their listing of the washing machine.
Vacuum Cleaners:
There really is no better vacuum cleaner than a Dyson. They have different models to fit everyone's needs. You can read all about them at Dyson for the English version or Dyson.it for the Italian version.
Steam Cleaners:
The above beauty is one of the most wonderful toys ever invented. Using a steam cleaner in your house makes everything sparkle (including windows) without using chemicals. This is a Polti Vaporetto and you can read more about it at the Polti site
Irons:
More great products from Polti. You can read all about them on their Steam Iron pages You can also just buy an attachment iron that plugs into the above steam cleaner. In Italy people iron everything so having an iron that works (we are talking professional steam irons) is a must have!
Dustbuster:
Another wonderful toy. This is a re-chargeable dustbuster that can also be used like a regular vacuum. No more sweeping the kitchen 10 times a day! You can check out their listing at Mr. Price
Air Conditioners:
A needed piece or equipment these days it seems. The one pictured above is portable so you can move it from room to room. Not up stairs though as it is very heavy. There are also ones that are fixed to the wall that have to be installed but work great. You can check out prices and such at ePrice Best brand is the DeLonghi Pinguino.
Food Processor:
The Kenwood model above is getting some pretty good reviews. I have a Moulinex that I do not like that much. You can see the Kenwood listing at ePlaza and Mr. Price.
Stand Mixer:
Finally after living here for 10 years they finally come out with a good stand mixer. I am lucky enough to have someone back in the states who knows me well enough to know I couldn't live without my Kitchen Aid so she sent me mine but you don't have to go through that expense. The Kenwood Chef above is great. I hear only good things about it. You can check out the info and prices at Mr. Price and ePlaza. Oh and they now have bread machines in Italy too. Just do a little search on either of the two links above.
Coffee Machine:
This beauty from Saeco is totally automatic and makes a pretty mean caffé. Prices and info at Mr. Price and ePlaza
Professional Stoves:
They seem to be the trend now in the US and the UK but here in Italy they aren't which means you pay WAY less for them than you could ever imagine. If you want a real professional restaurant stove, look no further than Zanussi Professional We have had ours for 2 years and I love it more every day.