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The washing machine, iPad and the humble toaster have been named among the top 30 products which have changed our lives. 

A study among 2,000 adults also found we consider broadband, microwaves and the ability to send emails worthy of a place in the hall of fame.

Catch-up TV, first getting a dishwasher and switching to an electric toothbrush also made the list as did spectacles, satnav and Facebook.

Peterborough-based Hotpoint surveyed 2,000 adults about the technology that had changed their lives. Many of those surveyed consider broadband, microwaves and the ability to send emails worthy of a place in the hall of fame. The iPhone (stock image shown), meanwhile, finished 15th out of 30

The results also showed six in ten Britons feel they are slow to get the latest technology and a third will only buy new appliances if the old ones are broken.

Many also claim to have changed their partner more often than they had changed some appliances - nearly a third had a fridge, toaster or washing machine that had outlasted several relationships.

The research into people's use of technology in the home was conducted by Hotpoint as part of their study into the nation's Home IQ.

'As technology evolves so do our appliances and as a result the way we live day to day changes too,' said a Hotpoint spokesman.

'The list of life-changing products shows the way our routines, social time and quality of life is altered by the things we surround ourselves with and certain purchases have us wondering how we ever lived without them.

'The results showed that, despite being such a crucial part of our daily lives, many of us have several appliances that are currently broken or not fully functioning. 

'This means our homes are performing far below the level they could be both in terms of being more eco-friendly and less costly to run.'

Broadband was deemed the biggest life changer, beating the original introduction of the internet and its original dial-up format, which came in second on the list of things people said changed their lives forever.

Others said the switch to HDTV was a clear-cut choice, while the ability to print things off at home and drive with the aid of satnav was also praised. 

The addition of hair straighteners to their beauty repertoire was important for women, while the first upgrade from a regular mobile to an iPhone was deemed an important moment by all.

The research also showed the impact of domestic appliances on modern British life and found the average home has three major appliances that are currently broken or only partly functioning.

Many also claimed to have changed their partner more often than they had changed some appliances - nearly a third had a fridge, toaster or washing machine that had outlasted several relationships. The washing machine (stock image shown) finished a respectable 3rd out of 30

The addition of hair straighteners (stock image shown) to their beauty repertoire was important for women, while the first upgrade from a regular mobile to an iPhone was deemed an important moment by all. The research also showed the impact of domestic appliances on modern British life

Interestingly, a fifth of Britons care more about how their home appliances look than what they can do and just three in ten felt they had any appliances that could be deemed the 'latest' smart technology.

Dishwashers, washing machines and printers were the items people were most likely to say were on the blink but had yet to upgrade.

And the different spending priorities of Britons emerged as a clear factor in the results - a fifth of those surveyed had changed their car in the last year. 

But when it came to appliances, just 16 per cent could say they felt their home was 'up to date'.

When scoring their homes on how their appliances and items performed compared to the available options, the average Brit scored six out of ten. 

Piero Pracchi, Marketing Director for Hotpoint added: 'Keeping our homes performing efficiently not only saves us money in the long run but it can also enhance our lifestyles by utilising the latest advances in technology.'

Hotpoint has also teamed up with BBC F1 presenter Suzi Perry, previously a co-host of Channel 5's The Gadget Show, to help make people's homes 'smarter' and more efficient. 

Speaking about the campaign she said: 'If we embraced innovation in our appliances as we do our smartphones and televisions, we would not only expand what we can do within the home but save precious time and money in the process.'

The different spending priorities of Brits emerged as a clear factor in the results - a fifth of those surveyed had changed their car in the last year. But when it came to appliances like a toaster (stock image shown), just 16 per cent could say they felt their home was 'up to date'