I'm a American with European mutt roots, she is Japanese... well... from Japan. She is more form, I am more function, I know it sounds cheasy but it really is the best way to describe our differences of opinion on purchasing "useful" things. While I am terrible at cleaning and decent at cooking she is exactly the opposite, with one caveat, she is AWESOME at cleaning and can cook some stuff REALLY WELL. (She may be reading this.)
I work in the cubicle field and she in the art/design world which means while all the tools at my disposal are multi-functional they also have to pass muster with the wife in the design aesthetics world as well. In essence it can't just work well it should look good too. Which I can appreciate since that lends well to cooking; food should not only taste good but it can look good as well... unless it is 2am and you are a college student.