Machines that end in -er

vs.

A very common mistake for students learning British English is to confuse the words "cook" and "cooker". (In American English, a cooker is called a stove, removing the problem!) This isn't so surprising, as many job titles end in -er or -or, for example, driver, actor, waiter. Please remember, though, that the person is called a cook in this case.

However, there are lots of machines we use everyday at home or in the office, and whose names end in -er. Examples include:

computer
photocopier
printer
hair dryer/drier
washer and dryer/drier (for clothes)
dishwasher
mixer
blender
vacuum cleaner
toaster