A Hint in the Riddle

So the name of this great household object you can see in the previous post consists of two words. The second word is reminiscent of the title of one of the greatest (maybe the greatest) American Bildungsromane.

A Crucial Household Item: A Riddle

In the photo you can see a crucial household item I just bought at an antique furniture store for $10. Can you guess what it is?

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It is truly something no household can go without. I have no idea how I’ve manged to live for so many years and not have it.