Well lots to tell. By chance, before reading your reply, we purchased the very same pipe that you mentioned above - which is very reassuring. I think we got a 2 metre length for £1.28. Could I ask what joint sections, if any, you used in attaching it to the vaccum please GB?
Now for the steamer story ..........
We tried another Argos (an 'Extra' store) to see if they had the 'Tower' steamer shown in their catalogue in stock, but the shop system came up with 'Viners' as the manufacturer which looked promising, though in reality all they had physically on site was the Sabichi model already mentioned in this thread and rejected. Incidentally, the latter is so lightweight that the steamer parts actually pop in and out when pressure is gently applied to the centre of the perforated section. Each makes it's own 'pop' noise, which is nice and could be quite musical in the right hands
In the absense of a local Asda, the Woolies' steamer was considered again and although not bad, the seal was not perfect. The M&S 'value' version that I had high hopes for yesterday was 'in the flesh' as bad as the Sabichi
, and Cargo's offering was little better. Some of the big stores wanted £30+ for an item that seemed no more than on par with those we had already considered at one third the cost.
None of the steamers locally would lock tightly into their pan bases , so in the knowledge that we couldn't find anything of that nature it was time to reconsider seal quality and specifically the stronger of the Homebase offerings which was only previously rejected as a non-locker. It was a decent weight unit at just under £15, rigid in the steamer section centre and it sealed perfectly, so that is what we went with for now.
If we ever spot one at Asda (or anywhere for that matter) that seals tightly like yours, I am happy to 'upgrade' to it. In the meantime, I think the homebase kit will do a decent job. What a 'to do' that all was!
Phew, time for a coffee! Thanks again for the help