Must-Have Small Kitchen Appliances

Some homes have large kitchens with plenty of countertops. Others have small kitchens with less countertop space available. You might plan your kitchen purchases according to the space you have on your counters and in your cabinets. If there’s a lot of space, for instance, you might feel like investing in some large appliance that you can easily access when needed. 

No matter how much countertop space your kitchen has, there are some small kitchen appliances that most homeowners feel are ‘must-haves’ for their home. The final selection of appliances will depend on your preferences and needs. For instance, if everyone in the household is more of a tea drinker and don’t drink coffee all that much, a coffee maker will probably not be a worthwhile investment. 

Even though the appliances may come in small and large sizes, they usually cost quite a bit if you want decent quality. This is just one reason why we need to stay updated about small kitchen appliances. Keep reading to learn more and see if you agree about these small appliances being a part of every kitchen: 

Blender 

The first ‘must-have’ small home appliance is a blender. This is especially important if you make a lot of smoothies. A blender can be used to create a mean frozen lemonade, sure, but they can also make delicious fruit smoothies out of any fruit that’s in season. They can also crush ice to make snow cones, and they’re perfect for reducing bulky vegetables for a smooth, delicious, and nutritious vegetable soup. What’s more, there are several recipes for homemade ice cream that you can try out using your trusty blender!

Blender can come in very large sizes, but a standard size is usually small enough to fit into the layout of any kitchen. You can get some option in adorable bright colors, or opt for neutral shades of white and black. We want to make sure of a powerful motor, a durable construction, and food-safe materials when it comes to choosing blenders. 

There are several other types of blenders as well, so take a look around and see which one caters to your needs the most. Blender with large jugs might do well for a large family, but you might want to opt for a small personal one if you’re living on your own. There are even some single-serving blenders where you can make your smoothie right in the bottle and take it along on workouts or walks. 

Coffee Maker

 Coffee makers are the second ‘must-have’ small appliance for most households. Whether you drink or cup or several in the course of one day, you can find a coffee maker that fulfills your needs without wastage or extra effort. Many modern coffee makers today come in sizes that give you 2 cups to 12 cups at a time. 

Of course, if you are one of those people who only serve coffee when you have company, you may not want to keep this appliance on your countertop. Whether space is limited or not, it isn’t logical to keep an appliance in view when you’re not using it almost every day.

Also, keep in mind that coffee makers come in both manual and automatic versions. Here, we’re talking specifically about the machines, where you can press a button, pre-program your favorite brew, and even wake up to a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. However, for that immersive coffee experience or the rare coffee-drinking occasion, a manual option like a French press might be better.  

Toaster Oven

 Toaster ovens can also be great appliances to have available, especially in a small kitchen. If you’re simply reheating food, and you don’t want to use the microwave, a toaster oven is an excellent alternative. Several people are now avoiding the use of microwaves due to radiation risks. Even though there’s a debate on this particular issue, no one can deny that food heated up in an oven gives a much more delicious result than nuking it in the microwave.   

A toaster oven will allow you to warm up small amounts of food, make toast, bake cookies, pizza, or pies without heating the whole kitchen up as a traditional oven would. You’ll also have a little extra cooking space when you entertain, allowing you to keep entrees warm until they’re ready to serve. If you have dishes that require melted or toasted cheese, a toaster oven could do that for you in a jiffy. 

Food Processor

Food processors can also be helpful in a kitchen, whether you have plenty of space on your counters or just a little. Food processors quickly chop, slice, blend, puree, or knead dough for you. Of course, not everyone needs to have one of these small appliances, but they definitely make preparing meals easier.

With a handy food processor on your kitchen counter or in the cabinet, you’ll find things quite easy for your everyday cooking. Whether you’re preparing certain ingredients for the whole week or making a meal from scratch every single day, even a small food processor could save a lot of labor. 

Slow Cookers

Slow cookers or crock pots are the next small appliance most homeowners agree they must have. Slow cookers can solve many problems in your home, especially if you’re a busy mom or dad and you still want to have healthy meals available to the children when you get home. The benefit of a slow cooker is that you can add the ingredients before you leave for work, turn it on, and when you get home, dinner is done. Add a fresh salad and, depending upon what you cooked, your meal is ready in no time.

We highly recommend an Instant Pot or any other type of slow cooker for the busy parent or anyone with a full schedule. Once you get the hang of the recipes, you can put in all the ingredients, set the cooking time, and be sure of coming home to a hot meal. This will help you eat healthier and take in more nutrients, which is much better than eating takeout for dinner almost every night. Read up on some more benefits of the slow cooker for your own assurance.

Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers are the final small appliance that most homeowners feel they must have in their kitchen. The Instant Pot has brought pressure cooking back, so it’s a good idea to start with one of those. If you’ve never used one before, you might need a little practice and consistent supervision in the beginning. 

The good news is that these newer pressure cookers can do more than simply cook a roast in a short amount of time. You can now find pressure cookers that have 10 or more settings. These allow you to pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté, make yogurt and much more, all from one appliance. It is definitely a ‘must-have’ appliance if you love to cook but want to do it quickly. With these newer pressure cookers, you can also cook two to six times faster and use 70% less electricity than traditional appliances.

Even though a pressure cooker gets your food done pretty quickly, the final result is about the same as that of a slow cooker. Here’s a good model for getting started with the pressure cooker experience:

Air Fryer

Many folks are on some sort of diet these days, so the traditional ways of cooking might be on their way out. In order to cut out excessive oil, you might want to get an air fryer for your kitchen. This will help you make all sorts of crunchy treats without the harmful oil inside. French fries, nuggets, and even cakes are possible inside the right air fryer.

Conclusion

There are several more small appliances that you might consider for your kitchen. These include a stand mixer, a small grill, or an electric beater. However, the necessity of any item will depend on how often you want to use it in your everyday routine.