Kitchen Small Appliances/Gadgets

2 years ago

I am curious if there may be anything I should look into getting that I don't have. I have the basics that most have. Microwave, toaster, coffee pot, food processor, walffle maker, mini chopper, blender, crock pot, pots and pans, garlic press, milk frother and probably other basics I'm forgetting.

I have been looking at panini presses/sandwich makers - simple smaller ones and ones that can also be used as griddle/grill, Aerogarden, personal blenders(such as Nutribullet or Ninja), Air fryers, Insta pot, immersion blenders and other things I can't think of right now.

It seems like when I find something I might want and I look it up on GW, there are a few that have whatever it is and love it and most say it's not worth getting or some like one and some like another(ex: Nurtibullet vs. Ninja personal blenders) Also, when I look up reviews on things, it seems like every product has pros and cons and most things have so many negative reviews, that I give up trying to find something.

I'm curious what people here have gotten that is really worth getting, works well and you use a lot. It could be a small appliance or a gadget. Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

nicole___
2 years ago
My little 2qt air fryer is getting used a LOT! I make lunch for my husband when he's home for lunch, 3 days a week. Now it goes much faster. My ceramic bowls fit the appliance and I can make chili cheese fries, with bubbly cheese on top without the wait....for instance.... or home fries to go with the salmon. I hate cooking outdoors in Winter or heating the kitchen up in Summer.☺ I didn't spend much. $20. Black Friday sale. Cooks brand from JC Penney. I think THIS will heat up a grilled cheese sandwich, in the middle, better because it's enclosed and hotter than on a stove top grilling pan. No need for a panini(got rid of mine when we moved).
sushipup2
2 years ago
I have gotten farther and farther away from gadgets and small appliances. Really, we are both pretty good cooks, and somehow make do without more stuff. Give me a good chef's knife and I'm happy.
Related Discussions
Kitchen appliances and gadgets...
Q
Comments (26)
OK, Judie I have all the items in some form that you have in your picture. This year alone, between garage sales & Amazon, I have aquired the following. vintage Rival meat slicer, Farberware Open Hearth broiler & rotisserie, West Bend indoor electric grill, Waring Pro hotdog grill, vintage Oster super griddle, Marcato pasta machine set with several attachments, vintage 4.5 qt Crockpot, vintage 1.5 hp meat grinder, rotary spaetzle maker. A few things I already had before this year: GE 18 qt roaster oven, Nesco 6 qt roaster oven, Nesco dehydrator, Fagor pressure cooker, Presto 16 qt canner, Cuisinart verticle rotisserie, Chef's Choice electric knife sharpener, Villaware food strainer, Chef's Choice SmartKettle, Breadman bread maker...that's most of it!
...See More
What small kitchen appliances do you have?
Q
Comments (26)
This is a neat thread -- I'm a gadget freak, but mostly the are hand-powered type. But electric... On the counter and used daily: Small microwave Can opener that actually opens tall cans [I have arthritis and manual openers are a literal pain to use.] DH's 2-cup coffee maker 2-slice toaster; why don't they make 3-slice toasters? Small toaster oven which I *never* use but DH does -rarely-I keep trying to get it off the counter and that reminds him he wants to use it. In a convenient cabinet and used at least weekly: 3 qt crockpot, the standard deep type. I'd love an oval shape that would be easier to use for lasagna or roasts. Bread machine, the one that makes regular-shaped loaves. I wore out 2 and killed one before this darlin'. Electric knife. Heavy-duty handheld KitchenAid mixer. I killed seven and severely injured another 5 in between my original Sunbeam (which worked well for almost 30 years) and getting this one. A mini-chopper. Location, location, location. Right now it's in a bad neighborhood-when it's on the counter it's used daily. Waffle iron -- this should go into the seasonal storage. In storage but used seasonally or often enough to be worth the space: 5 qt crockpot, another 3-qt would be more useful; 2-qt would be wonderful but are apparently non-existent. 1 qt crockpot, actually used fairly often but not enough to rate good storage space. Immersible blender- it lives in a worse neighborhood than the minichopper. Large KitchenAid food processor... if I had more counterspace, it would be out. Probably put it where that toaster oven is. Deep fryer [some day it will go into the yard sale box] Vittoria tomato saucer - I'd give up the food processor before I let go of this! Deli-style meat slicer; it was great for meats and cheeses, but now the littluns have grown up, it should go to the yard sale. A pot-stirrer. Naturally, after I got it, I discovered the crockpots are great for making jam and fruit butters without stirring. Vacuum packer for freezer bags -- not really satisfactory. This is the only appliance that I'm totally sorry I bought. Vacuum breadkeeper: a bad purchase because the seals quickly wore out. Not really worth the effort of fixing. Electric frying pan. I used it daily when I had an electric stove, but now I've got a gas stove and this pan should be in the go-box. Mini-frying pan, same as above. Dehydrator. Yes, it's used. Rice steamer. Takes 40 minutes; family can't tell the difference from 20-minute boiled rice, but this thing never burns the rice. I use it more when the microwave is dead - it's okay for re-heating vegs. Blender, used it when I had it; don't miss it now it's gone. Yoghurt maker, ditto above. I have wanted for years and can't find: the machine that vacuum seals cans. Hmmm, maybe I should look into those mason jars...
...See More
Looking for gadget to make appliance cords retractable
Q
Comments (6)
I don't know about *retractable* (as in automatically retracting using a spring), but you could get something that you manually wind the cord around (even if it's just a piece of cardboard w/ notches in each end). There's a rubber donut-shaped thing you could use (though it's sort of big for a small appliance; it might be best for the vacuum, as long as you can figure out how to attach it to the vacuum--a strip of elastic w/ a Velcro closure? There are small cord winders that you can buy--or that could inspire you to make a discreet one you can use for the small appliances. \ There are those rope cleats that might be useful for an undercabinet installation. And you could use them to inspire a cord winder as well. Here's another cord winder that sounds as if it's be a bit easier to use. these rubbery donut-shaped ones are only 2" across here's a cord winder that's basic--but very small, I think. I might inspire you to make one out of cardboard or foam board. Interestingly, that stores on the cord itself. You could maybe cut some slots in a cardboard one and slip the cord through, then wind the rest of the cord around it.
...See More
I hate small kitchen appliances
Q
Comments (18)
I love gadgets and kitchen appliances. I work in a kitchen store and do catering when asked so kitchen items are part of my daily life. I think it comes down to I just like to cook and bake(bake mostly) and the appliances are part of the that. The only small appliances I keep out on my counter are the toaster and the coffee maker. Everything else is on the selves in the pantry or in the kitchen cabinets. I use my KA mixer and Cuisinart FP the most. Bowls, beaters and blades go in the dishwasher so clean up isn't a problem. Wipe down the outside of the appliances with a damp paper towel and it's done. They go back into the pantry. There are times thou, that I just like doing things by hand. Making pasta dough comes to mind. I still have a mess on the counter to clean up so I don't think you will ever get away from the cleaning part whether you use small appliances or not. I second the advice of selling the items you don't want/use on EBay. Recoup some of your money and get storage space for something that you will use. NancyLouise
...See More
Toronto Veterinarian
2 years ago
I love my Aerogarden, but I don't think of it as a kitchen appliance or gadget - it's just the only way I can get anything to grow. Right now, I've got a bunch of basil and dill growing.

I do like my Actifry air fryer, because it has a rotating blade so the food doesn't have to be shaken or repositioned. I use it for fish, chicken wings, fries, and cauliflower. - but not all at the same time. My other favourite counter top appliance is my bread maker - I don't use it often, but I love it when I do (mostly for pizza dough, occasionally for bread). I used to love my Instant Pot for making baked beans, but I seem to be out of my 'baked bean' phase.
Mrs Pete
2 years ago
I think this is an individual question. Ask yourself these questions:

- How often will I use this? Will I use it often enough to justify it?

- Can any of my small appliances do double-duty?

- Do I have the storage space for this item?

Microwave

Honestly, I could do without my microwave. I wish I had a big enough pantry that I could have a small one tucked away for the occasional bag of popcorn, etc. Mine's not "earning its space on the counter".

toaster,

We don't toast often, so we got rid of ours ... we toast in the oven or with the Air Fryer, which are inferior choices, but since I make toast less than once a month, I'll live with it.

coffee pot,

My husband drinks coffee; no one else in the house does. I'd like to say our Keurig isn't "earning its space", but he loves coffee, so I'd never get rid of it.

food processor, mini chopper

We use these constantly.

walffle maker,

We have a bitty-model and use it fairly often.

blender,

Don't own one.

crock pot,

I have two crock pots (one very small, one medium-large) and one Insta-pot (large). If I could only have one, I'd want to go with the Insta-pot because it can act as a pressure cooker OR a crock pot.

pots and pans,

Go through your pots and pans and see which ones you use constantly ... and which ones are rarely used. Get the best set you can find and take good care of them.

garlic press, milk frother

Don't have these. No desire to own them.

panini presses/sandwich makers

I have a Cruisinart Griddler, which I love, but it honestly doesn't get all that much use. I do love that it can "open up flat" and act as a pancake griddle.

Aerogarden,

Don't know what that is.

personal blenders (such as Nutribullet or Ninja),

Had one. Gave it to Goodwill.

Air fryers,

We like our Air Fryer. Unlike the oven, it doesn't require pre-heating, so we can cook something small like a pot pie or a French bread pizza very quickly. It's great for cooking anything in small quantities.

immersion blenders

We do enjoy homemade soup, and the immersion blender is like magic.

Give me a good chef's knife and I'm happy.

Love a good knife.

Additional thoughts:

- Things I've had /got rid of: Juicer, Bread Maker, Rotisserie

- I have a small ice cream maker, and I should get rid of it.

- I have a dehydrator, which my husband uses to make jerky. It gets enough use to justify keeping it.

- I have a rice cooker, which I love. Sure, I can make rice on the stove, but I don't have to watch this. It can cook other things too.

- One thing you didn't mention is a stand mixer. I love-love-love-love-love my Kitchen Aid. It's well over 20 years old and works just like it did the day I took it out of the box. Kitchen Aid makes a bunch of accessories; I have a sausage grinder and zoodler. It makes sense to have a Kitchen Aid + accessories ... rather than one-shot items.

Kitchen Small Appliances/Gadgets

Comments (4)

nicole___

sushipup2

Related Discussions

Toronto Veterinarian

Mrs Pete

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US