We all know how important kitchen appliances are for saving money. Your big appliances can save you up to 15 percent on costs by being Energy Star rated. Your small appliances can save you lots of time and money, too.
Having powerful, multifunctional, and easy-to-use kitchen appliances makes life so much easier. The problem is that it’s hard to decide what are must have kitchen appliances and what are just conveniences. This can be a matter of personal preference, but there are some universal items everyone should have.
This top ten list contains a mix of luxury and ultimate efficiency. It’s good to have a mix of frugality and indulgence in life.
1. Stand Mixer
If you bake or ever intend on baking in the future, you need a good stand mixer. The most recognized and trusted brand in this category is KitchenAid. These mixers can make dozens of cookies in a single batch without a problem.
Homemade bread, pizza dough, and pasta are easily obtainable with a stand mixer to handle all the heavy mixing.
2. Instant Pot Multicooker
There are a number of countertop appliances for meal prep on the market. All of these useful appliances, like rice cookers, pressure cookers, crockpots, and steamers, take up space. You’ll actually want to use all of these things, so it’s hard to just keep them in cabinets.
The best way to declutter your living space is to combine all of these into one appliance. Multicookers are essentially pressure cookers with lots of settings. You can make rice, stew, pasta, and even yogurt with them! It makes cooking even easier, especially in large batches.
3. Immersion Blender
We’re going to assume that every kitchen has a blender of some kind, but what about an immersion blender? If you’ve never used one before, then you’re in for a treat. Immersion blenders make meal prep a piece of cake.
Quickly puree sauces, finely chop herbs, salsa, mix seasonings, and more. The hand-held immersion blender is quick to use and quick to clean. Heck, you could even use it to mix up drinks in a pinch.
Making homemade soups is so easy with the combination of an immersion blender and that multi-cooker. You just toss in all your ingredients, take your immersion blender and blend up everything into a thick, chunky soup.
4. Espresso Machine
Let’s take a step into your favorite coffee shop and remember what it’s like to taste a robust cup of coffee. An espresso machine might seem well out of the price range for the average Joe, but it’s a great investment. Having your own machine will save you money in the long run
Plus, espresso machines are so easy these days, they practically run themselves. You get a consistent, strong cup every time at any time. Makes for a great companion during those late night work sessions.
5. Meat Slicing Machine
In the same vein as an espresso machine, having your own personal meat slicer is a foodie’s dream. Getting the freshest cuts from the local deli or butcher is a one of a kind experience. We’re talking perfectly cut meats every time, like with the Artigiani Del Restauro Berkel machines.
This gives you the closest thing to a skilled butcher’s cut you can get. With a meat slicer, you’ll be able to retain the freshest meat and artisan cheese products on hand.
6. Toaster Oven
Skip the traditional toaster and go for a toaster oven instead. Yes, they do take up more countertop space, but you get a lot more functionality. Not only does the toast come out better, but so does personal pizza, cookies, and leftovers.
You can’t microwave bread to warm it up, it steals the moisture from it and never tastes the same. That’s why toaster ovens are so great. You can bake individual servings in minutes, without having to wait for an entire oven to warm up.
7. Wine Cooler
This might seem like a luxury item to some, but for anyone who enjoys wine, it’s a game-changer. Loading up wine bottles into your fridge is cumbersome and inconvenient. Having to compete for shelf space is not a fun game.
Wine coolers are fairly inexpensive, too. You get more than just a glorified mini-fridge, you get perfect temperatures to keep your wine from losing its taste.
8. Robot Mop
Who loves to clean the kitchen? Okay, we know a few of you raised your hand, but you’re in the minority. An appliance that helps reduce the number of wipes, sweeps, and scrubs over every surface is a godsend.
Robot vacuums are pretty common these days, but robot mops are a bigger game-changer. Technology has reached the point where robots can keep your floor spotless all day long. Now that is a must-have kitchen appliance in my book.
9. Electric Kettle
Depending on where you are in the world, electric kettles may be a basic kitchen appliance or a novelty. This will match up with just how much tea is consumed per capita. The electric kettle is the answer to having to wait for a pot to boil for individual servings.
It’s much more energy efficient and faster than heating water on the stove. This makes it great for all hot beverages, including soups and cereals, too.
10. Digital Kitchen Scale
For those of us who didn’t grow up cooking meals for big families, measuring by eye just isn’t practical. Converting serving sizes is hard to do if math isn’t your strong suit, either.
A simple, small digital scale can cut out some of the guesswork.
More Must Have Kitchen Appliances
This list is nowhere near comprehensive, but it’s a good start for clearing up countertop space. There are many more must have kitchen appliances that we left out, namely the smart home category.
If you’re interested in seeing how smart home appliances can improve your life as a chef, check out our list here. These appliances will save you lots of time and money doing monotonous tasks and allow you to focus on what you love, cooking!