You've got the basic, must-have kitchen appliances (If you don't, see my list of must-have small kitchen appliances). But what other small kitchen appliances can round out your kitchen? Here is a list of kitchen appliances that, while they're not necessarily essential, would be nice to have to make certain cooking tasks easier and more effective.
Ice Cream Maker
In the summer, an automatic ice cream maker will make your house the most popular one on the block. Use it to make your favorite ice cream flavors, or lower-fat, more natural versions of the ice cream you love. Types of ice cream makers range from the old-fashioned kind that use rock salt and a hand crank, to high-end (and pricey) versions that have a built-in freezer compressor. But for $50 or less, an ice cream maker that has a freezer bowl and a motorized churning mechanism will do the trick.
Products to Consider
- Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker
- Rival Electric 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker
- White Mountain Traditional Ice Cream Maker
Try These Recipes and Techniques
Bread Machine
Nothing beats the taste of homemade bread. And today's bread machines make it amazingly easy to make homemade bread: just place the ingredients into the bread pan, program the machine, and walk away. The bread machine will mix, knead, proof and bake the bread. Choose your machine based on the size of loaves you'd like to make (keeping in mind that most, but not all, bread machines make tall, square loaves), as well as the types of breads and doughs you prefer. Some bread machines have settings to make pizza and pasta dough, bake cakes and quick breads, and even make jam.
Bread Machine Brands and Resources
Products to Consider
Try These Recipes and Techniques
- How to Make Bread in a Bread Machine
- Cinnamon Roll Bread Recipe
- Oven Baking Bread Machine Dough
- Whole Wheat Bread Machine Pizza Dough
Stand Mixer
A good quality, powerful stand mixer can be quite expensive, priced at $200 and upwards. But if you like to bake, a stand mixer is a must. It can master stiff cookie dough, knead bread effortlessly, whip egg whites and whipped cream, and easily stir up cake or pancake batter. Many stand mixers have attachments, such as meat grinders and pasta makers, that can help you make the most of your investment. Choose the stand mixer that meets your needs based on the quantities of baking you do (larger, professional-quality mixers can handle multiple batches of cookie or bread dough at once), and the brand based on the accessories it offers, if you think you'll be using them.
Products to ConsiderRice Cooker
A rice cooker is a staple in nearly every Asian household, but even if you don't eat a lot of Asian food, you might find this appliance helpful. It can not only make perfect rice every time, but it can also make one-pot meals, steam vegetables, and cook grains and oatmeal. Some rice makers can even bake a cake. Rice makers come in several different sizes; choose the one that is appropriate for your household. Some high-end rice cookers also have fuzzy logic technology that helps cook the rice perfectly, and other settings that can make other types of foods.
Rice Cooker Brands and Resources
Products to Consider Try These Recipes and TechniquesSlow Cooker
Set it up in the morning, and come home to dinner in the evening. There's something alluring about the idea of your dinner simmering all day long while you're at work. A slow cooker is ideal for a busy family, or if you often are called upon to bring a dish to family gatherings or potluck events. Most slow cookers have similar features; among those to watch for are a "keep warm" setting and an automatic shut-off for safety purposes. The size of the slow cooker often matters in recipes; choose one that corresponds to the number of people you typically cook for.
Slow Cooker Brands and Resources
Products to Consider Try These Recipes and TechniquesImmersion Blender
For pureeing soups, making a quick single-serve smoothie, or chopping small amounts of herbs and nuts, nothing beats an immersion blender. Best of all, even an inexpensive version will accomplish most of these tasks just fine, so don't feel the need to invest a lot of money. However, if you do want to spend a little more, some immersion blenders come with interchangeable attachments, such as a whisk, a mini chopper, or even a carving knife.
Products to Consider Try These Recipes and Techniques