This kitchen appliances list will provide you with some essential tools to start cooking healthy, gourmet meals. Whether you’re outfitting your first kitchen, looking for a few new handy gadgets or you’re equipping an updated and expanded kitchen to feed your growing family, this list has you covered.
As your tastes and interests broaden, you’ll want to make all kinds of delicious types of food – bread, homemade pizza, kimchi, stews, tofu, and soups to name a few. However, as you look around your kitchen, you may realize you lack some essential kitchen tools and appliances. Items that would make preparing those exciting recipes a reality rather than a fantasy.
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What Every Kitchen Needs
The list of essential tools will be different for different cooks. But there should be some common items on every kitchen wish list. These are items that no kitchen can do without, like a cutting board, chef’s knife, or colander.
Other kitchen tools and appliances make it easier to prepare meals in advance. Preparing meals in advance allows you to make something in your slow cooker, pull something from the freezer for dinner after a long day, or make a dish for a family party.
Useful kitchen tools and appliances make it easier to prepare and eat healthier foods instead of prepackaged, processed foods. While every home chef has their preferred list of cookware and appliances, the gadgets listed here are among the most useful.
They can save you time and money. They also provide the convenience of making gourmet dishes at home with fresh, healthy ingredients at a fraction of the price of eating out.
1. Countertop Convection Oven
A countertop convection oven can be a versatile, cost-saving option for making quick and convenient meals. A countertop convection oven has a small footprint and won’t consume too much of your precious counter space. These ovens allow you to prepare dishes quickly and efficiently by circulating warm air throughout the oven. Convection cooking cooks food more evenly with less energy than a conventional oven or microwave.
Conventional ovens require more energy and radiate much more ambient heat than a countertop convection oven. However, it helps to have a traditional oven for roasting or broiling large items. So which one you use frequently depends on what you’re preparing. Both appliances have their functions and can accommodate standard-sized cookware.
2. Blender
No longer an underrated kitchen appliance, the blender has quickly become an essential item in every health-conscious household. Blenders are great for preparing refreshing beverages or even meals. Some examples include: smoothies, sauces and soups, salsa, and even baby food. Blenders are also easy to clean since most of the pitchers are dishwasher safe.
Some home cooks insist that having a food processor negates the need for a separate blender. However, there are things you can do with a blender that you just can’t do with a food processor, like making large quantities of smoothies and soups. As with any kitchen appliance, cost and quality can vary. You’ll want to think about what you’ll use the blender for before you select a particular product.
3. Wok
The wok is a venerated, time-honored kitchen appliance that has been in use for over 3,000 years. Woks are an incredibly versatile cooking tool, so it’s no wonder they caught on in the West after being used in China for millennia. Stir-frying is a convenient way to prepare a quick meal; it’s the perfect use for a wok.
However, you can use a wok for more than stir-frying. Woks are useful for steaming or boiling, and you can even use a wok as a smoker. The most popular wok is the stovetop variety that sits on a stand, but there are also electric models too.
4. Slow Cooker
A slow cooker can be one of the most versatile kitchen appliances on your wish list. Recipes and ideas abound for using a slow cooker. You can prepare dishes like oatmeal, casseroles, beans, soups, and stews, as well as other dishes you might not have thought possible. Brisket, apple pie, and bread pudding can all be created in one of these appliances. Slow cookers are inexpensive and are a great way to prepare healthy food conveniently. The crock portion is usually dishwasher safe, making for easy cleanup.
5. Panini Maker
A panini press or panini maker is a kitchen appliance that turns any filling sandwiched between two slices of bread into toasty or melty deliciousness. The possibilities for using a panini maker are endless. Sweet, savory, fresh, or reheated, numerous types of food are possible to press with a panini maker.
You can make anything from basic grilled ham and cheese sandwiches to chicken pesto paninis, bacon, pizzas, or chicken breasts. Virtually anything you can heat and press, you can cook on a panini maker. Slicing into a warm, cheesy panini on your cutting board and smelling those toasty ingredients is worth adding a panini maker to your list of kitchen appliances.
6. Fermentation Crock
Fermentation – a biological process in which bacteria, yeast, or other agents break down food and convert sugar to alcohol – saw its first recorded use in 4000 BC. We have the benefit of generations of experimentation using fermentation to preserve food. With a fermentation crock, you can make and preserve delicious foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and more.
Fermentation crocks come in many sizes and won’t take up much of your valuable kitchen or refrigerator space. You’ll also have the benefit of re-populating your gut with healthy bacteria from fermented foods.
7. Japanese Rice Cooker
Rice is a staple of diets throughout the world. A Japanese rice cooker is an appliance worth considering for your kitchen. It is a simple, easy-to-use appliance that will make cooking rice faster and easier than ever.
Also, a Japanese rice cooker has some hidden capabilities. It gives you the ability to cook things like oatmeal and quinoa as well as foods you might not expect like pancakes and soups. A rice cooker is another excellent addition to your kitchen for making healthy food.
8. Ceramic Waffle Maker
Who doesn’t love waffles? A ceramic waffle maker is a must-have kitchen appliance for some people. It’s made of safe ceramic material instead of Teflon, which is composed of PFTE and PFOA, chemicals known to be harmful to humans and animals. A ceramic waffle maker typically makes Belgian-style waffles, which are thick and crispy, with deep pockets for butter and syrup.
9. Food Dehydrator
Want to make your own trail mix or dried fruit? Do you have a case of apples, pears, peaches, or apricots that need preserving before they spoil? A food dehydrator is the solution to your problems.
Food dehydrators allow you to store – sometimes for months – practically any kind of fruit or vegetable that can be dried. In addition to preserving food that might otherwise spoil, you’re creating healthy snacks you and your family can enjoy.
10. Bread Machine
Nothing beats waking up in the morning to the smell of freshly-baked bread. If you like having fresh bread at home but don’t have the time to make it from scratch, a bread machine is a great option.
Essentially, all you need to do is pour the ingredients in and start it. Having a fresh slice of bread and butter with your coffee first thing in the morning or a sandwich made from your own freshly-baked bread is the best.
Plus, by making your own bread, you’ll know that only fresh, wholesome ingredients went into making it. Imagine the first time you take a fresh loaf of bread from your bread machine, set it on the cutting board, and watch the steam rise as you cut the first slice. You’ll be glad you added a bread machine to your list of must-have appliances.
11. Hand Mixer
In terms of value and utility, a hand mixer is one kitchen appliance that can make cooking and food preparation much more convenient and less time-consuming. Hand mixers have numerous applications such as: preparing cake batter, cookie dough, sauces, soups, or whipped cream – basically, any recipe that calls for mixing or whipping.
A hand mixer speeds up food preparation that would otherwise require much more time and energy if done by hand with a spoon and mixing bowls. Buying a hand mixer is a great way to save time and effort, keeping you from having to stand at the counter for hours.
12. Long Slot Toaster
If you’re baking your own bread or buying artisan bread from your local bakery, chances are you want some of that delicious bread toasted and served with some of your favorite condiments like honey or jam. Some long slot toasters can toast or reheat thick slices of bread, croissants, or even grilled sandwiches – food items a regular toaster can’t accommodate. If you enjoy the smell and taste of non-standard sized bread or baked goods toasted, warmed, or reheated at home, a long slot toaster will be a welcome addition to your kitchen.
13. Tofu Press
Vegans or vegetarians might consider a tofu press a must-have kitchen tool. Tofu originated in China over 2,000 years ago and remains a staple in the diets of millions today. Making your own tofu is similar to making cheese by curdling soy milk instead of an animal’s milk. A tofu press removes the excess water from these curds, completing the process of making your own delicious tofu for whatever vegetarian dish you desire.
14. Egg Cooker
An egg cooker enables you to prepare your eggs in a number of different ways such as: poached, steamed, or boiled. Eggs remain a popular source of protein for a good breakfast. They’re proven to be an essential food for optimal health and brain function – especially for children. Egg cookers make it especially easy to prepare this essential food in just minutes for a healthy start to your family’s day.
15. Portable Ice Maker
A portable ice machine is a great kitchen appliance for entertaining. You’ll have access to a continuous supply of ice in just minutes. Portable ice makers are built to use filtered or bottled water to produce pure, refreshing ice to serve in drinks for your family and guests. You can use this portable ice making device outdoors or in a vehicle as long as you have access to water and a power supply. An ice maker allows you to enjoy frosty, cold beverages practically anywhere.
Conclusion
The specific appliances you need for your kitchen may vary, but this list is a great starting point. It can help you with selecting the essentials and setting your kitchen up for creating incredible, healthy gourmet food.
As you begin to create your ideal kitchen, don’t set your sights too low. This list of essential kitchen appliances can have you creating and enjoying recipes your whole family will love!
The most useful kitchen appliances will enable you to use healthy, fresh ingredients to quickly and easily prepare delicious breakfasts, brunches, lunches, and dinners for guests and family.
You read recipes every day that make your mouth water and drool. So bring your kitchen up to speed with your cooking ideas so that a lack of tools won’t hold you back. Get the latest gadgets for preparing the foods you know your family will love.
Start making your kitchen appliances list, then read some of our reviews to help you make your purchasing decisions. You may only need a slow cooker or hand mixer. On the other hand, you may find you want to replace or upgrade all your kitchen tools and appliances so you can realize your culinary dreams.
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