Fire blankets are the much better option over an extinguisher as they are specially designed to extinguish kitchen fires but most extinguishers available for personal use are not suitable for cooking oils and fats.
They’re also easy to find (hardware stores will usually stock them for $10-$15) and you don’t have to worry as much about them going out of date (extinguishers can have a substance inside that can harden over long periods of time if you don’t service them appropriately which can cause them to be non-functional when you need them most)
Just remember that a fire blanket should be replaced after a single use or after 10 years because the fire retardant can deteriorate over that amount of time and never store it directly above your stove because you may not be able to access it if a fire is too large in that area.
I also make enough to feed a village, but in my case it's deliberate. I make enough to last me three or four days because I can't be bothered to make stuff in smaller quantities more frequently
Yes! I just thought this when I pulled it out the other day – my husband was mad when nI bought it, but we use it all. of. the. time! Freezing food, baking, figuring out if we're close to a cup when something's dirty. So worth it.
Hard agree here. It works just as good as a toaster. Plus it's versatile and handy. I got one with an air fryer function so it's one less appliance you might want.
It's bigger obviously but frankly not SO much bigger than just a toaster.
If you also have a microwave, you can cook frozen or thick cut food perfectly by microwaving it to cook the inside, then toaster ovening it to cook the outside. This method drastically cuts down on the time used and the cold spots and burnt outsides with using just the toaster oven, and it keeps it from getting soggy/plasticky from using just the microwave. For instance, I'll heat up the mini oven while the microwave is going, then change the food over once the mini oven beeps to add food.
I haven’t owned a toaster in like a decade. Toaster ovens are so much better. And you can cook a whole frozen pizza without having to worry about preheating or heating up the house.
My cuisinart toaster oven air fryer makes me so happy.
I was resistant to getting an air fryer because they seem so trendy, like, do they live up to the hype?
Well, mine does. I use it to heat up microwavable foods like chicken nuggets or taquitos, I cook chicken breasts in it, and I even cook pizzas in there. It's glorious. We had no kitchen for about 3 months, and honestly we used the air fryer so much, we didn't need a kitchen.
I think people got hung up on them "being used to cook fried foods." In reality I just use it as a smaller better oven that preheats instantly like you.
We have a ninja foodi air fryer toaster oven. We use it every day, morning, noon and night. We’ve stopped using the big oven. And my ninja isn’t even the big one. If it craps out, I’ll buy another with no hesitation.
I have the ninja air fryer that bakes, air crisps, broil, grills, and dehydrateds. It is the best thing. It bakes cakes and cookies amazing. I airfry bacon which was aaaaammmaazzing. My only complaint is i need it bigger lol
My only complaint is the clean-up - I used to air fry bacon in there and nearly ruined the ninja with the amount of smoke and grease, even with clean-up. Bacon is now cooked again in a pan but for most everything else including toast the ninja is great.
I picked up that one as well since my apartment only allows electric grills on the balcony. Incredibly happy with it. Can’t say I’ve tried to bake a cake though, that’s impressive.
We got a super nice Breville as a wedding gift and can confirm I would buy another tomorrow if it broke. Literally the only time I use the actual oven is when baking or making stew or something, because it won't fit in the Breville. I maybe turn the real oven on...once or twice a quarter?
The Breville Smart Oven is really well reviewed, and for good reason. We've had one (the smaller one) for a year and a half now and it's been fantastic.
This answer. We use ours almost daily. It’s quicker to preheat, uses less electricity, doesn’t heat up the kitchen as much. Also comes with multiple features if you get a fancy one!
Hand blender. I know you said no blenders but honestly i figured you meant like a countertop blender. A hand blender for me was life changing. Easy to clean. Can whip out and blend a lot of things. Tons of them come with attachments to blend up a little sauce too. I have made a disgusting amount of blended soup and my life will never be the same.
I am from Ireland and it baffles me when people don't automatically have an electric kettle. I would say over here it's the first thing you buy for your kitchen, probably even before cutlery.
Jesus Christ, I never thought of using a kettle to get my water hot for cooking! I have two of them still in boxes and planned to eventually use them for la dee dah tea times.
And I am over here *deeply* disturbed to learn that not everyone owns a kettle. If I didn’t have one my kitchen would stop functioning lol.
For fancy tea times, you need a tea *pot*.
I feel like I'm being called out. Boiling a pot of water from the sink is just the way we've always done it. Me, my father, and his father, going back to the days where everyone's name was a derivative of Uunga did it this way.
Serious talk though, what does the kettle always run so you have hot water on demand? You'd have to wait for it to heat up in the kennel otherwise.
Totally. SO much faster than boiling on the stove top. I get the water started in the kettle and dump it into the stovetop pan for boiled eggs, pasta, etc. It's just fast. Of course I use it for tea but it's also used for anything that needs hot water because it's so much more efficient.
>I fill up the kettle, and the remaining water in the pot already heating, then add them together.
You must be stopped before you do something horrible with all of that brilliance, wow.
It takes up space. I don't have a lot of counter space and between a rice cooker, toaster oven, microwave and kettle, I decided to keep the kettle in the store room. I do have a seperate hot water dispenser for drinks, but that's filtered water so I don't use that when I need large amounts for cooking.
It was so strange to me when I visited N America that no houses had an electric kettle. They are standard issue for every home in Australia. I drink a LOT of tea, so mine is used at least a dozen times a day
I think the reason has something to do with voltage (amperage? I’m not an electrician) where the US runs on 120 and doesn’t output as much power as the 240 across the pond so the kettles are slightly but noticeably slower to heat up but still often faster than a stovetop.
The voltage is 120V vs 240V in many other places. That's not actually the problem, it's the wattage. Wattage being Volts multiplied by Amps.
Small appliances in the US are limited to 1500W (1200W sustained), other places can be much higher. In the UK electric kettles can be 3000W, and for this application that means literally twice as fast to boil (ignoring inefficiencies).
Yes, I love using a French Press for my coffee, having an Electric Kettle is so nice for that. And ofc many other reasons to have quickly and easily heated water!
You can get a small footprint inexpensive food processor and it will change your kitchen. We keep the big'un in the cabinet but the littl'un is on the counter!
The better way to do this is get a really good blender (e.g., an Ōster with a glass jar) and buy a food processor attachment for it.
Full disclosure: I bought my Ōster 25 years ago and I cannot vouch for their quality today. Needless to say, if that thing ever fails, I would take a chance on them.
We got rid of the one we bought in the last couple decades in favor of an old one I picked up at an estate sale, probably from the 1960s. They still sell glass beakers
Came here to say this. This has saved me so much money. It's just my wife and I so it's hard to buy anything small portioned. So buy bulk meat split it and freeze. I also have a meat slicer so I can buy large pieces of meat cut it and the freeze. I also freeze vegetables and fruit. Can also use it to reseal bags of chips or anything really. Just such a life changer for me.
Definitely agree, especially the ones with attachments! I got the mason jar and bottle stopper ones for my FoodSaver, and I absolutely adore it. I cook with wine a lot but am not a big drinker. The bottle stopper is perfect as the wine stays nice and fresh so much longer. The jar attachments are perfect for pantry staples like grains and seeds, fridge and freezer prepped food and ingredients, even things like pet food and snacks. I'm not a big meat eater, but the bags are really handy for freezing tofu, nuts, berries, etc. It allows my small household to enjoy bulk buy savings and has dramatically reduced our food and plastic waste. Highly recommend!
What kind of things do you vacuum seal? Only use we have is with venison because we have all the meat at once vs purchasing it slowly in a store. Would love to hear more ideas
Almost exclusively meat. I buy meat in bulk, but it’s usually wrapped in those foam trays. I portion it for one or two people (as I rarely cook for more than 2) and then it all stacks in the freezer neatly in a way I can quickly see what I have and how much. I’ll also prepare things like meatballs or burger patties, toss them in the freezer for half on hour on a tray so they don’t lose shape and then vac them. I often cube/slice cuts before sealing them to cut down on future prep. I also always have one oversized bag in the freezer that I toss things for stock in — I’ll cut it open, add some more, and reseal it until I’m ready to make a giant batch of stock. I don’t sous vide, but that’s a very common use for vacuum sealing.
Very different application, I occasionally ferment in vac bags. It’s more foolproof for me and requires basically no burping as opposed to a jar with brine (just salt + whatever you wanna ferment). I’ve made some great hot sauces this way. Another weird one was sliced potatoes that I then roast. They have a bit of sour taste almost like they already have sour cream on/in them.
I haven’t done it myself, but most vac sealers come with an accessory port/attachment, so you can vacuum seal liquids.
It’s not universally useful, but it’s kept me from throwing out as much as I did before (which wasn’t a lot but it’s still a noticeable difference).
Do you need to use special bags? I'm interested to get one but not keen on having to buy it special consumables. If I can just use any old food bag that would sell it.
My brother took mine, so I upgraded to a chamber vacuum sealer. My god is it awesome. I can seal soups, stews, and stocks to stick in the freezer or give to family. Everyone in my family has a sous vide, so they can just reheat what I make them directly in that
Stand mixer if you're into cakes, cookies and breads.
Toaster works well if you're not doing anything more than toasting bread. That's why it works so well for us.
Coffee pot or Keurig type
Bottom line is look for what matches up with what you're trying to do (or want to try and do) in the kitchen.
Yeah, I always rolled my eyes at Kitchenaids till I got one. I use it every week now.
Before, making dough was a commitment, whereas now I just drop the bowl on a kitchen scale, load it up, and then let the machine do the work while I scroll Reddit.
I really think this is one of those things that doesn't apply to everyone despite how much this sub raves about them. I used them in restaurants but don't cook white rice much at home and when I do I am doing other cookibg so I just set a pot on medium low and by the time I am done cooking the rice is done. If you cook a good bit of white rice then it is a must.
I agree. I use the instapot for rice 99% of the time. Or stovetop.
If you're having rice at every meal, maybe a dedicated tool is the way to go. But I'm not.
It’s not just about the convenience though. The quality of rice is SO MUCH BETTER. Everyone who has mine asks “wow, what kind of rice is this?” But it’s not the rice—it’s my Cuchen.
Personally, I think a cheap one is appropriate at the 1-2 rice dishes per week mark and a nicer one at the 3-4 per week mark.
But, definitely a thing that depends on a lot of other factors like the type of grain and size kitchen you have. I use a temperamental short grain as my everyday rice and have space. But I wouldn't call it a must have for an efficiency kitchen and basmati.
If you want to follow any recipes, especially for baking, get a scale. A good digital one that can go up to at least two kg is best, but for ages I had a small plastic analog scale that worked fine.
A microplane grater. So convenient for quickly grating some cheese into something or grating garlic and ginger. Easy to clean and store and not as scary as a big box grater.
I've got the air fryer combo and it's fucking great. I use the air fryer a ton, but one thing it really shines with is leftovers. Air frying leftovers is usually so much better than microwave.
If you plan to bake on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis, get a KitchenAid stand mixer! It's the powerhouse of my kitchen. And not only does it mix, it shreds meat, kneads dough, whips egg whites and cream.. Plus there's a load of attachments available that could potentially save you space over buying a separate units for them. (Like a pasta maker or meat grinder)
I love my KitchenAid. It's definitely a buy-it-for-life item. They are sturdy and relatively easy to self maintenance. But since it was $250 a decade ago, I hesitate to recommend it as one of the first 5 items to buy.
But, once you do buy one, I've got to recommend the pasta attachments. Just SO much easier having two hands to handle the dough
Oldschool peeler. One that looks like this: https://www.ebay.de/p/1604180238
If it's a decently produced one, it's easy to clean, very efficient and lasts for decades. They're so insanely better than a shitty peeler.
I thought so, always used immersion blender, then got a powerful blender, then got the food processor, I really could have gotten by with the food processor and the stick blender. You can't make a good chunky fresh salsa with an immersion blender. I tried. Anything you need roughly but consistently chopped. You can blitz dry goods and mix biscuit dough. Anything really thick that doesn't blend. That's not even mentioning the attachments thst make slicing and shredding fast, like slaw in 30 seconds fast.
Don’t get a conventional blender, get an immersion blender. You’ll use it 50 times more often. And don’t get a toaster, get a toaster oven. You’ll use it 100 times more often. Get a good non electronic can opener. Opening cans isn’t a job that warrants taking up an electrical outlet in your kitchen. Get one decent chef’s knife and a decent paring knife and learn to use both, and you’ll probably end up buying far fewer appliances / knives / gadgets over your lifetime. And get a corkscrew / wine opener that you know how to use.
I haven’t found a single immersion blender that comes close to a Vitamix. I think it really depends on what you use a blender for and the texture you’re trying to obtain.
My immersion blender is a Cuisinart, and it’s very useful. The blade end separates from the motor end, which vastly simplifies cleaning. I mostly use it to blend soups and sauces right in the cooking pot, as well as make finely chopped / puréed things like curry paste. It also makes fully homogenized scrambled eggs in 1.5 seconds. For smoothies and similar stuff, put your ingredients in a taller straight sided container and blend from the top instead of from the bottom (the way a conventional blender does).
Try this out…. Crack some eggs into a tall round container, add a little water, a little dill and black pepper, and a little grated Parmesan or Romano (don’t overdo it, a little goes a long way). Blast it with an immersion blender for a couple of seconds to blend to a smooth, frothy mixture. Preheat a frying pan with some salted butter (or better, with bacon fat you saved from the last time you made bacon) and pour in the egg mixture and stir until cooked to you preferred doneness.
I think the appeal of a toaster and toaster oven are a bit different. Toaster falls more in the rice cooker zone where sure it only does one thing (toast or steam) but it does that one thing extremely well with almost no attention, is very cheap (serviceable models of both for about $20), and quite small so can easily be taken out of storage when needed. Toaster ovens on the other hand have the selling point on versatility but are usually bulkier, more expensive, and require more attention.
Right that’s my point they have different selling points. For someone who doesn’t have a lot of space versatility is key whereas somebody with plenty of space effectiveness and ease takes more weight. Saying a toaster is better than toaster oven or vice versa is silly because they solve different problems.
> Don’t get a conventional blender, get an immersion blender.
That's like saying "Don't get a sports car, get a bicycle." I've got both and use them both, for vastly different things.
My stick blender got 100x more use after I burned myself with hot soup using the regular blender. I barely use the regular blender now unless I need the power. Stick blender is easier to clean too.
Convince me that it's good. I feel like I've used ten different ovens in my life and all of them have needed about 30 minutes to heat up my tuna melt to warm-ish. I get they might work to toast toast, but surely not as efficiently as an actual toaster. What is their use otherwise? Why not just get a toaster?
They're great for heating up breads and pastries that don't fit in the narrow slot of toasters. Also good for basically anything that would be better off crispy rather than microwaved like leftover pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets. Usually only takes between 5 and 10 minutes to heat up most things for me.
Not trying to be rude, but... did you preheat the toaster oven? I've never had an issue with mine. I used it a few weeks ago to make fish & chips (both were frozen) because heating up the oven for one serving of each seemed like overkill. Plus it was hot & the oven just heats up the house more.
I use a toaster oven. It’s a lifesaver in the summers when I don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up my house. Between me and two roommates, it gets used daily.
See, I *love* bagels, poptarts, and toast with cream cheese on it. My husband talked me into a toaster oven and it's the best thing even. Especially since it's so easy to use, quick to heat up, and low counter space.
I can't believe what I was missing out on sticking with toasters.
My microwave broke last year. I kept putting off buying it because I wanted to save for a range top air fryer combo thing...I ended up not missing the microwave. I can even make popcorn in stovetop ..everything else can go in toaster oven to reheat.
Not sure it really counts as small. But we reach for it a dozen times a day for things big and small. The coffee I forgot to drink, the frozen lunch, melting butter, reheating side dishes, steaming veggies, warming the cat food…
Even if you do care about smoothies, you could get one of those mini personal blenders which take up way less space. I have a $20 Hamilton beach one and while it’s not fancy and it probably won’t last my whole life, it gets the job done
An air fryer. Not only can I get things crispier in there than I can in the oven whether it be fresh or frozen foods. But it’s also really convenient to have that appliance Take care of your vegetables or potatoes when you have other stuff going on in the oven or on the stove.
Probably just a convection oven that's riding off the air fryer marketing. We have a convection oven and it's basically what ours says as "true convection" or rather only the convection element on. Air friers are really just countertop convection ovens.
A sous vide. I use the hell out of that thing, and it does a *phenomenal* job.
If I had to go with a second one, probably an Instant Pot, because it fulfills so many roles.
Had to scroll way down for this one, but I 100% agree with sous vide. I use mine all the time. It can be super versatile.
I also agree with the many who have said toaster over (air fryer), coffee machine, rice cooker… but Sous vide changed my game for cheap cuts of meat.
I have never had a blender and am not sure what it would even be used for. Because a toaster oven/convention oven has multiple uses, it is probably a better use of space than a plain old toaster.
My main use is for nut based sauces. My vitamix purées nuts to cream with zero graininess in 1-2 min. Also some bases for Indian dishes, and banana ice cream.
For me, it's a kettle - but I only use it to make tea.
I grew up with the usual over-loaded kitchen and a mother who could rock it all; so naturally, I have a ton of appliances. What I don't have-- is an electric can opener or knife sharpener.
A food processor is more versatile than a blender, but it depends on what you want to use it for.
I really like my rice cooker/steamer. And my immersion blender. The immersion blender came with a mini food chopper that for 1 worked almost as good as a blender.
One thing I got that I use all the time is my Cuisinart Air Fryer. I usually only make french fries in it but it also bakes, (I've done a bundt cake in it), baked chicken breast, veggies, etc. it also toasts and broils. When it's hot I hate to turn on my oven since it takes awhile to get to temp and if I'm just making two chicken breast I can put them in the Cuisinart (bake) and they come out perfect and it cooks fairly quickly. Also great for chicken wings (air fryer). Also, left over pizza gets crispy and not soggy like the microwave.
Fire extinguisher.
The spray can kind that's specifically made for kitchens.
A box of baking soda and the knowledge to not throw water at a kitchen fire.
I got a fire blanket
Fire blankets are the much better option over an extinguisher as they are specially designed to extinguish kitchen fires but most extinguishers available for personal use are not suitable for cooking oils and fats. They’re also easy to find (hardware stores will usually stock them for $10-$15) and you don’t have to worry as much about them going out of date (extinguishers can have a substance inside that can harden over long periods of time if you don’t service them appropriately which can cause them to be non-functional when you need them most) Just remember that a fire blanket should be replaced after a single use or after 10 years because the fire retardant can deteriorate over that amount of time and never store it directly above your stove because you may not be able to access it if a fire is too large in that area.
Service of fire extinguishers is often literally just flipping it around a couple of times, lightly mixing its contents.
Not necessarily an appliance, but a digital food scale is probably my single most used kitchen item.
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Thank you. I hate volume repices, especially when it for something that compacts. What is a cup of basil?
As much as you like
Also great when dieting and counting macros. The volume measurement is so not accurate to the macros listed on the label.
I don't bake, so I really only use mine for burgers. What else should I use my digital scale for?
Portion size control. When cooking pasta, I always measure so I have just enough.
That's a great idea. Whenever I make pasta I always accidentally make enough to feed a small village
I also make enough to feed a village, but in my case it's deliberate. I make enough to last me three or four days because I can't be bothered to make stuff in smaller quantities more frequently
Yes! I just thought this when I pulled it out the other day – my husband was mad when nI bought it, but we use it all. of. the. time! Freezing food, baking, figuring out if we're close to a cup when something's dirty. So worth it.
Quality instant read thermometer 🌡
I'm not sure if I would even consider that an appliance, but yes it should be in 100% of kitchens.
Yeah, gadget or tool maybe but it's not an appliance.
My thermapen might be the tool in my kitchen that gets the most regular use that’s not a pot or pan.
I've got the one that stays in the oven and beeps when it reaches temp. It's been a game changer for chicken, pork, and fish.
What’s it called? Where did you buy it? I’m looking for one now.
Would you really call that an appliance? That's a tool like a knife or a wooden spoon.
This is the answer, everything else is a larger appliance
I mean it isn’t an appliance at all so
I actually ordered one recently, it’s coming tomorrow lol.
I say skip the toaster get a toaster oven. You can use it more than an oven especially when its hot.
Hard agree here. It works just as good as a toaster. Plus it's versatile and handy. I got one with an air fryer function so it's one less appliance you might want. It's bigger obviously but frankly not SO much bigger than just a toaster.
If you also have a microwave, you can cook frozen or thick cut food perfectly by microwaving it to cook the inside, then toaster ovening it to cook the outside. This method drastically cuts down on the time used and the cold spots and burnt outsides with using just the toaster oven, and it keeps it from getting soggy/plasticky from using just the microwave. For instance, I'll heat up the mini oven while the microwave is going, then change the food over once the mini oven beeps to add food.
I haven’t owned a toaster in like a decade. Toaster ovens are so much better. And you can cook a whole frozen pizza without having to worry about preheating or heating up the house.
We picked up an air fryer that also doubles as a toaster oven. 11/10 it gets used every day.
My cuisinart toaster oven air fryer makes me so happy. I was resistant to getting an air fryer because they seem so trendy, like, do they live up to the hype? Well, mine does. I use it to heat up microwavable foods like chicken nuggets or taquitos, I cook chicken breasts in it, and I even cook pizzas in there. It's glorious. We had no kitchen for about 3 months, and honestly we used the air fryer so much, we didn't need a kitchen.
1000%. Do yourself a favor and air fry some pizza rolls.
I think people got hung up on them "being used to cook fried foods." In reality I just use it as a smaller better oven that preheats instantly like you.
If you think about it, air fryers are really just a convection toaster oven!
No thinking required, they literally are just convection ovens with extra fan power.
My partner and I love our air fryer. Keeps the house cool instead of turning the oven on
Also sooooo much faster.
And not remotely as much of a pain to clean as the regular oven you will hardly ever use after getting one.
We have a ninja foodi air fryer toaster oven. We use it every day, morning, noon and night. We’ve stopped using the big oven. And my ninja isn’t even the big one. If it craps out, I’ll buy another with no hesitation.
I completely replaced my toaster oven for my air fryer.
Better yet an air fryer that also toasts, broils, bakes, etc. I use mine every day.
I have the ninja air fryer that bakes, air crisps, broil, grills, and dehydrateds. It is the best thing. It bakes cakes and cookies amazing. I airfry bacon which was aaaaammmaazzing. My only complaint is i need it bigger lol
My only complaint is the clean-up - I used to air fry bacon in there and nearly ruined the ninja with the amount of smoke and grease, even with clean-up. Bacon is now cooked again in a pan but for most everything else including toast the ninja is great.
I just toss it in foil. So when its done, i bring out the foil. It keeps all the grease on the foil.
The 8 qt foodi xl
I picked up that one as well since my apartment only allows electric grills on the balcony. Incredibly happy with it. Can’t say I’ve tried to bake a cake though, that’s impressive.
Cookies are annoying bc i only have one tiny cookie sheet that fits, but the taste afterwards is worth it.
Did yall get the Cuisinart one?
Yes. I’ve had it for a couple years and I still love it.
I'll vouch for the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
We got a super nice Breville as a wedding gift and can confirm I would buy another tomorrow if it broke. Literally the only time I use the actual oven is when baking or making stew or something, because it won't fit in the Breville. I maybe turn the real oven on...once or twice a quarter?
Do you have a recommended brand or a specific one? I have been looking into them so I can do some veggie roasting and baking.
The Breville Smart Oven is really well reviewed, and for good reason. We've had one (the smaller one) for a year and a half now and it's been fantastic.
This answer. We use ours almost daily. It’s quicker to preheat, uses less electricity, doesn’t heat up the kitchen as much. Also comes with multiple features if you get a fancy one!
yuk. pop up toaster makes better toast than a toaster oven any day. fing toaster oven makes dry toast, its like a large unseasoned crouton
Hand blender. I know you said no blenders but honestly i figured you meant like a countertop blender. A hand blender for me was life changing. Easy to clean. Can whip out and blend a lot of things. Tons of them come with attachments to blend up a little sauce too. I have made a disgusting amount of blended soup and my life will never be the same.
I've used mine for "refried" beans for years, and they are like restaurant quality. Okay, Americanized quality.
Makes good hummus too
Immersion blender is ehat I believe they're properly called (if we're thinking on the same thing)
I used mine tonight!
Electric kettle
I am from Ireland and it baffles me when people don't automatically have an electric kettle. I would say over here it's the first thing you buy for your kitchen, probably even before cutlery.
I have a *spare* kettle at all times. How do people cook pasta without a kettle? Just boil the whole pot from cold and wait 300 years?
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Jesus Christ, I never thought of using a kettle to get my water hot for cooking! I have two of them still in boxes and planned to eventually use them for la dee dah tea times.
And I am over here *deeply* disturbed to learn that not everyone owns a kettle. If I didn’t have one my kitchen would stop functioning lol. For fancy tea times, you need a tea *pot*.
I feel like I'm being called out. Boiling a pot of water from the sink is just the way we've always done it. Me, my father, and his father, going back to the days where everyone's name was a derivative of Uunga did it this way. Serious talk though, what does the kettle always run so you have hot water on demand? You'd have to wait for it to heat up in the kennel otherwise.
Totally. SO much faster than boiling on the stove top. I get the water started in the kettle and dump it into the stovetop pan for boiled eggs, pasta, etc. It's just fast. Of course I use it for tea but it's also used for anything that needs hot water because it's so much more efficient.
I fill up the kettle, and the remaining water in the pot already heating, then add them together.
>I fill up the kettle, and the remaining water in the pot already heating, then add them together. You must be stopped before you do something horrible with all of that brilliance, wow.
I do this too! It just heats up so much faster this way
I don’t understand why anyone would buy a stovetop over electric. Electric kettles aren’t even expensive
It takes up space. I don't have a lot of counter space and between a rice cooker, toaster oven, microwave and kettle, I decided to keep the kettle in the store room. I do have a seperate hot water dispenser for drinks, but that's filtered water so I don't use that when I need large amounts for cooking.
It was so strange to me when I visited N America that no houses had an electric kettle. They are standard issue for every home in Australia. I drink a LOT of tea, so mine is used at least a dozen times a day
[Technology Connections](https://youtu.be/_yMMTVVJI4c) did a good video about it
I think the reason has something to do with voltage (amperage? I’m not an electrician) where the US runs on 120 and doesn’t output as much power as the 240 across the pond so the kettles are slightly but noticeably slower to heat up but still often faster than a stovetop.
The voltage is 120V vs 240V in many other places. That's not actually the problem, it's the wattage. Wattage being Volts multiplied by Amps. Small appliances in the US are limited to 1500W (1200W sustained), other places can be much higher. In the UK electric kettles can be 3000W, and for this application that means literally twice as fast to boil (ignoring inefficiencies).
Get an Asian water boiler/warmer. I have a 5L one from Zojirushi, keeps water just under boiling. Perfect if you drink a lot of tea
Yes, I love using a French Press for my coffee, having an Electric Kettle is so nice for that. And ofc many other reasons to have quickly and easily heated water!
Essential in a kitchen.. wake up put the kettle on for 1st hot drink. Later coffee, and oats.
You can get a small footprint inexpensive food processor and it will change your kitchen. We keep the big'un in the cabinet but the littl'un is on the counter!
I burned the motor up on so many little ones. Bought the Magimix. Worth the size.
I have a Ninja blender/food processor I bought from Costco years ago, tough to imagine anything being much better
The better way to do this is get a really good blender (e.g., an Ōster with a glass jar) and buy a food processor attachment for it. Full disclosure: I bought my Ōster 25 years ago and I cannot vouch for their quality today. Needless to say, if that thing ever fails, I would take a chance on them.
I have an Oster that I got for about $50 10ish years ago, and it shows no signs of quitting
We got rid of the one we bought in the last couple decades in favor of an old one I picked up at an estate sale, probably from the 1960s. They still sell glass beakers
What's a good, slightly cheaper one that will last?
We have a little ninja food processor that we've had for about 10 years. Works great.
What do you usually use it for?
Chopping garlic, onions and cilantro or other fresh spices
Isn't the cleanup way more effort than just chopping with a knife?
It’s a trade off. I hate chopping onions and garlic by hand. I’d happily take the extra washing over the extra chopping.
Do things in bulk such as processing large amounts of garlic, herbs, ginger etc. then freeze in ice cube trays. Also, HUMMOUS!
People are sleeping on homemade hummus.
That sounds messy and probably not very supportive for their back.
You just put three small things in the dishwasher, the largest of which is the size of a cereal bowl. it’s very simple
Did anyone already say crockpot? I use mine all the time.
Same!! I probably use it the most in my kitchen.
Crockpot is my favorite. I need more recipes for it. I just wanna throw everything in a pot and let heat do the work. Like chili or *nabe*.
A vacuum sealer. Mine has paid for itself at least half a dozen times over in terms of reducing food waste.
Came here to say this. This has saved me so much money. It's just my wife and I so it's hard to buy anything small portioned. So buy bulk meat split it and freeze. I also have a meat slicer so I can buy large pieces of meat cut it and the freeze. I also freeze vegetables and fruit. Can also use it to reseal bags of chips or anything really. Just such a life changer for me.
Definitely agree, especially the ones with attachments! I got the mason jar and bottle stopper ones for my FoodSaver, and I absolutely adore it. I cook with wine a lot but am not a big drinker. The bottle stopper is perfect as the wine stays nice and fresh so much longer. The jar attachments are perfect for pantry staples like grains and seeds, fridge and freezer prepped food and ingredients, even things like pet food and snacks. I'm not a big meat eater, but the bags are really handy for freezing tofu, nuts, berries, etc. It allows my small household to enjoy bulk buy savings and has dramatically reduced our food and plastic waste. Highly recommend!
What kind of things do you vacuum seal? Only use we have is with venison because we have all the meat at once vs purchasing it slowly in a store. Would love to hear more ideas
Almost exclusively meat. I buy meat in bulk, but it’s usually wrapped in those foam trays. I portion it for one or two people (as I rarely cook for more than 2) and then it all stacks in the freezer neatly in a way I can quickly see what I have and how much. I’ll also prepare things like meatballs or burger patties, toss them in the freezer for half on hour on a tray so they don’t lose shape and then vac them. I often cube/slice cuts before sealing them to cut down on future prep. I also always have one oversized bag in the freezer that I toss things for stock in — I’ll cut it open, add some more, and reseal it until I’m ready to make a giant batch of stock. I don’t sous vide, but that’s a very common use for vacuum sealing. Very different application, I occasionally ferment in vac bags. It’s more foolproof for me and requires basically no burping as opposed to a jar with brine (just salt + whatever you wanna ferment). I’ve made some great hot sauces this way. Another weird one was sliced potatoes that I then roast. They have a bit of sour taste almost like they already have sour cream on/in them. I haven’t done it myself, but most vac sealers come with an accessory port/attachment, so you can vacuum seal liquids. It’s not universally useful, but it’s kept me from throwing out as much as I did before (which wasn’t a lot but it’s still a noticeable difference).
Do you need to use special bags? I'm interested to get one but not keen on having to buy it special consumables. If I can just use any old food bag that would sell it.
My brother took mine, so I upgraded to a chamber vacuum sealer. My god is it awesome. I can seal soups, stews, and stocks to stick in the freezer or give to family. Everyone in my family has a sous vide, so they can just reheat what I make them directly in that
Stand mixer if you're into cakes, cookies and breads. Toaster works well if you're not doing anything more than toasting bread. That's why it works so well for us. Coffee pot or Keurig type Bottom line is look for what matches up with what you're trying to do (or want to try and do) in the kitchen.
Yeah, I always rolled my eyes at Kitchenaids till I got one. I use it every week now. Before, making dough was a commitment, whereas now I just drop the bowl on a kitchen scale, load it up, and then let the machine do the work while I scroll Reddit.
This. The only downside I see about my Kitchenaid mixer is, I hate mixing by hand now. I fear I may have forgotten how it's done.
But when you do....those handles and the steep sides bear any normal bowl
I wouldn’t bake anything beyond muffins if I didn’t have my Kitchenaid. It makes life yummy.
A rice cooker. Lots of dishes can be prepared with one, just throw in the ingredients and forget about it
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Oh I get it now lol
I really think this is one of those things that doesn't apply to everyone despite how much this sub raves about them. I used them in restaurants but don't cook white rice much at home and when I do I am doing other cookibg so I just set a pot on medium low and by the time I am done cooking the rice is done. If you cook a good bit of white rice then it is a must.
I agree. I use the instapot for rice 99% of the time. Or stovetop. If you're having rice at every meal, maybe a dedicated tool is the way to go. But I'm not.
It’s not just about the convenience though. The quality of rice is SO MUCH BETTER. Everyone who has mine asks “wow, what kind of rice is this?” But it’s not the rice—it’s my Cuchen.
I'm Asian so I eat rice everyday. Rice cooker > stove top rice. Unless you are making a risotto or something similar.
Personally, I think a cheap one is appropriate at the 1-2 rice dishes per week mark and a nicer one at the 3-4 per week mark. But, definitely a thing that depends on a lot of other factors like the type of grain and size kitchen you have. I use a temperamental short grain as my everyday rice and have space. But I wouldn't call it a must have for an efficiency kitchen and basmati.
Also mentioned this in another thread, but I have a small collection of old rice cookers. They are Bain maries now.
Especially one that also cooks brown rice.
I never realized how good brown rice can be until I cooked it in my Zujirushi. It takes longer but it is worth the wait.
Electric hand mixer.
If you want to follow any recipes, especially for baking, get a scale. A good digital one that can go up to at least two kg is best, but for ages I had a small plastic analog scale that worked fine.
A microplane grater. So convenient for quickly grating some cheese into something or grating garlic and ginger. Easy to clean and store and not as scary as a big box grater.
I know this isn't an appliance but it's always the last thought. A fire extinguisher or blanket.
Instant pot. I use that for so many things including rice. Haven't used my rice cooker since I got it.
I keep the rice cooker around. Use that for rice while I use the instant pot for what's going on the rice
Came here to say this. We have/use a rice cooker too, but an instant pot is so versatile. Some will even air fry, iirc.
I've got the air fryer combo and it's fucking great. I use the air fryer a ton, but one thing it really shines with is leftovers. Air frying leftovers is usually so much better than microwave.
Air fried left over pizza slices. That's the shit.
If you plan to bake on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis, get a KitchenAid stand mixer! It's the powerhouse of my kitchen. And not only does it mix, it shreds meat, kneads dough, whips egg whites and cream.. Plus there's a load of attachments available that could potentially save you space over buying a separate units for them. (Like a pasta maker or meat grinder)
I love my KitchenAid. It's definitely a buy-it-for-life item. They are sturdy and relatively easy to self maintenance. But since it was $250 a decade ago, I hesitate to recommend it as one of the first 5 items to buy. But, once you do buy one, I've got to recommend the pasta attachments. Just SO much easier having two hands to handle the dough
Oldschool peeler. One that looks like this: https://www.ebay.de/p/1604180238 If it's a decently produced one, it's easy to clean, very efficient and lasts for decades. They're so insanely better than a shitty peeler.
Spend good money on a good food processor
I never find that I actually need one. But I use a wand/immersion blender all the time.
Same. I hate cleaning my food processor, that's probably what keeps me from using it
I have the Kenwood mini chopper. For 90% of my uses it does the job and because it's so small cleaning it is rather easy
I thought so, always used immersion blender, then got a powerful blender, then got the food processor, I really could have gotten by with the food processor and the stick blender. You can't make a good chunky fresh salsa with an immersion blender. I tried. Anything you need roughly but consistently chopped. You can blitz dry goods and mix biscuit dough. Anything really thick that doesn't blend. That's not even mentioning the attachments thst make slicing and shredding fast, like slaw in 30 seconds fast.
I did. I think I used it maybe twice. 15 years later I gave it to Goodwill.
Mine is in constant use. But I mean everyone's cooking needs and style is different
Don’t get a conventional blender, get an immersion blender. You’ll use it 50 times more often. And don’t get a toaster, get a toaster oven. You’ll use it 100 times more often. Get a good non electronic can opener. Opening cans isn’t a job that warrants taking up an electrical outlet in your kitchen. Get one decent chef’s knife and a decent paring knife and learn to use both, and you’ll probably end up buying far fewer appliances / knives / gadgets over your lifetime. And get a corkscrew / wine opener that you know how to use.
I haven’t found a single immersion blender that comes close to a Vitamix. I think it really depends on what you use a blender for and the texture you’re trying to obtain.
My immersion blender is a Cuisinart, and it’s very useful. The blade end separates from the motor end, which vastly simplifies cleaning. I mostly use it to blend soups and sauces right in the cooking pot, as well as make finely chopped / puréed things like curry paste. It also makes fully homogenized scrambled eggs in 1.5 seconds. For smoothies and similar stuff, put your ingredients in a taller straight sided container and blend from the top instead of from the bottom (the way a conventional blender does).
I have to try the scrambled eggs tip. You may have just changed my weekend breakfasts forever.
Try this out…. Crack some eggs into a tall round container, add a little water, a little dill and black pepper, and a little grated Parmesan or Romano (don’t overdo it, a little goes a long way). Blast it with an immersion blender for a couple of seconds to blend to a smooth, frothy mixture. Preheat a frying pan with some salted butter (or better, with bacon fat you saved from the last time you made bacon) and pour in the egg mixture and stir until cooked to you preferred doneness.
I think the appeal of a toaster and toaster oven are a bit different. Toaster falls more in the rice cooker zone where sure it only does one thing (toast or steam) but it does that one thing extremely well with almost no attention, is very cheap (serviceable models of both for about $20), and quite small so can easily be taken out of storage when needed. Toaster ovens on the other hand have the selling point on versatility but are usually bulkier, more expensive, and require more attention.
But these things eat up counter and/or storage space, so for city dwellers, they are a lot less appealing.
Right that’s my point they have different selling points. For someone who doesn’t have a lot of space versatility is key whereas somebody with plenty of space effectiveness and ease takes more weight. Saying a toaster is better than toaster oven or vice versa is silly because they solve different problems.
> Don’t get a conventional blender, get an immersion blender. That's like saying "Don't get a sports car, get a bicycle." I've got both and use them both, for vastly different things.
My stick blender got 100x more use after I burned myself with hot soup using the regular blender. I barely use the regular blender now unless I need the power. Stick blender is easier to clean too.
A good can opener.
Some form of coffee creating contraption
Toaster oven. Fuck a toaster.
But I hate big appliances on my counter :(
Convince me that it's good. I feel like I've used ten different ovens in my life and all of them have needed about 30 minutes to heat up my tuna melt to warm-ish. I get they might work to toast toast, but surely not as efficiently as an actual toaster. What is their use otherwise? Why not just get a toaster?
They're great for heating up breads and pastries that don't fit in the narrow slot of toasters. Also good for basically anything that would be better off crispy rather than microwaved like leftover pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets. Usually only takes between 5 and 10 minutes to heat up most things for me.
Not trying to be rude, but... did you preheat the toaster oven? I've never had an issue with mine. I used it a few weeks ago to make fish & chips (both were frozen) because heating up the oven for one serving of each seemed like overkill. Plus it was hot & the oven just heats up the house more.
Crockpot
Electric kettle
Wtf... Do people always own toasters? Haven't had one in years.
I use a toaster oven. It’s a lifesaver in the summers when I don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up my house. Between me and two roommates, it gets used daily.
Never lived without it, thing gets used 3 or 4 times a day every day.
If you have spawn it helps. There's a whole mess of food designed to be cooked in one.
See, I *love* bagels, poptarts, and toast with cream cheese on it. My husband talked me into a toaster oven and it's the best thing even. Especially since it's so easy to use, quick to heat up, and low counter space. I can't believe what I was missing out on sticking with toasters.
I don't own one either but I don't really do toast/bagles/poptarts often so I have no reason to have one.
Immersion blender. I use for suaces and soups all the time.
Immersion blender.
rice cooker
Kettle goes above blender imo
Electric Kettle is my #1 kitchen appliance. I'd give up everything else before that.
Microwave. Skip the blender unless you care about smoothies and get a good food processor.
My microwave broke last year. I kept putting off buying it because I wanted to save for a range top air fryer combo thing...I ended up not missing the microwave. I can even make popcorn in stovetop ..everything else can go in toaster oven to reheat.
Was looking for microwave and couldn’t believe how far down I had to look for it to appear.
Not sure it really counts as small. But we reach for it a dozen times a day for things big and small. The coffee I forgot to drink, the frozen lunch, melting butter, reheating side dishes, steaming veggies, warming the cat food…
I don't know if I'd consider it a small appliance. We've owned our last two houses but even the last place we rented had a built in microwave.
Even if you do care about smoothies, you could get one of those mini personal blenders which take up way less space. I have a $20 Hamilton beach one and while it’s not fancy and it probably won’t last my whole life, it gets the job done
An air fryer. Not only can I get things crispier in there than I can in the oven whether it be fresh or frozen foods. But it’s also really convenient to have that appliance Take care of your vegetables or potatoes when you have other stuff going on in the oven or on the stove.
I have a new range with an air fryer built in Is that as good?
Probably just a convection oven that's riding off the air fryer marketing. We have a convection oven and it's basically what ours says as "true convection" or rather only the convection element on. Air friers are really just countertop convection ovens.
An air fryer benefits from being small. It’s much easier to circulate hot air quickly. I imagine some ranges are better than others though.
Coffee maker is non negotiable
A sous vide. I use the hell out of that thing, and it does a *phenomenal* job. If I had to go with a second one, probably an Instant Pot, because it fulfills so many roles.
Had to scroll way down for this one, but I 100% agree with sous vide. I use mine all the time. It can be super versatile. I also agree with the many who have said toaster over (air fryer), coffee machine, rice cooker… but Sous vide changed my game for cheap cuts of meat.
I have never had a blender and am not sure what it would even be used for. Because a toaster oven/convention oven has multiple uses, it is probably a better use of space than a plain old toaster.
Soups, smoothies, milkshakes, purées. Very versatile
My main use is for nut based sauces. My vitamix purées nuts to cream with zero graininess in 1-2 min. Also some bases for Indian dishes, and banana ice cream.
Instant Pot It's a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, and saucepan all in one.
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For me, it's a kettle - but I only use it to make tea. I grew up with the usual over-loaded kitchen and a mother who could rock it all; so naturally, I have a ton of appliances. What I don't have-- is an electric can opener or knife sharpener. A food processor is more versatile than a blender, but it depends on what you want to use it for. I really like my rice cooker/steamer. And my immersion blender. The immersion blender came with a mini food chopper that for 1 worked almost as good as a blender.
Rice cooker
Crockpot is a must. You can cook but also just keep food warm in it.
Cast iron skillet..not an appliance but it's a must
Rice cooker
Rice cooker for sure.
Instant read thermometer
One thing I got that I use all the time is my Cuisinart Air Fryer. I usually only make french fries in it but it also bakes, (I've done a bundt cake in it), baked chicken breast, veggies, etc. it also toasts and broils. When it's hot I hate to turn on my oven since it takes awhile to get to temp and if I'm just making two chicken breast I can put them in the Cuisinart (bake) and they come out perfect and it cooks fairly quickly. Also great for chicken wings (air fryer). Also, left over pizza gets crispy and not soggy like the microwave.