Essential (and Optional) Kitchen Appliances

 Small kitchen appliances can cut hours out of kitchen work and make cooking a lot more fun. However walk into any kitchenware store and the endless rows of kitchen appliances and gadgets are endless and overwhelming. Here is a guide to the essential (and optional) appliances every kitchen should have.

Blender, upright (optional)
An upright blender is useful for making creamy soups and sauces, salad dressings, purées, and smoothies. If you are short on space, a food processor may suit all your needs. Recommended: Braun Powermax MX2050 jug blender.

Blender, immersion/wand (optional)
An immersion, wand-shaped blender is useful for puréeing large batches of soup. If you are short on space, an immersion blender may suit all your needs. Recommended: Braun 400W Multiquick.

Coffee/Spice Grinder (optional)
An electronic grinder is useful for grinding fresh spices, particularly hard to grind ingredients such as cloves and cinnamon. Recommended: Krups Fast Touch coffee mill.

Food Processor (8-14 cup)
This is the most essential kitchen appliance you will own. It is a great time saver for cutting and shredding, and can be used for pie dough, bread dough, dips, purées, and smoothies. If you are short of space, choose a food processor over an upright blender. Recommended: Cuisinart 14 cup with metal blade.

Freezer (optional)
An extra freezer can change your life, whether you are cooking for 1-2 people or a family. Use it to freeze extra quick breads, sauces, tart shells, soups, etc.: it is guaranteed that you will always have something quick and healthy on hand.

It is very easy to freeze extra Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce and you pick and it is a great, easy way to enjoy local produce during the winter months. Freezers make it more economical to purchase responsibly raised meat directly from local farmers, as it is much more economical to purchase a half or quarter of an animal, and split it with friends.

Small, chest freezers are the least expensive option, but it is easy for things to get lost. A small chest freezer is under $200 and a small upright freezer will cost around $275.

Hand Mixer (optional)
If you do not own a standing mixer, a hand mixer can be useful for mixing, whipping, and beating ingredients. Recommended: Oster 6 speed

Ice Cream/Sorbet Maker (optional)
Healthy and homemade sorbet is so easy! Recommended: Cuisinart ice cream and sorbet maker.

Standing Mixer (optional)
Useful if you want to get back to baking. Recommended: Kitchen-Aid standing mixer (bowl lift model) with paddle, whisk and dough hook (commercial 5 quart or ProLine 6 quart). Optional: pasta rolling attachment.

Toaster Oven (optional)
A toaster oven is useful for warming and toasting food. A toaster oven gives great texture, and it can be used as a substitute for a toaster, if you are short on space.