I’ll admit it; I’m a kitchen appliance geek. I think I’ve tried just about every one of them out there. From low-tech cheese presses to high tech coffee pots that you almost need a degree to operate. Some have found a permanent home on my counter, while others became another geeks favorite new toy.
Those I’ve kept, I use regularly and often. I replace them quickly when they begin to fail and I sweat until I find the perfect replacement.
So, what are these wonder countertop appliances I can’t live without? They are, in no particular order:
Coffee Pot – Of them all, I can’t live without this one. After all, what is morning without a good coffee? Yes, I have a top of the stove coffee pot for when the electricity goes out here in the backwoods. But, I love being able to set the electric coffeepot up the night before and awake to coffee ready to pour into my cup. I think my better half appreciates it too.
Crock Pot – I have one of the largest ones I could find. I will admit, I also have a standard size and a tiny one. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t use one or the other for something. The big one usually cooks the meat or soups and stews. The normal sized one is perfect for baked potatoes or other veggies. And, the tiny one is most often used for cooking oatmeal or cream of wheat overnight.
Toaster Oven Air Fryer Combo – When it’s hot in the backwoods, my toaster oven combo really gets a workout. Since it’s now only the two of us, it’s hard to justify heating up the big oven just for a roll or two. It is not quite easy to convince everyone to use an air fryer toaster oven combo, is it worth it? Here is a great post to read.
Rice Cooker – This is my second favorite little gadget. Pour my rice and water in, plug it in and forget it. We eat a lot of rice around here and not only is it a timesaver, it also makes better rice than I can on a stove. As an added bonus, it will also steam my veggies at the same time.
Yogurt Maker – Okay, I’ll admit, I can make yogurt in the oven or even on a heating pad, but the allure of those little jars captivated me from the first time I saw one of these little machines. I mean, it’s so easy. Mix my milk and culture, pour it into the little jars, put the lid on and ten hours later, I have no fuss yogurt. At over two dollars a quart at the store, the price of this little machine was paid off pretty quickly.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my top countertop appliances. I have others that sit on the shelf and are used when needed for special things, like the juicer, the ice cream maker and the meat slicer. Can a person have too many gadgets in her kitchen? I think not, especially when they are trying to eat healthy and save time and money.
