The Five Small Appliances You Absolutely Need In Your Kitchen

There is certainly no shortage of gadgets, tools and appliances for the home kitchen, each promising to prove crucial for daily cookery. Find out which five appliances deserve top billing in your kitchen. Here is what you need for your kitchen to live up to its potential!

#1 - A Toaster

General Electric introduced the first electric toaster for home kitchen use back in 1909. Wonder Bread began selling pre-sliced bread in 1930, and America's love affair with toast was inevitable. It is quick and easy and there is no reason any modern kitchen should be without a toaster.

#2 - A Spice Grinder

Spices are a great addition to any diet. They add taste and antioxidants with little or no fat and calories. A spice is at the height of flavor and nutrition immediately after being ground yet many cooks choose pre-ground spices for convenience. Not the best choice. These spices are ground at a factory before being shipped to your local store where they may sit in the storerooms and on the shelves for months or even years. Add in the considerable amount of time spices will be in your pantry and you are looking at a minimum of a year or more between spice grinding and spice use.
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There is a better way. Most spices are available in whole form. They keep longer and usually cost less, especially if you buy in bulk. There are several different spice grinders on the market today but a $10 coffee grinder works quite well. You'll find your cooking is vastly improved when you switch to freshly ground spices.

#3 - A Blender

This handy kitchen appliance is great for blending homemade soups and chopping ice. It excels at making smoothies and creating delicious frozen beverages. You'll be able to make frozen lattes or margaritas at home with ease.

#4 - A Stand Mixer

A  stand mixer is by far the best tool for making batters for cakes, muffins, waffles, pancakes and cookies. It is also ideal for whipping fresh cream, something no homemade pie should be without. You can produce fluffy egg whites perfect for mousse, meringues, or souffles.

A hand mixer would be suitable for the aforementioned tasks. What sets the stand mixer apart is the ability to upgrade. The available attachments include pasta rollers, ice cream makers, meat grinders and juice extractors making this the better choice.

#5 - A Food Processor

I have saved the most useful small kitchen appliance for last. A food processor is an essential appliance for any home kitchen. It can cut your food prep time by half or more. It makes it quick and easy to prepare food from scratch, which can save you money.

A good food processor will slice, shred and grate most anything. It will emulsify homemade salad dressings or mayonnaise with ease. It will do all the hard work when making pastry, bread or pasta dough, eliminating the tedious labor normally associated with those tasks. It is truly a necessity for anyone wanting to prepare food in their kitchen, rather than just re-heating pre-made processed foods.

The food processor may very well be the most important small appliance in your kitchen, so you'll want to make sure you get the best one. Check out a detailed buying guide and thousands of reviews HERE.