10 Best Small Kitchen Appliances for Any Home

August 17, 2017

Small kitchen appliances get a bad wrap. Seriously, think about it! While we all love window shopping—and snacking on samples—at Williams Sonoma, the last time any of us thought seriously about a new kitchen appliance or gadget for ourselves was probably while building our wedding registry or even choosing your countertops. Sure, we probably all have our favorite appliances, but when it comes to purchasing gourmet kitchen appliances for ourselves—even small ones—we always seem to drag our feet.

This is really a shame. Not only do we deserve to splurge on ourselves and our homes every once in awhile—treat yourself—there are tons of cool small kitchen appliances that can make preparing, cooking and serving food and drinks simpler and easier. Check out some of our picks of the best small kitchen appliances out there without the infomercial.

Digital kitchen scale

You might think a kitchen scale is only really useful for people who are serious about portion control, but this small kitchen appliance is actually helpful to any cook or baker who wants more accuracy in their recipes. Weighing ingredients is actually a more effective way to determine measurements than traditional measuring tools like cups and spoons because the size, age and even the temperature of the ingredient when stored can affect its volume. The Sweet Home has done its research and can confidently recommend the best digital kitchen scales out there.

Deep fryer

If you and your family have a weakness for all things fried, you probably already have a frying system in place. Maybe it involves a trusty cast iron and a thermometer. Why mess with a good thing, right? But upgrading to a deep fryer simplifies what can be a messy and dangerous situation. Because most deep fryers come with enclosed heating elements and lids, there is less of a chance that you will spill hot oil or burn yourself. Plus, deep fryers contain that fried oil smell much better than an open pan can, so your clothes will not smell like what you are cooking.

Air fryer

We get it. What is with all the fried food? Well, this is Texas, after all. But this high-end appliance is a great alternative to even the best deep fryer for the more health-conscious set. An air fryer actually uses hot-air circulation to cook ingredients from all angles without the oil! The air fryer is also much faster than traditional frying methods and no oil means a much easier clean up.

Electric wine bottle opener

Maybe you have already graduated to a rabbit style wine opener, but in our modern world nothing is perfect until it is electric. An electric wine opener is one of those sleek, ultra hip small appliances that you keep on the counter for show as much as for use. Some use a cord and others are rechargeable, but all cut down on the grunting and mangling of corks that opening a bottle of vino often leads to.

Egg cooker

Forget the hassle and mess of preparing eggs on a range and embrace simplicity with an egg cooker. These handy devices can boil, poach, steam and, with some models, even scramble eggs and prepare omelettes. It has a built-in timer and has perfected the water ratio needed to prepare different kinds of eggs. And because most are pretty tiny, they are easy to store and clean.

Single serving blender

For those of you who use your blenders for one thing and one thing only—smoothies—a single serving blender is a less expensive and cumbersome small kitchen appliance. For starters, they are smaller, and easier to clean and store than traditional blenders. Plus, you no longer have to deal with that weird quarter cup of smoothie that always seems to be left after you fill your glass.

Electric peeler

Everything else you own is electronic, so why are you still using that hand-held peeler? Treat yourself to an electric vegetable peeler that saves time and the health of your fingers. Not to mention how hypnotizing they are to watch!

Home spiralizer

Veggie pastas are all the rage these days, but often the pre-made spirals are hard to find or expensive. So if you eat a lot of pasta alternatives, consider investing in a home spiralizer. Most models are relatively easy to use—although their blades can be hard to clean—and produce perfect spirals and shoestrings. Now you can satisfy your craving for pasta at home for half the cost; veggies like zucchini are inexpensive, as are most spiralizer models. Not sure if a spiralizer is right for you? Take this handy quiz!

Electric steamer

If you are health-conscious or simply believe no meal is complete without steamed vegetables, you have got to get yourself an electric steamer. These stand alone machines perfectly cook low calorie, delicious vegetables, but that is not all! You can use an electric steamer to heat food items that need to be heated without drying out, such as dumplings or tamales. And many electric steamers include a timer and, depending on the model, separate compartments for preparing different foods at once for your convenience.

Smart cocktail maker

There are a couple devices that will help you mix up the perfect cocktail every time—and some that will do it for you! The smart cocktail shaker, for example, is a device and app combo that provides recipes and, through the magic of bluetooth, tells you exactly how much of each ingredient to add. Meanwhile, a cocktail machine, acts as a kind of automatic cocktail maker; some models come complete with flavor pods! Either way, mixing up an impressive and delicious at home cocktail just got a whole lot easier!

Got a birthday coming up? Share this list with your nearest and dearest for not-so-subtle gift requests!