We don’t know about you but summer has been a nice break from the kitchen! The BBQ has been center stage (see blog here on BBQ essentials – there is still a lot of summer left!) but come fall it will be time to get back in the kitchen and fire up your other appliances. In preparation for this, we thought a FabList of our must-have kitchen appliances might hit a nerve and entice you to get ready for fall cooking! And I know some of you may think you don’t want to buy another appliance or have the space, but all of our picks have earned their real estate in our kitchens!
Coffee Maker
This Nespresso coffee maker is the hardest working appliance in both of our kitchens. It’s ultra compact so it doesn’t take up much counter space and it churns out a cup of coffee in about 10 seconds. Great in the am, great in the early afternoon for a re-fresh, and perfect for making espresso martinis!
The Jura coffee maker is loved by many FabListers. If you are looking for a countertop unit that grinds the beans on demand this is the one for you!
Breville Frother/Foamer
Chrissie LOVES her Breville Foamer and swears it makes the best milk froth!! It’s her number one kitchen appliance!
Air Fryer
Jo was late to the game on this appliance because she has limited counter space but the Cuisanart AirFryer is a keeper! It’s more than just an Air Fryer – it toasts, melts, and air fries a steak in less than 7 minutes! If you’re looking for a smaller footprint option that’s just an Air Fryer (not a multi-use product like the Cuisinart product), many FabListers, including Chrissie, love this one from Cosari.
If you want to get yummy dinners on the table in a snap or want to shorten the cook time for beans and other legumes, this is the ticket! We use the InstaPot for curries, soups and chilis, and it allows you to cook slowly or quickly.
Rice Cooker
Jo has been using the same rice cooker she received as a wedding gift 33 years ago and Chrissie has had hers for almost 30 years! Yes, you can supposedly use your InstaPot for rice, but many of the meals I cook that require rice also use the InstaPot so I like having a separate rice cooker!
Jennifer Garner, a spokesperson for Kitchen Aid, recently promoted this one on Insta and I must say it looks very spiffy. It weighs your rice when you pour it in and automatically dispenses the correct amount of liquid!
Another item in our kitchens used daily! This makes what we call “hospital ice”, those great crunchy little ice nuggets. Perfect for water, cocktails, and iced coffees! We LOVE this item, it’s a fraction of the price of a built-in unit, and it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a water source. Plug and play!
We could not live without our Le Cruset dutch oven! It is bullet-proof and makes huge batches of soups, chilis, stews, french fries and more. Get the biggest size you can! And a small one is nice too for smaller batches.
Electric Kettle
It seems that the stove top kettle has taken a back seat to the electric kettle! Electric kettles heat water faster, use less energy, and automatically shut off if you forget to turn it off! This is a traditional one and Jo’s husband uses this goose neck model for his pour-over morning coffees. The long, tapered spout of a gooseneck kettle offers better precision and smoother pouring than the stubby spouts of many standard kettles.
A new addition to Jo’s kitchen, this fully automated ice cream maker can make ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, sorbet, and frozen cocktails (frose anyone?) in 20 minutes! And you can tinker with flavors and mix-ins for hours!
If you don’t have a KitchenAid Mix Master, please get one! Did you know you can easily shred chicken using the paddle attachment? And if you like making bread or pizza dough, the dough hook will make your life much easier. And it comes in so many fun colors!
This little item packs a punch! It blends, mixes, and purees a variety of ingredients to make smoothies, sauces, baby food, shakes, purees, and soups. Milk shakes are a breeze with the immersion blender!
