Cooking appliances? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Cooking appliances?

Runcarla

Veteran

Peri’s post https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....st-2344119 got me thinking about kitchen gadgetry. I was going to say that I was old school, and didn’t have any special gadgets…but then I had to reconsider. Sunday I used a waffle iron to make a hot breakfast, and later in the day I used a food processor to make a nut based crumble topping for baked apples.

I use a microwave every day for reheating stuff (though I read microwaves are becoming outmoded in kitchen design!!) and a Kurig for coffee. Also an electric mixer (hand held) and a stick blender (easily used 5x a week). The oldest appliance I own is a toaster.

The least used appliance is a large crock pot. I’ll use it 6-8 times a year for making baked beans, a chicken stew recipe, and occasionally a one pot layered dinner. I might use it more, but it’s a ‘mare to clean.

I’ve never had an electric kettle, electric fry pan, or toaster oven and haven’t been interested in an insta pot or air fryer.

I grew up with a dad who was the main cook, and who was mad for every gadget ever invented! He bought a microwave oven in the ‘70’s when they were HUGE. In his last home, he had a wall cabinet for his cooking appliances, and another cupboard in his garage to accommodate the overflow! He had smokers, dryers, ice cream makers, egg cookers, etc., etc.

What kitchen gadgetry do you own. Which ones do you love the most, and which ones are gathering dust?

(Ooops! Needs to be moved to Off Topic!)

Off Topic

26 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Roberta

Veteran

My electric kettle gets used twice a day every day, sometimes three times! My other favorite is my ancient toaster oven. Half the time the digital readout doesn't show properly, but I know if I buy a new one it will cost four times as much and break within 2 years. As far as hand-held gadgets, I use my lemon squeezer almost everyday - the kind in which you insert a lemon half and squeeze the handles together like pliers. It only does one thing, but it does it REALLY WELL.

avicennia

Veteran

My top two (used daily):

Counter top oven — love it! It heats up quickly and evenly, it’s perfect for cake, a single loaf of bread, a small batch of cookies and small pizza. It might take 4 minutes to heat up where the big oven would take 15+. A huge plus: It doesn’t heat up the house in the summer.

Immersion blender. Used daily for smoothies and in the winter blended soups.

Used 3-5 times a week:

Electric pressure cooker (and I have three stove tops ones as well). Used for quick soups in the winter, brisket, ribs, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, beets, risotto, cheesecake and so many other delicious and fast recipes.

When we lived in Europe last year for 7 months, the first thing I did was buy an immersion blender and stove top pressure cooker (the later of which came home with me).

The only other kitchen appliances are a kitchen aid, hand mixer and a food processor that are rarely used.

Echo

Veteran

Hmm, aside from a toaster (used four or five times a week), Microwave (used daily) and coffee pot (used daily), there are very few gadgets I have purchased. We just recently realized how often we use the microwave when it died and we were without one for several days.

My mum, however, has bought me everything under the sun, it seems. She sees something and thinks I might find it useful, and brings it without asking, so I have almost anything you can name gathering dust in the basment (pasta maker, bread machine, instant pot, rotating pizza cooker, electric frying pan, etc.).

We use a food processor maybe four or five times a year.

The one thing I use far more than I ever thought I would is my Kitchenaid Mixer. I use it at least four or five times a week, and sometimes several times a day - often enough that I don't keep it in a cabinet; it has earned a spot on the countertop. Indeed, I need to purchase another bowl for it for the holiday season. I use it to mix cookie dough, cakes, muffins, brownies, pie fillings, meatballs and meatloaf, and everything else. I never thought I'd need one until I had it.

Peri

Veteran

I'm not an adventurous cook. I do well on the list of things I have mastered, and I like to invent dishes, but I don't like to explore cookbooks or follow recipes. That said, I still have:

oven and stove of course
microwave
Vitamix
stand mixer
waffle iron I never use
Large and mini Cuisinarts
crockpot
Instapot (is that what it's called? I never use it.
And now an air fryer

I use the Vitamix for smoothies every morning. I use the crockpot about once a week for lentil soup that I keep a frozen supply of. And of course, the oven/stove and the microwave.

SarahD8

Veteran

Use absolutely daily without fail: espresso machine and grinder that seemed ridiculously fancy when purchased but have served us faithfully for almost 20 years.

Use almost daily:
Toaster oven, microwave, electric kettle (we are recent converts to the electric kettle but I love it!)

Every week or every other week:
Food processor (we’re on a hummus kick, and I use it to grind up almonds for granola since Trader Joe’s stopped carrying them pre ground)

Every couple of weeks, weather permitting:
Grill with pizza oven contraption (we hardly ever use it just as a grill)

In fits and starts but essential when needed:
Stand mixer (its season is approaching!)

Hardly ever:
Mediocre blender

Never:
Ice cream maker attachment for stand mixer

Irina

Veteran

Not much, I think.

An electric kettle (used once a day)
a small toaster (used once a week by DH)
a built in microwave (used every day for reheating)
a build in oven
a juicer (mostly gathers dust, used to make fruit juice daily but our doctor recommended to eat fruits whole for fiber)
a mini food processor and a small blender bought this year to chop food for our grandson. Used more than once a week.

A fancy coffee machine with pods, a month old gift from kids.

I like uncluttered countertops but have to keep kettle, toaster, coffee machine on the counter of my small, galley kitchen.

Sloper

Veteran

I never thought of using an electric kettle until three years ago. Had to use supplemental oxygen for a few months (fortunately that's resolved) so no open flames. I'm a tea and cocoa lover - decided to try an OXO kettle and LOVE it!

Microwave for popcorn, reheating leftovers, and frozen meals.

Toaster oven every morning for my bagel - or reheating a pizza slice, or making a melted cheese sandwich.

Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. Must have for baking.

An instant thermometer - Thermopen. Don't know how I cooked without. Gave me confidence to try beef filet, whole chicken, etc.

kkards

Veteran

Interesting to see/read what we use

The daily’s
-all in one grinder/coffee maker. This isn’t one of those fancy-schmancy expensive ones. This is a bare bones Black and Decker model I got at Target probably 15 years ago. I love it. So easy to use, and it makes each morning doable

-Breville counter top oven. I bought on this at William Sonoma when they were selling off their floor model, about 7 or 8 years ago. I LOVE it. It toasts really well, it heats up fast, and it’s got convection. I’m not sure I’ve used my wall oven more than once a year since I got this
-microwave - I prep and freeze my lunch’s so this gets used on WFH days. But I also use it for almost all veggies, and heating up soups
-basic electric kettle. Daily use for the tea I drink with dinner

the well I have it, might as well use it
-instant pot. Bought into the hype, it’s not lived up to it. But it is an excellent hard boiled egg maker. And I’ve found a good Mac n’ cheese recipe

Olive Green

Veteran

Runcarla, the crock pot liners changed my cooking style. Lift out the whole mess, pour or place food into a serving dish, throw away the liner.
Probably use it twice a week now. Beans, roasts, soups. No clean-up is a powerful thing!
Coffee pot, blender (use it to juice ginger and tumeric roots daily) and one of those so-useful little toaster ovens.
Replaced the lovely flat electric conductive cooktop with a gas stove the first month we moved in.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Staysfit

Veteran

I have given away some appliances that I did not use, most of them gifts from parents or in-laws: Bread machine, electric juicer, instant pot, coffee maker, immersion blender.

I have small tools and utensils which I am not including here.

These are the electric appliances I use regularly: 1. Breville electric teapot 2. Cuisinart coffee/spice grinder 3. Vitamix blender 4. Cuisinart Custom 14 food processor (a wedding gift that is now 35+ years old, I replaced the bowl but it still works perfectly), 5. Kitchen aid stand mixer 6. Cuisinart hand mixer 7. Mockmill (grinding grain) 8. Microwave oven
9. Toaster oven 10. Zojirushi Rice cooker 11. Crock pot

I have a magnetic induction pressure cooker pan that I use all the time on my cook top. I am not sure if it’s an appliance or a pot? I also have a single magnetic induction cooktop burner that I can plug in and use to either cook or keep pans warm in a buffet. It’s rarely used but I keep it because we have had a failure of our cooktop in the past and it was handy while waiting for a replacement/repair.

The Mockmill is the only new appliance. The vitamix is about 5 years old. Everything else is 17-35 years old, so we do get good longevity from our appliances.

Anonymous

I have very limited storage and counter space, but even if we had a better kitchen, I wouldn't have more gadgets than I do now.

Daily essentials that live on the counter:
Simple coffee pot
Simple microwave
Toaster oven (much more practical than a plain toaster cause I like toasted bread with cheese)

Occasional use
Blender- for smoothies, acai bowls
Little chopper-for small batches of savory spreads like guacamole, hummus, pesto

Aside from that- I just cook everything on the stove. If I want something fancy, I'll pay someone else to make it! Never saw the point of a crock pot (seems a fire risk), air fryer (I don't eat fried foods often), stand mixer (I don't bake or even like most baked goods), or instant pot (doesn't seem better than a normal big pot on the stove to me).

RobinF

Veteran

Fun thread!

1. coffee maker! I have one that mimics pour over coffee and it is so much better than regular drip. I make enough to bring to work in a thermos.
2. microwave. I would say we use this daily
3. toaster, stays on the counter but probably only used on weekends. Maybe we should find a home for it in a cupboard
4. rice cooker and air fryer, used a few times a month
5. crock pot and Ninja Nutri-blender, used 5 or 6 times a year
6. Oh can't forget my new-ish stand mixer! I got a KitchenAid dupe before Christmas baking last year and it made it go so much faster! So much better than my hand mixer (which I still have but haven't used since).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

ELECTRIC KETTLE is #1 by far!!!!

I don't know how you cope without one. We've had one since the '80s

Tea is life!

Next is the microwave, food processor, and toaster. (Not a toaster oven, but a toaster).

Nespresso machine is for guests only. We never use it ourselves.

That's it on our counter appliances! We have nothing else.

rachylou

Veteran

I *should* get an air fryer because ETA: I have so many other things. I have out always a:
Toaster oven
Microwave
Rice maker
Coffee maker
Burr grinder and blade grinders
Ninja soup making blender
Stand mixer
Boiled egg maker
Electric kettle skinny and pot

Then there are:
Food processors, two sizes
Deep fryer
Crockpot
Hand mixer
Wand mixer
Waffle Iron
Smoothie makers
Mini griddle
Mini toaster oven

I also have three sets of pots and pans: heavy duty, ceramic, and lightweight

Then there are the manual gadgets and specialty pans.

Lol I like to cook and bake. But I can’t be bothered to spend more than 15 on making dinner!

Kate

Veteran

Electric kettle. Use it daily. My most used small appliance. Immersion blender. It gets a workout in the winter months when I make a lot of soup. Coffeemaker. DH uses. Food processor. DH uses. Countertop microwave. Rarely use.

MsMary

Veteran

The only appliances that are out on the counter are the fancy coffee maker and the fancy toaster. Oh, and the microwave. They are all used daily or nearly so.

Used often (weekly or more):

Food processor
Stand mixer

Used regularly:

Rice cooker
Spice grinder

Knife sharpener
Vitamix blender
Waffle irons (we have two so we can make more waffles at a time)

Used occasionally:

Crockpots (multiples because I use more than one at Thanksgiving)
Electric skillet
Hand mixer
Immersion blender
Deep fryer

Runcarla

Veteran

This is pretty interesting, and fun!

I’ve been into home reno stuff - including design trends. Three things that stood out for me vis a vis kitchen trends was: 1) a move away from kitchen islands, 2) a move away from over the range microwaves (and microwaves in general (really!?)), and 3) replacing the liquor cabinet/bar with a coffee bar!

When a friend had her 1950’s kitchen renovated, she said she listened to the kitchen designer person, who did it for a living - just giving him a list of her ‘problems’ with her existing kitchen. She said the ‘appliance garage’ he suggested is her favourite feature. I’ve got all my appliances on a lazy Susan in a low corner cabinet, and in the pantry. The Kurig is the only appliance on the counter top, and I’ve got the (unfashionable) over the range microwave! LOL!

Helena

Veteran

The appliances that say on the counter are:

- electric tea kettle - almost always on the boil, morning and night, summer and winter (waving at Angie, my tea is life sister!)
- toaster - used daily
- air fryer - used several times a week
- DH's aeropress for his coffee
- hood fan microwave is over the stove

Other useful gadgets:
- Instant Pot (would have never thought, but DH sold me, as he does!) - replaced our crock pot - used several times a month, esp in winter
- Coffee grinder (DH) - weekly
- Milk frother - weekly or a couple times a week, more in winter when I made the kids hot choccies
- Immersion blender - weekly in winter for soup
- Stand mixer - infrequent baking tool but usefuly
- Keurig - for if guests come and I don't have all day to make coffees with the aeropress
- Very small food processor, used occasionally to make pesto, or to chop nuts and seeds for outmeal, etc.

We are lucky that we have the storage for all of this - DH is Mr. Gadget. I think he has a few others stashed somewhere *rolls eyes* ... I may be more minimalistic, but he most certainly is not!!

Style Fan

Veteran

On our kitchen counter are:

Coffee Grinder - Baratatza
Electric Kettle- we use it for tea and coffee
French Press
Vitamix

The microwave is on a shelf.

I also have a slow cooker, mini chop for herbs (Cuisinart), immersion blender and an electric coffee maker that rarely gets used.

I had a food processor that was 35 years old. It finally broke down.

No toaster. It is on the list.

Irina

Veteran

My microwave is not only on a shelf, it’s behind a door in a cabinet ! And it’s probably 15 years old! I have never wanted a big kitchen but how I wish I had more storage space! A coffee/tea bar would be a dream!

ChristelJ

Veteran

Such an interesting thread.
We have an electric kettle too. I had no idea they were so ubiquitous.
Also, we have and use:

Toaster from the 1940s, refurbished
Blender from the 1960s, refurbished
Microwave
Food processor
Mockmill
Immersion blender
Air fryer
Dehydrator

cat2

Veteran

Used frequently: electric kettle, coffee grinder, extra coffee grinder for spices, Cuisinart, Vitamix, and the toaster.
Used rarely: stand mixer, pasta maker, waffle iron, ice cream maker, juicer
Used when MIL downsized and gave us a lot of kitchen gear, but never replaced: bread machine, rice cooker, electric wok, and lots of speciality fruit cutting implements

bella

(website)

Veteran

The following apliances live on the counter because they are used multiple times daily:
- Electric kettle equipped with an extra compartment for infusing tea: This is almost always on when we're home.
-Toaster grill: More useful to us than a regular toaster, we like our warm sandwiches.
- Microwave
- Our capsule coffee maker is awaiting service so multiple French presses in its stead.
- Turkish coffee maker

Used weekly for cooking, baking, making smoothies:
- Hand blender 3-in-1: can also be used as whisk and food processor
- Vitamix equivalent (different brand)

Used only a handful times a year:
- Waffle maker
- Popcorn maker
- Electric juicer
- Raclette

MsMary

Veteran

Oh, I forgot to add we have a built-in warming drawer and we use it every single day. (It has a "proof" setting that is great for baking!) Highly recommend for anybody who is planning a kitchen remodel.

Sloper

Veteran

I forgot my rice cooker. A no-frills, just on/off, almost 20 years old. I have to try it for oatmeal - supposedly rice cookers work well for that.

Joy

Veteran

The one that gathers the most dust is an ice cream maker. It was to make iced cream for those who love it but are on special diets and can't eat the regular stuff. Most used is the coffee maker and little scale. The toaster is rarely used now and extra wide to accommodate bagel halves is a good option. It also takes regular slices of bread. It does not live on the counter top. A small blender/food processor is a help for grinding nuts and making breadcrumbs.