Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

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Which of these small appliances do you think are the most useful? Choose 3.

Poll ended at Fri Apr 17, 2026 4:22 pm

Waffle maker
4
19%
Air fryer
2
10%
Countertop convection oven
0
No votes
Electric grill
5
24%
Rice maker
3
14%
Bread machine
1
5%
Toaster oven
3
14%
Fondue pot
1
5%
Yogurt maker
1
5%
Carbonation infuser
1
5%
 
Total votes: 21

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mike
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by mike »

Ken wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 5:20 pm If you have a tiny dorm room or apartment and only have room for limited things then the Instant Pot can be successfully used for all those different purposes. But in a normal size kitchen it really only shines as a pressure cooker. At least that is my experience.
Yep, that's what we use it for.
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Ken
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by Ken »

mike wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 5:21 pm
Ken wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 5:20 pm If you have a tiny dorm room or apartment and only have room for limited things then the Instant Pot can be successfully used for all those different purposes. But in a normal size kitchen it really only shines as a pressure cooker. At least that is my experience.
Yep, that's what we use it for.
Come to think of it, an Instant Pot would probably be a very good cooking tool to have in an RV if you stay at campgrounds that have power. Our camping trailer days ended before I discovered the Instant Pot.
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JohnL
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by JohnL »

the-real-steve wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:57 pm We bought a restaurant grade waffle maker and haven't looked back. You may already have one, but a skillet with a lid. Discovered this way too late.

We also have a commercial grade griddle. Wife fussed a little when we got it, but she hasn't looked back!
What’s the brand of waffle maker?
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Neto
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by Neto »

You asking me, or my wife?? :?

Waffle maker - Used to have one, my wife says they are too hard to keep clean.
Air fryer - We have one. My wife loves it, but I've never used it myself.
Countertop convection oven - Don't have one, don't need one.
Electric grill - Don't have one, don't need one.
Rice maker - She might use one occasionally, but I don't think it'd work for the way she usually makes rice.
Bread machine - We have had two already here, and probably sold the one we had in Brazil when we moved up (international shipping is expensive).
Toaster oven - Don't have one, don't need one.
Fondue pot - We have one, and I bought more fondue forks, but then we stopped using it. Go figure. (Main reason is that it cannot keep up when you have lots of people sticking stuff in it - can't stay hot enough.)
Yogurt maker - We had one in Brazil, but I don't think we have one here. Maybe, but if so, it's no longer used.
Carbonation infuser - We had one in the house until our oldest son bought a house of his own - it was his. (Handy, but wouldn't use it a lot. We rarely drink anything carbonated except for Guarana and those "sparkling grape" deals for special occasions.)

Other:
My wife has a KitchenAid mixer, a regular hand mixer, and a small electric wand mixer. (As well as 'manual' wisks.)
If you don't have one, you really need an ice cream mixer. ;)
The George Foreman doesn't get much use any more.
I don't drink coffee at all, but there are several coffee makers here.
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mike
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by mike »

JohnL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:15 pm
the-real-steve wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:57 pm We bought a restaurant grade waffle maker and haven't looked back. You may already have one, but a skillet with a lid. Discovered this way too late.

We also have a commercial grade griddle. Wife fussed a little when we got it, but she hasn't looked back!
What’s the brand of waffle maker?
Not Steve, but here's one of the ones we had for a few years.

Image

But after that one finally went bad, the last while the ladies in the family have been collecting these things for a couple bucks at thrift stores. They like them because they are a perfect small individual size and they can line them up and make a bunch at a time.

Image
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the-real-steve
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by the-real-steve »

JohnL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:15 pm
the-real-steve wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:57 pm We bought a restaurant grade waffle maker and haven't looked back. You may already have one, but a skillet with a lid. Discovered this way too late.

We also have a commercial grade griddle. Wife fussed a little when we got it, but she hasn't looked back!
What’s the brand of waffle maker?
I'll get back to you. Not sure. But it makes waffles fast!
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JohnL
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by JohnL »

the-real-steve wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2025 4:54 am
JohnL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:15 pm
the-real-steve wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:57 pm We bought a restaurant grade waffle maker and haven't looked back. You may already have one, but a skillet with a lid. Discovered this way too late.

We also have a commercial grade griddle. Wife fussed a little when we got it, but she hasn't looked back!
What’s the brand of waffle maker?
I'll get back to you. Not sure. But it makes waffles fast!
Thanks! I’m all about pancakes and waffles. I’m also cogitating about those Dash mini waffle makers that Mike suggested but ultimately my wife knows what she can work with. I’m just the cheapskate thrifty person who tries to find options.
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Valerie
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by Valerie »

Love our rice cooker, small, easy to store, makes perfect rice every time.
Because there’s just two in our household these days the toaster oven does multiple tasks that keep us from using the oven and especially in the dog days of summer.
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Grace
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by Grace »

Interestingly, we have none of the appliances listed.
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the-real-steve
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Re: Worthwhile small kitchen appliances

Post by the-real-steve »

JohnL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:15 pm
the-real-steve wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:57 pm We bought a restaurant grade waffle maker and haven't looked back. You may already have one, but a skillet with a lid. Discovered this way too late.

We also have a commercial grade griddle. Wife fussed a little when we got it, but she hasn't looked back!
What’s the brand of waffle maker?
Vevor.

We got a lot of our small appliances from here:
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/?gclid ... gK68fD_BwE
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