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What are must-have kitchen appliances?

From a house to an apartment to somewhere in between, the kitchen is often the heart of any gathering. On weeknights, kids do their homework on the counter while you’re preparing dinner, and there’s just something about a warm kitchen that makes party guests feel comfortable while snacking and conversing.

However, if you don’t have the right kitchen appliances to prepare dinner or appetizers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or trapped by extra tasks. The right kitchen gadgets can also take your cooking to the next level. So, whether you’re looking to expand your culinary skills or want to spend more time relaxing and less time cooking, here are some incredible kitchen appliances you’ll never cook without again.

Shop this article: Presto 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable HandlesHamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle and Mueller Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

How to choose kitchen appliances for your home

Determine your needs

While a few kitchen appliances are a must-have for every kitchen, you should stock your kitchen with gadgets that are most useful for your needs and cooking skill set. Determining your needs will also help determine where you should spend the most money. For example, if you often make smoothies, invest in a quality blender that will last. Or, if you bake bread or make cookies every day, a KitchenAid mixer will save you a lot of time.

Be mindful of your space

Whether you have an apartment kitchen or a large cooking area, you need to be mindful of your space. If you have a tiny kitchen, you may want to opt for multi-purpose cookers like an Instant Pot or air fryer. However, if you have ample room, be mindful that some large appliances may not fit in standard cupboards.

Consider how easy it is to use

Even if you find an appliance useful, you may not reach for it often if it requires a lengthy clean-up process or needs to be put in storage because of its large size. Consider all aspects, including how to clean your kitchen appliances, where you need to store them and if it makes your life easier.

Must-have kitchen appliances

Affordable kitchen appliances

best Presto 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles

Presto 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles

Instead of using several pans or cooking your meal in batches, this electric griddle will help you get out of the kitchen faster. Its 22- by 11-inch cooking surface is ideal for making a large batch of pancakes, several quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches or eggs for the entire family. With removable handles, it’s also convenient to store and fits in most kitchen cabinets.

Sold by Amazon

best Hamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle

Hamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle

If you fancy a cup of tea in the morning, or anytime at all for that matter, here’s something to help you get that cozy cup in quickly. This cordless, stainless steel electric tea kettle boils water in no time at all and has an auto-shutoff feature. Think of this for college dorms as well.

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best Mueller Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

Mueller Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

Once you have an immersion blender, you’ll never want to go without it ever again. From pureeing soups to beating eggs to making whipped cream, this versatile immersion blender has a ton of uses. In addition to the motor body, it comes with several attachment heads, including a blender, egg whisk and milk frother.

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best Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill

Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill

Using a large outdoor grill every day can be time-consuming and impractical for apartment living or bad weather. This compact indoor grill delivers consistent results on your favorite foods and provides those signature grill marks. Since the grill plate, hood and drip tray are all removable and dishwasher-safe, you’ll spend less time cleaning.

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Midrange kitchen appliances

best COSORI Air Fryer Oven Combo 5.8QT Max XL

Cosori Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo

Whether you need to heat up french fries, make healthier chicken wings or cook veggies, this Cosori air fryer can do it all. With a 5.8-quart basket, it’s big enough to fit an entire 5-pound chicken or enough for three to five people. As a bonus, the basket has a nonstick coating and is dishwasher-safe.

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best Anova Culinary Nano Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Anova Culinary Nano Sous Vide Precision Cooker

While most people are unfamiliar with a precision cooker, it’s a must-have appliance for cooking meat, eggs or vegetables. Because it circulates water at a precise temperature, your food cooks perfectly every single time. Plus, it’s small enough to keep in a drawer.

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best Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

This versatile appliance can replace your slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute pan and more, making it ideal for small kitchens or anyone looking to streamline their cooking. The pressure cooker features quick one-touch programs and cooks your favorite meals up to 70% faster than traditional methods.

Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s

best Keurig K-Duo Coffee Maker

Keurig K-Duo Coffee Maker

Instead of having a single-serve Keurig and a pot coffee maker, this model combines the best of both to make coffee for your whole family or just yourself. Whether you’re making a single cup or an entire carafe, there are several options to choose from. Plus, the drip cover can be removed to allow for large travel cups.

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High-end kitchen appliances

best Breville Smart Oven Pro Countertop Convection Oven

Breville Smart Oven Pro Countertop Convection Oven

Whether your regular oven is full or you want to toast up to six pieces of bread quickly, this convection oven is ideal. It has 10 cooking functions, including toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza and more. You can also slow-cook a meal for up to 10 hours before switching to a warm setting.

Sold by Walmart

best KitchenAid Tilt-Head 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer

KitchenAid Tilt-Head 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer

One of the most coveted and long-lasting kitchen appliances is the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. This 5-quart model can mix up to nine dozen cookies or four loaves of bread at once. Plus, there are separate attachments available to make pasta, spiralize or grind meat.

Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s

best Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System

Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System

This Ninja blending system includes a 1500-watt motor base, 72-ounce powerful crushing pitcher, 64-ounce food processor, two 16-ounce ninja cups with to-go lids and several blades. Plus, all the parts are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.

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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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