Must Have Kitchen Appliances

This list of must have kitchen appliances will help make family cooking easier, quicker and less stressful.

Making sure your kitchen is stocked with all the best kitchen appliances can make your life much easier in the long run.

With a little forethought, you can save yourself a lot of time while making sure your family gets a good, healthy meal every single day.

But it can be difficult to know if you have everything you need. That’s why we have put together this helpful kitchen appliances list.

Most of these must have kitchen items are available online at Amazon so they can be delivered right to your door!

You may also like: Best Kitchen Utensils List.

Juicer

A juicer is one of the best home kitchen appliances you can possibly own. Simply put, having a juicer can do wonders for your health.

It’s a quick and easy way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Also, the pulp that’s left behind can be an excellent source of fiber.

Additionally, fresh juice can be an excellent alternative to sugary snacks for when you get a sweet tooth craving.

Having a juicer can also save you money in the long run. While it might seem expensive at first glance, it’ll stop you from having to buy juice all the time.

When shopping for a juicer, make sure you find one with dishwasher-safe attachments. Otherwise, they can be a little tricky to clean.

Also, having wide-feed tubes makes it easier to juice whole apples and other larger fruit without having to cut them first.

If you can afford it, a slow or masticating juicer is a better buy as it leaves a lot of the good nutrients intact.

Centrifugal juicers are cheaper and faster but produce a lower yield and remove more of the good-for-you fibers.

Click here to compare all the best juicers and check prices

Blender

A blender is another one of the most useful kitchen appliances a person can have. The benefits of owning one are numerous.

For one thing, having a blender makes it possible to make some healthy breakfasts in the morning. Having a smoothie or some freshly blended vegetables is a great way to start your day.

Smoothies have tons of fiber, so they don’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike like some snacks.

Plus, some healthy foods such as chlorella and cacao don’t have many good cooking options. Blending them into smoothies is a good way to make them a part of your diet.

Blenders are also good for blending soups or pasta sauces to make them nice and smooth... and of course for making cocktails. Margarita anyone?!

A pulsing button is an important option to look for when you’re looking for a blender. This allows you to make iced drinks since you don’t have to mix the ice beforehand.

Also, having drive sockets and blades that are made of stainless steel instead of plastic will help it last longer.

Another popular choice are personal blenders which are smaller and designed for single-serve blending.

This not only makes them easier to store but they also come with to-go cups with lids, so you can quickly and easily whip up a smoothie and take it with you for an on-the-go breakfast.

Click here to compare all the best blenders and check prices

Food Processor

The next item on our list of kitchen appliances is a food processor. A food processor might seem similar to a blender, but they can actually perform very different functions.

You can use it for grinding solid foods, making it great for dips, nut butter, pestos, and bliss balls.

Having a food processor will also save you a lot of time in the kitchen. The time you spend chopping and mixing food by hand can be completely eliminated by this handy device.

It’s also good to have if you want to try making homemade pie crust.

Make sure your food processor has a sufficient bowl capacity before buying. A bowl size of about ten cups will feed a family of four. And once again, make sure the blades are stainless steel.

Click here to compare all the best food processors and check prices

Stand Mixer

A stand mixer is another essential kitchen appliance. This appliance makes mixing so much faster and easier. It’s something you have to have for mixing cookie and cake batters, kneading bread, and beating eggs.

Moreover, your hand can never mix as efficiently as a stand mixer. Using one ensures that everything is mixed smoothly and nothing is left unmixed.

On top of that, most stand mixers can be used with a variety of different attachments for different applications.

These include pasta makers, meat grinders, and much more. This way, you can get a lot of use out of just one appliance.

Try to buy a stand mixer that has a hub to connect the optional attachments we just mentioned. Overload protection is another must-have feature. And as usual, an all-metal construction will lead to more durability.

Click here to compare all the best stand mixers and check prices

Steamer

You might not have considered buying a steamer for your kitchen, but you really should. This popular kitchen appliance works by cooking food with hot vapor in an enclosed environment.

This is especially good for cooking vegetables. Simmering vegetables in water can cause the nutrients to leach out. Steaming, on the other hand, is a much healthier alternative.

Additionally, using a steamer helps preserve the taste of your vegetables. And it’s a very simple form of cooking once you get the hang of it. This allows you to save time and energy in the kitchen.

If you want to save some money, you can’t go wrong with a steamer basket. They work well and are easy to use. Or you can buy an electric steamer for a bit more money.

They do most of the work for you, and you can use them for steaming more than just vegetables. Fish, dumplings, chicken, fruit... all these are great for cooking in the steamer.

Click here to compare all the best steamers and check prices

Air Fryer

You might not have heard of an air fryer, but it’s a great addition to any list of kitchen items. It doesn’t take up very much space, and it allows you to cook delicious snacks like french fries, onion rings, and fish sticks.

These foods usually have a reputation for being unhealthy because they lose nutrients when they’re cooked. However, an air fryer preserves their nutritional value.

It’s much faster than deep-frying, and since it doesn’t take much time to preheat, it’s faster than the oven too. Also, you don’t have to use much oil to use it.

The main thing to look for in an air fryer is fryer settings. You need to make sure there’s a temperature setting because different foods need to be cooked at different temperatures.

Mode settings are important too since some dishes require a dry cooking method while others need a wet cooking method.

Click here to read our list of best Air Fryer Reviews.

Fryer

If you don’t like the sound of the air fryer, then having a regular fryer is a good option too. Using a fryer is much faster and more efficient than cooking in a pan.

With a pan, you have to flip your food to keep it from overcooking. This isn’t necessary with a fryer. It cooks your food evenly without any extra work.

Again, you don’t have to use very much oil with a fryer. And you can use it to cook almost any kind of food. This could include potatoes, chips, crackers, and many other delicious meals.

Safety should be a prime concern when you’re buying a fryer because oil can combust if it gets too hot.

Therefore, you should look for a fryer with an automatic shutoff feature. This shuts the fryer off in case the oil reaches an unsafe temperature.

Capacity is also important. Make sure your fryer is big enough to handle the portions you plan to cook.

Click here to compare all the best fryers and check prices

Electric Kettle

An electric kettle is another one of the most important small kitchen appliances. It’s obviously something you need if you love to drink tea, but it has many applications for non-tea drinkers also.

An electric kettle can bring water to a boil extremely fast, which can save you a lot of time in the kitchen, and also free up cooker space.

If you love drinking coffee in the mornings, an electric kettle can help with that as well. Some of the fancier coffee-making methods require water that’s just below boiling.

An electric kettle also helps with instant ramen. It’s fast, and it tastes much better than heating them in the microwave.

Again, temperature settings are an important feature to look for when you’re shopping for an electric kettle.

Some teas and coffees turn out better when they’re brewed at a cooler temperature. You also want to look for one that comes to the boil quickly and quietly.

Click here to compare all the best electric kettles and check prices

Rice Cooker

A rice cooker is one of the top kitchen appliances to have if rice is a regular part of your meals. This is especially true if you’re a first-time cook. While you can cook rice on a stovetop, the results can often be burnt or mushy.

On the other hand, a rice cooker does all the work for you, and the rice always comes out perfectly. It also keeps rice warm, which is handy for a family that all eats at different times.

You don’t have to limit rice cookers to just rice either. You can also use it to slow cook a variety of dishes such as beef and chicken.

Naturally, size is an important consideration when you’re buying a rice cooker. If you have a small family, a mini rice cooker or microwave rice cooker will work just fine.

But if you plan to cook for a large group of people, opt for a big-sized rice cooker instead.

Click here to compare all the best rice cookers and check prices

Slow Cooker

A slow cooker or Crock Pot should be a part of any must have kitchen items list for a variety of reasons. For one, having a slow cooker can save you money.

Cheaper cuts of meat are tastier and easier to chew when they’re slow-cooked. Slow cookers are also extremely easy to use. You basically just dump the ingredients inside and set the timer.

And while it might seem counterintuitive, slow cookers can save you time as well. With this appliance, you can have a fully cooked meal waiting for you when you get home from a long day of work.

A good slow cooker should have a heating element that goes up the side of the base instead of just sitting on top of it. That allows the heat to be more evenly distributed. Also, make sure the crock is removable. This makes it much easier to clean.

Click here to compare all the best slow cookers and check prices

Instant Pot

An instant pot is one of the most popular modern kitchen appliances because it can be used in a variety of ways.

It’s best known for pressure cooking, but you can also use it for slow cooking, baking, steaming, rice cooking and much more.

It can also cook elaborate meals very quickly. Meals that would normally take all day can be finished in an hour.

Furthermore, an instant pot is much safer than an ordinary pressure cooker. It comes with a number of sensors that help it self-regulate temperature and pressure.

Besides that, it’s easy to clean, and there are a ton of different recipes you can make with it. You can make everything from tacos, beef sandwiches, popcorn, and even wine.

While all instant pots are multi-functional, there are still differences between what each one can and can’t do. You need to look this up ahead of time before you buy one.

Some instant pots are also Bluetooth or WiFi-enabled which might be of interest to some people.

Click here to compare all the best instant pots and check prices

Pie Maker

The final item on our kitchen appliances must have list is a pie maker. The main reason to have a pie maker is very simple.

It makes pie! It’s a fast and easy way to make your family an excellent dessert after they’ve eaten a good meal.

And it’s not only pies you can make in a pie maker. You can also use it to make calzone, quiche, brownies, muffin, frittatas… the list goes on.

One of our favorite cheap kitchen appliances, a good pie maker is also fast, easy to use, and easy to clean.

They're also inexpensive, and they don’t take up a lot of space in your kitchen. With all that in mind, there’s really no reason not to own one.

When you’re shopping for a pie maker, try to find one that has non-stick cooking plates. This will make it much easier to clean.

Diameter and depth of the cooking plates are important things to look at before you make a purchase.

Click here to compare all the best pie makers and check prices

Thermomix

We couldn't have a list of our favorite kitchen appliances without mentioning our trusty Thermomix! We LOVE our Thermomix and have an entire section of Thermomix recipes right here on the blog.

The Thermomix is an all-in-one food processor and cooker with multiple functions.

It can chop, mill, crush, grate and knead. It can saute, simmer, steam and blend.

The latest TM6 model (seen above), also has multiple additional functions, including ferment, sous-vide, slow cook, rice cooker and egg boiler.

You can read more about the Thermomix in our Thermomix FAQ article here.

Now that you have your best buy kitchen appliances list, shopping should be much easier.

Once you have these kitchen appliances, your life in the kitchen will be less stressful. Now you can be sure your family is eating healthy without any extra fuss.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to spend as much money as you might think. Tackle each item one at a time and you’ll soon have a kitchen you can be very proud of.