You have your basic refrigerator, stove, and microwave. You even have a few small appliances like a toaster and a blender. But did you know that you can find a huge number of useful appliances that you never knew existed for your kitchen? The small electronics market has only gotten more sophisticated in recent years, and it can be difficult to keep up with all the advances being made in tools for your kitchen. Here are 5 of the most useful small, professional kitchen appliances you should get today!
1. Instant Pot
You’ve probably heard about this first small appliance that’s been taking dorm rooms and weekday meals by a storm, but the advantages bear repeating. Not only is an Instant Pot incredibly versatile, allowing you to cook everything from rice to vegetables to meat in record time, but there are a number of versions of it with various levels of sophistication and ability. This means that you will be able to find an Instant Pot at almost any price point, a definite advantage when looking at small kitchen appliances. In terms of versatility, flexibility, and overall usefulness, it’s hard to beat an Instant Pot.
2. Air Fryer
Another small appliance that’s been exploding in popularity is the air fryer. Part of the appeal is being able to fry your food without the mess, cleanup, and extra ingredients required for conventional oil frying. Another plus is the fact that air frying makes healthier, less greasy food than oil frying. Air fryers are also automatic, so you won’t have to constantly watch your food to make sure it doesn’t overcook. If you have the space and enjoy fried food, trying out an air fryer could be a game changer for your cooking.
3. Sous Vide Machines
Sous Vide is a cooking method that uses pressurized steam to cook your food more quickly and evenly than conventional oven methods. Recently, Sous Vide machines have come out of the professional kitchen and into the arsenal of home cooks everywhere. These machines require a little more preparation and research to use effectively, but they are ultimately worth it because of the degree of precision and consistency that this cooking method has. You will be able to cook more difficult types and cuts of meat to perfection, and Sous Vide is a perfect way to step up your game and get over that hurdle so you can start feeling comfortable using more expensive cuts of meat in your everyday cooking.
4. Espresso Machine
Is your usual drip coffee not giving you the same jolt that it used to? Do you want to have coffee house style drinks without the coffee house prices? If either of these questions is a “yes” from you, then you may want to consider investing in an espresso machine. Espresso is essentially super concentrated coffee, enough to wake up even the most hardened caffeine addict. And since many espresso machines come connected to a milk steamer, you will be able to make lattes, cappuccinos, and other coffee house style drinks at a fraction of the cost. The only disadvantage is the risk of becoming a coffee connoisseur with a penchant for the freshest and finest beans, but if you’re willing to risk spoiling your palate you will find that an espresso machine can be a worthwhile purchase.
5. Food Dehydrator
A great many people turn to dried food when it comes to healthy snacking throughout the day, but these dried fruits and meats can get expensive when bought from a grocery store. That’s where a food dehydrator comes in. With a small tabletop food dehydrator, you’ll be able to make jerky, banana chips, and other types of dried goodies at home, cutting down on your grocery bill if you’re someone who enjoys those sorts of foods as a snack. Dehydrating your food is also a good way to preserve it, and dried foods can often be used in baking and cooking in fun and innovative ways.
