Popular Small Kitchen Appliances

Processors, grinders, grillers, and cookers

Small kitchen appliances are as diverse and popular as they've ever been. Television cooking shows, the availability of commercial-grade cookware, and America's insatiable desire for ease and convenience have resulted in the proliferation of small kitchen appliances in homes all over the country. If you're looking for new gadgets to add to your kitchen, consider some of the following popular small kitchen appliances.

Food processors

Few kitchen appliances will save you as much time as food processors. They're perfect for chopping and pureeing, and they're not as difficult to clean as you might think.

There are many quality food processors available, but we recommend going with trusted names such as KitchenAid or Cuisinart. And if you're not sure whether to go with a large or small food processor, try splitting the difference and picking up a 7-cup Cuisinart food processor.

Coffee grinders

With a gourmet coffee shop now on almost every street corner, consumers are more aware than ever of what makes a quality cup of coffee. That's why you need a coffee grinder for your home. Freshly ground coffee tastes the best, and home coffee grinders will provide you with that first great cup of coffee to get you out the door without stopping at Starbucks.

There are two different kinds of coffee grinders: burr coffee grinders and blade coffee grinders. Burr coffee grinders provide a better taste and more consistent grind. And if you're really serious about coffee, go with conical burr coffee grinder over wheel burr coffee grinders; they're slower and less likely to clog.

Indoor electric grills

Twenty years from now, George Foreman may be remembered less for his impact on the world of boxing than for how he changed the way we cook chicken. With indoor electric grills, there's no more need to clean snow of the barbeque. Indoor electric grills are quick, convenient, and easy to clean.

Foreman's is one of the better known indoor electric grills, but others, such as the Sanyo smokeless indoor electric grill and the Zojirushi indoor electric grill, are also well regarded.

Rice cookers

If you're trying to eat healthier or just don't have a lot of time for cooking, rice cookers are popular small kitchen appliances that can make your life easier. Rice cookers are about as easy as adding rice and water and waiting until the light indicates the rice is done.

Many of the best rice cookers are Japanese. Pay attention to features when buying rice cookers. Get one that will turn off but still keep the rice warm when it's finished. A nonstick interior pan will also save you a lot of cleaning time.

Slow cookers

You wouldn't think that small kitchen appliances called slow cookers would actually be great time savers, but they are. Slow cookers are also very easy to use, and great for making vegetables or cooking chicken and roasts.

Slow cookers are sometimes referred to as crock pots, though Crock-Pot is a name trademarked by the Rival Company. Rival is a leading maker of slow cookers, but you might also consider slow cookers from Farberware and West Bend.

More information on small kitchen appliances