Inarguably, humans must eat to survive. That is a fact. But to eat, you don’t necessarily ever have to cook. Sadly, the avoidance of the kitchen and its equipment is to miss some great opportunities of adventure and discovery. As I previously wrote in Essential Equipment, there are some things that I believe are non-negotiables when it comes to being able to create the vast majority of foods.
But, as it the case for many people, I only have one stove, two hands, and limited time in the kitchen, so there are some pieces of equipment that I hold dear to my chef’s heart. The following are medium to large electric appliances that I own and regularly use to make my food and therefore, my life, better and more efficient. None of these made the Essentials list because frankly, there are ways to make food (and beverages) without them. Plus, the accumulation of more equipment requires more money and storage space. I believe you can be a totally proficient home chef without these appliances, but I also really love them (and the time and personal energy I save in using them).
I have included a few links to particular brands that I honestly love and wholeheartedly recommend, but I gain no compensation of any sort from you clicking on the link. Remember, I’m not an influencer or professional chef… I’m just your random kitchen friend, sharing her acquired knowledge.
Stand Mixer
Primary use: removing man from manpower. Mixing, whisking, beating and kneading things so you don’t have to.
Essential for: heavy duty culinary projects (double gingerbread cookie dough recipe); whipping things to stiff peaks in an efficient amount of time (like egg whites or whipped cream); kneading enriched dough (panettone); the ability to keep adding ingredients as you continuously mix.
To be clear: chefs and bakers have existed (and succeeded) for thousands of years without a stand mixer gracing their countertops, so this really is not essential. That being said, the amount of time & physical energy saved by your investment in one is arguably worthwhile.
Tips: many stand mixers come with three basic attachments (whisk, dough hook, beater), which can do most mixing jobs flawlessly. Some brands do offer other attachments (meat grinder or pasta roller), so do some research before you commit to one brand or style if you think you’ll want to add on later.
If you don’t have one: get familiar with smaller hand tools (spoon, spatula, whisk, etc.) and familiarize yourself with the differences between recipe directions (fold, beat, mix, knead, stir, etc.).
Limited space? Stand mixers are large and cumbersome to store. If your kitchen is small, choose the hand mixer and keep a whisk nearby. Combined with your own blood, sweat and tears, you can get most mixing jobs done.
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/bowl-lift-stand-mixers
The star of my kitchen. Personally, I prefer the stand lift version, as opposed to the tilt head. Mine has performed exceptionally for 7 years, which I think demonstrates great value. My mom’s has lasted more than 40 years!
Blender
Primary Use: slicing solids to a pulp and/or blending liquids
Essential for: smoothies, purées, homemade baby food
Tips: Unless you want the contents to be totally smooth, utilize the pulse button for greater control of the consistency.
If you don’t have one: You can technically cut up most things to miniscule sizes by hand, but it’s not all that pleasant. Many people suggest a food processor (which is a good alternate for many blended things) is an essential piece of equipment, but I’ve literally never owned and have hardly even used one. So, I suppose they are more interchangeable than kitchen-supply companies would like us to think. An immersion blender is a much smaller tool to store (and is actually safer to use with hot foods/liquids).
Limited space? Choose the immersion style. The wand can fit into a drawer or cabinet and it is easier to use for hot substances. If you only plan to use this equipment for cold smoothies, just get a smallish tabletop blender.
Coffee Pot
Primary use: making a pot of coffee
Essential for: serving multiple people at one time or setting one person up for a whole day of coffee
Tips: clean it out! Remove grounds and wash pot with soap and water (frequently)!
Bonus use: heat up water by not putting coffee grounds in the basket. I’ve even cooked hot dogs in a coffee pot before!
If you don’t have one: Instant coffee works with hot tap water; buy iced coffee in bulk; hit up the local coffee shop.
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker: https://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/ninja-hot-iced-xl-coffee-maker-with-rapid-cold-brew-zidCM371
I have a slightly older model of this, but it really is awesome for brewing great coffee for a group, but also offers individual cup brews. Plus, it has an attachment for frothing milk and can be programmed for timed brews.
Toaster
Primary use: toasting slices of bread
Essential for: toast, bagels, Pop-tarts or toaster strudels
Tips: DO NOT put pieces of metal (forks, knives, spoons, tongs) in the toaster to fish out your bread (especially when the machine is plugged in. Empty the bottom tray of crumbs once per week. Most toasters are made for “standard” size bread slices that are still reachable when the toasting mechanism is not engaged. If you are wanting to toast other items (like a thinly sliced baguette or a large hunk of homemade sourdough) you would be better off avoiding the toaster.
If you don’t have one: you can toast bread very nicely on a cookie sheet in the over. This takes longer (the over has to heat up and the amount of time in the oven is also usually longer than in the toaster), but it works if you don’t have space to keep a toaster around.
SDG
L.M.Beatty 