Best Basic Kitchen Appliances List - 2023 - Clever Kitchen (2024)

• Last Updated // April 2, 2023

• David Bell

The kitchen is the heart of any home and experiences the most daily activity. But you might be wondering, “why is the kitchen the heart of every home?” this is because it nourishes us not just through the body but also the mind and soul. So from eating to nourish the body, to cooking to nourish the mind, to bonding with family to nourish the soul, it’s no wonder the kitchen also has the most varied assortment of appliances.

So to help you get the most out of the heart of your home, I’ve compiled this kitchen appliances list of the 27 most helpful kitchen appliances. For your convenience, I’ve broken these handy devices into three groups, from the essentials to the non-essential but still valuable to the electric versions of manual appliances. Read on to learn what they are and how they can benefit you.

The 27 Most Useful Kitchen Appliances

While you don’t need all of these appliances in your kitchen, each of these handy gadgets has a usefulness that could make your daily life easier. How useful you’ll find a specific kitchen appliance comes down to how often you will use it.

So whenever you’re considering purchasing an appliance, ask yourself, “how often will I need assistance with the particular task this appliance performs?”. For your convenience, I’ve put together this kitchen appliances list to give you an understanding of the most useful kitchen appliances available.

Read on to learn more about the 27 most useful kitchen appliances and why you need to incorporate them into your kitchen today.

The 10 Essential Kitchen Appliances

First, we’ll start with the essentials. Below are the ten essential kitchen appliances every kitchen should have. Most U.S. households have at least half, if not most, of these appliances in their kitchens. For your convenience, I’ve arranged each appliance by how often its typically used or its usefulness.

Microwave

At the very top of the most helpful appliance is the microwave. Did you know that over 90% of U.S. households own a microwave? And no wonder that so many homes have one in their kitchen. Its ability to quickly cook or defrost foods makes preparing meals much easier for the busy American.

Coffee Pot

Second on the list is the much-treasured coffee pot. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t have a coffee pot in their kitchen. Knowing so many coffee drinkers makes sense since, in the U.S., an estimated 62% of the population are daily coffee drinkers. So if you’re like most of the U.S. population and need that morning caffeine fix, having one in your kitchen is a must.

Toaster

In the top three of “most likely to be seen in a kitchen” is the toaster. From the original intention of making toast to the expanded function of toasting bagels and pastries for your morning breakfast, the toaster is a functional wonder house for preparing quick breakfast options.

Toaster Oven

The toaster oven is the upgraded version of the traditional toaster, yes, it can still toast your bread and bagels, but it does so much more. The toaster oven operates similarly to your regular oven but in a much smaller compact size. Depending on their size, it can heat up an individual pizza or even bake chicken breasts.

Blender

The blender is a must-have for smoothie lovers and lovers of co*cktails alike. Capable of making not just drinks but also making the creation of sauces and dips or salsas and slaws so much easier. The blender is another multi-purpose kitchen hero.

Food Processor

While the blender makes creating various dishes and beverages easier, the food processor helps by replacing your need to perform specific tasks on vegetables and fruits. From pureeing to chopping to slicing, the food processor lessens the prep work you need to do to cook that fantastic dish you love.

Deep Fryer

The deep fryer is the traditional method of frying food to a nice golden crispness. It’s perfect for getting that fast-food version of french fries, chicken, or even doughnuts from the comfort of your home.

Air Fryer

If your aiming for a healthier lifestyle, then the deep fryer isn’t suitable for you, and that’s where the air fryer comes in handy. It can fry food to a nice crispness without the added fat and calories of its oil-requiring counterpart, the deep fryer. It’s also a energy efficient alternative to using the oven.

Slow Cooker

Just as its name implies, the slow cooker is ideal for slowly making a meal. Suitable for cooking meat-based dishes, so they’re juicy and tender. From delicious pulled pork to an incredible brisket or even some of the most mouthwatering gooey brownies, a slow cooker can perfectly cook just about anything.

Rice Cooker

Lastly, we have the rice cooker; if you’re like many people, making delicious rice is not easy to master. Cook it for too long, it gets mushy but too short, and it’s soft on the outside but hard inside. That’s where the beauty of the rice cooker comes in handy, especially if you make a lot of rice-based dishes.

The 7 Non-Essential Yet Still Useful Kitchen Appliances

Next, we’ll delve into the seven non-essential but still handy appliances that can remove some of the hassles from your life. Some gadgets are just a great way to get fresher, homemade versions of the foods you love and can be fun to use too.

Food Steamer

First, we have the food steamer, an excellent option for health-conscious people who want to cook a full meal with nothing but water and the accompanying steam it makes.

Food Dehydrator

A food dehydrator is a great way to make food last longer while preserving its flavor. A food dehydrator doesn’t just make delicious jerky or dried fruits but can also make healthy dog treats and even yogurt.

Ice Cream Maker

While homemade ice cream is heavenly, it’s also one of the most time-consuming and taxing dishes you can make. That’s where an ice cream maker comes in handy, lessening the burden of making this delicious treat at home.

Bread Maker

When it comes to comforting and delicious scents, nothing can compare to freshly made bread, just like no store-bought bread can compare to the taste of fresh-out-of-the-oven bread. So a good bread maker is something every lover of bread needs.

Rapid Egg Cooker

A rapid egg cooker is essential in your kitchen if you consistently have eggs for breakfast, whether scrambled, boiled, or even deviled.

Mug Warmer

The convenient mug warmer for coffee and tea lovers is perfect for keeping your favorite beverage at the ideal warm or hot temperature. Thanks to the mug warmer, you won’t experience the dreaded “setting aside your coffee cup to complete a simple task only to return to a lukewarm cup of coffee” experience again.

Popcorn Popper

Who doesn’t love fresh popcorn on movie night? If you do, you know how dissatisfying the usual microwavable popcorn can be. Some of the popcorn ends up burnt, some doesn’t pop, and the taste could always be better. That’s where the beauty of a stovetop popcorn popper comes in; it can perfectly pop each kernel without burning them.

The 9 Neatest Electric Versions of Other Appliances

Lastly, I’ll cover the electric versions of the usual manual (non-electric) kitchen appliances. Many of these appliances will be instrumental to people with limited kitchen space or those without stovetops. At the same time, others are handy alternatives to their manual versions because they lessen the burdensome strain on you.

Electric Skillet

First up is the electric skillet, an excellent alternative to the standard skillet or saucepan. It does the same job but is ideal for those without access to a working stovetop.

Electric Griddle

Like the electric skillet, the electric griddle is a good alternative for people without a usable stovetop. It can cook eggs, pancakes, and even burgers with ease.

Electric Hot Plate

This electric hot plate, also known as an electric burner, is a great appliance that can replace or add another burner to your home kitchen. They’re handy if you have limited kitchen space or no stove, allowing you to use them like a regular stovetop to boil, cook, or sautee food as needed. Then, when done, you can store it away.

Electric Kettle

An electric kettle is a quicker alternative to the usual stovetop kettle but with the added benefit of automatically turning off within a minute or less after it is done boiling.

Electric Juicer

There’s nothing quite like juice straight from the source, but making juice by hand is yet another burdensome task that causes many people to think twice about it. Luckily there are electric juicers that do all the work for you.

Electric Indoor Grill

With an indoor electric grill, you can take advantage of great-tasting burgers on rainy days or if, like many Americans, you live in an apartment complex with no outdoor space.

Electric Mixers

Whether a handheld or standing mixer, this electric version of the whisk is a must-have replacement for the wrist and arm-hurting ingredient blending task.

Electric Knife

An electric knife is a must-have item during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any big family dinner. It’s perfect for removing the strain of craving that huge turkey during Thanksgiving or a ham during Easter.

Electric Can Opener

Last but not least is the electric can opener. The electric can opener is an incredible invention that makes it easier to open pesky canned foods, especially for people with limited hand mobility or arthritis.

In Conclusion

As I’ve previously stated, you don’t need all of these appliances in your kitchen, especially if you, like most Americans, have limited kitchen space. However, it is helpful to know that handy gadgets are available to make your daily routine easier for you and your family.

I’ve covered everything from essential appliances to non-essential but still helpful and even the electric counterparts to the typical manual kitchen devices.

So if you’re an avid coffee or tea drinker, purchasing a mug warmer is a great way to ensure your warm drinks stay warm, just as intended. However, an electric can opener will be your savior if you frequently cook using canned foods.

Hopefully, some of the items on this kitchen appliances list have proved informative for putting together the most productive kitchen for the heart of your home.