| Appliance |
Features |
Photo Example |
| Blender |
For perfect purees and smooth sauces and shakes, nothing beats a blender. Look for:
- Ice button for perfect crushed ice
- Pulse button for extra burst of blending
- Containers of glass (heavier and more expensive) or plastic (safer and lighter weight)
- Container that opens at top and bottom for easy cleaning
- Small opening at top allows ingredients to be added while blending
- Buttons, touch pads, toggle controls
- Dishwasher safe containers
- Metal or plastic base
The hand blender or immersion blender is a portable version of the countertop appliance.
- Blends in the cooking pot
- Attachments – container, mini-chopper
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| Can Opener |
Canned food has been around almost 200 years, the can opener for only about 150. Look for:
- Adjustable to open tall cans
- Removable cutter for cleaning
- Knife sharpener
- Cordless hand held model
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| Deep Fryer |
Crisp on the outside, moist and tender on the inside – deep-frying doesn't have to mean greasy. Look for:
- Constant temperature control
- Lid to store oil in fryer
- Scoop and basket to lift and drain food
- Closed-system fryers cook to time in rotating basket, raise and drain
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| Food Processor |
Once for professional chefs only and now a versatile kitchen companion. Look for:
- Compare dry and liquid capacity
- Dishwasher safe container
- Attachments – kneading dough, juicer, shredding, slicing, grating
- Pulse button
- Feed tube allows addition of ingredients while the machine is running
Mini-choppers are available as attachments to some full-sized processors or as a separate unit
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| Fry Pan/Wok |
Able to deliver more even heat than a lot of the rangetop versions. Look for:
- Non-stick surface
- Removable temperature control
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| Ice Cream Maker |
Nothing can compare to homemade ice cream. Look for:
- Hand cranked or electric
- Large or small capacity
- Small container for use in regular refrigerator/ freezer
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| Grill/Griddle |
Whether its chicken or pancakes, a grill or griddle makes cooking easy (maybe even fun!) Look for:
- Flat or ridged surface
- Nonstick
- Grooves to drain fat or liquids
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| Hand Mixer |
For occasional mixing chores a hand mixer can handle it. Look for:
- Number of speeds and wattage
- Slower speeds for heavy-duty mixing
- Attachments (beaters)
- Comfortably shaped handle
- Weight is a factor after extended use
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| Stand Mixer |
For heavy-duty or higher quantity mixing needs, here's your answer. Look for:
- Bowl size and material
- Beater action – planetary (both the bowl and the beaters revolve) or standard (beaters rotate together in place)
- Beaters – dough hook, regular beaters, wire whip
- Weight is a plus when the machine is at high speed
- Accessories attachments – splatter guard, grinders
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| Rice Cooker |
- Perfect rice is a breeze with one of these. Look for:
- Capacity
- Nonstick interior
- Cooking options (some double as steamers)
- Timer to start ahead of meal and to time the cooking
- Glass lid
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| Slow Cooker |
For great one-pot dishes that cook while you're asleep or away, a slow cooker can't be beat. Look for:
- Multiple temperature settings
- Larger size for chicken or roasts
- Removable nonstick cooking liner
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| Steamer |
For fresh, healthy dishes, steam is the cooking method of choice. Look for:
- Add liquids – water, broth, some diluted juices
- Clear view of food
- Some models also cook rice
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| Toaster |
It seems there's a toaster version of everything these days. Today's toasters aren't just for toast anymore. Look for:
- Two or four slots
- Width of slots
- Side by side slots or long
- Defrost feature for straight from freezer toasting
- Crumb tray – hinged or removable
- Toast darkness/lightness selector
- Settings for breads other than plain old white
- Cool touch exterior
- High rise bread holder for small items
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| Toaster Oven |
- Preheat quickly and uses less energy – a good combination. Not every hot meal needs a full size oven. Look for:
- Capacity based on number of slices of regular toast (or cu. ft.)
- Oven rack that advances and/or adjusts
- Keep warm option
- Broiler element
- Crumb tray
- Auto shut off when door is opened
- Continuous clean interior
- Defrost feature
- Interior light
- Top brown option
- Timer with alarm
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| Waffle Maker |
- No offense to the toaster variety, but there's nothing like making your own. Look for:
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- Belgian or regular waffles
- Grids reverse for sandwiches or pizelle
- Size shape and number of waffles
- Adjustable temperature
- Power on light indicator
- Nonstick surface
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