I thought today I’d share with you some of the kitchen appliances I own and how I use them! I don’t have every gadget in the book, so the ones I give valuable cabinet space to I try to make sure get real use.
#1 – Slow Cooker
How I use it: for reheating freezer meals, making my own vegetable broth, and making my own soups and chilis.
How often I use it: about once weekly, sometimes more.
Tips for scoring a deal: wait for October (also known as “Crocktober” for deals and rebates both in stores and on Amazon. Fred Meyer had some particularly HOT deals. I’ve had my same slow cooker for 10+ years, but I’d love to upgrade to a better one, such as the Hamilton Beach pictured above!)
Pictured above: Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker is currently selling for $49.99. We’ve seen this drop closer to the $30 range before.
#2 – Electric Griddle
How I use it: for making pancakes, burgers, bacon, and sliders.
How often I use it: about once every other week.
Tips for scoring a deal: watch around the holidays – this is one of those items that department stores like to feature in Black Friday and other holiday sales. Sometimes you’ll find rebates for. I would consider $19.99 or less a solid deal! I had a reader suggest last week to check Grocery Outlet. She found one there for $19.99 fairly recently.
Pictured above: Presto 22″ Griddle with Removable Handles is currently selling for $24.99. This definitely looks like a nicer model than I have.
#3 – Mandolin Slicer
How I use it: to make even, thin slices of vegetables for salads and garnishes or for my son’s bento lunches. It would also be perfect if you are a raw foodist or like to make beautiful salads or coleslaws.
How often I use it: honestly, probably only once a month or so, but whenever I pull it out, I’m always delighted by the result and think to myself, man. I need to use this thing more!
Tips for scoring a deal: I want to say I ended up paying about $20 for mine on Amazon (and I did buy the one pictured above). Also watch Groupon Goods – I believe I’ve seen these there before. While you might be tempted to go really cheap on this gadget, I’d discourage you from doing that. You want a unit that sits solidly on your counter and has a sharp blade.
Pictured above: Progressive Folding Mandolin is currently $16.72 on Amazon + free shipping for Prime members. It comes with a storage case and a number of attachments. I do consider that a pretty nice deal for the quality!
#4 – Vitamix
How I use it: primarily for making green smoothies, because this thing blends like nobody’s business! Previously I did have a $20 cheapie blender and it just did NOT pulverize the greens properly. About once a month I’ll use it to puree up hot soups or other foods. Less occasionally, I’ve made stuff like homemade almond milk, pesto, and salad dressings (it will emulsify oil & vinegar together perfectly). I also do not own a food processor, so I will use my Vitamix in place of that at times.
How often I use it: about 3-5 times per week, sometimes oftener. It’s easily the most used kitchen appliance I own.
Tips for scoring a deal: a lot of people have sticker shock when they realize a Vitamix will run you about $400. I knew I wanted one for quite some time because my mom has had a Vitamix in her house since before I was born and swears by them. I watched her use them daily (and sometimes multiple times per day) for years and saw how they held up. She also sung the praises of their customer service, so I was willing to save up to buy one. Admittedly, saving on one is a bit of a tricky business, but I do have some thoughts in a separate post entitled Saving Money on a Vitamix.
Pictured above: Vitamix 1782 TurboBlend, 2 Speed for $361.88 shipped.
#5 – Dehydrator
How I use it: to dry my garden-grown herbs, making no-sugar added fruit rolls, dried fruit, dried teas, and potpourri.
How often I use it: I’ve probably used it 10 times in the last year since I’ve owned it, and loaned it out to friends about 3 times. I would consider a dehydrator a good appliance to have around if you grow a garden and/or are into making your own herbs, spices, and healthy snacks.
Tips for scoring a deal: watch Amazon – and possibly, Groupon Goods. The dehydrator pictured above is the one I personally own and paid $60 for, but it dropped to as low as $50 on Amazon a few months back. I’ll definitely report a price drop like that again!
Pictured above: Nesco 600-Watt Food Dehydrator is currently $59.88 shipped on Amazon. It’s been at this price for quite some time and I definitely feel it’s worth that cost. It’s a real workhorse! I do store it out in my garage as it’s a bit on the bulky side. It’s also one of those items you could consider buying jointly with a friend or your mom and share as it doesn’t tend to get used every day.
#6 – Boiling Water Canner
How I use it: to can high-acid foods such as jam, fruit, and tomatoes. (Note: you CANNOT use this to can up low-acid foods safely such as meat and vegetables - for that you’d definitely need a pressure canner.)
How often I use it: probably 10-12 times in the last year since I’ve had it, particularly around late summer and early fall when many items are harvested. Given the infrequent use and size of this beast, I also keep it stored out in my garage (next to the dehydrator!).
Tips for scoring a deal: I think the canner pictured above currently IS a deal for $19.95 on Amazon. It’s also the one I own! You can also read my post on How to Save on Canning Supplies and Jars for more targeted advice. If you’re new to canning, I also encourage you to read my post on How to Learn to Can Safely. Starting with boiling water canning is less intimidating and less expensive than pressure canning, in my humble opinino.
Pictured above: Granite Ware 0707-1 21-1/2-Quart Steel/Porcelain Water-Bath Canner with Rack for $19.97 + free shipping with Prime on Amazon.
#7 – Ice Cream Maker
How I use it: to make homemade ice cream. You can also make dairy-free ice cream or sorbet, but I’ve not tried this yet.
How often I use it: I’ve only used it twice to date, but plan on using it more in the near future. If you follow a dairy-free diet and love ice cream, you should consider buying one of these puppies given the high price of store-bought dairy-free ice cream!
Tips for scoring a deal: watch for end of summer clearance or holiday clearance at department stores, particularly JC Penney.
Pictured above: Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker, White is currently $53.99 shipped on Amazon. This is the one I own and it’s easy to use and clean up. I recommend it.
#8 – Coffee Bean Grinder
How I use it: to grind coffee beans (duh), but I also use mine to grind nuts, make breadcrumbs, or grind whole spices. While sometimes the manufacturers warn you this dulls the blade, I am happy to take the risk of just replacing the thing out every couple years so I can grind small amounts of whole foods quickly.
How often I use it: maybe once a month or more.
Tips for scoring a deal: watch department stores around the holidays. I’d also check out a store like Grocery Outlet. They usually carry stuff like this on their kitchen aisle and I bet you could snag one there for about $8-10.
Pictured above: Mr. Coffee IDS57-4 Coffee Grinder, Black for $17.99
#9 – Kitchenaid Mixer
How I use it: for baked goods, primarily – such as my banana bread recipe, chocolate chip cookies, or any batter that’s really “heavy” to mix by hand. There’s no way I could’ve hand mixed this fruitcake recipe, for instance, without a major hand/arm cramp! I also love to use it to make my own whipped cream for desserts using heavy cream + vanilla + powdered sugar.
How often I use it: probably once or twice a month, more during holiday baking season.
Tips for scoring a deal: Kitchenaid Mixers are a HOT item come holiday shopping season. Consider following my blog more closely during this time if you’re looking for a deal. I reported several last year, with the most notable deals happening at Kohl’s. Kitchenaid seems to put out rebate around that time and Kohl’s was offering coupons and cash back offers that resulted in some crazy low discounts on Kitchenaid Mixers. I’ve also spotted strong deals on Amazon and Groupon Goods.
Pictured above: KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus Tilt-Head 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White is currently selling for $249.99 + $10 shipping on Amazon.
Gadgets I don’t own, but maybe I’d like sometime in the future (and I’d LOVE your thoughts on if you think they are helpful or not!):
Bread Machine
Rice Cooker
Food Processor
Food Saver
What would you say are your essential kitchen appliances – the ones you couldn’t live without? And how do you like to use them?