5 Small Kitchen Appliances That Are Essential to Every Kitchen
Year after year, the GH Kitchen Appliances & Technology Lab cooks, chops, bakes and broils with nearly every new kitchen gadget and tool on the market. Here are our experts’ ultimate time- and space-savers and genius go-tos — plus, our top-tested picks and new recipes!
Use a do-it-all multicooker to cook many types of food — from stew to pasta — in one easy-to-clean pot. You can even walk away from it!
Why it's life-changing: No cooking tool is as versatile or foolproof as a multicooker. It can brown food, pressure-cook, steam, slow-cook, make rice, ferment yogurt, hard-boil eggs — and cook up creamy desserts. Best of all, you don’t have to keep a close eye on it when it’s on. In some cases, it can keep food warm for days. It lets you whiz through meals that take longer on the stove, and cleanup is a breeze
How it works: Select your desired cooking setting, place food and liquid inside as suggested by the recipe, then press Start. It’s that easy!
GH Lab Tip: When pressure-cooking without a recipe, use at least 1/2 cup of water or broth. Always make sure the steam valve is sealed so pressure can build and cook food quickly. Don’t forget to factor in preheating time if your recipe doesn’t include it. Use Sauté first for more flavorful meat and veggies.
Best of the Test
There’s not much its larger, bulkier, often more expensive sibling the countertop blender can do that a handheld workhorse immersion blender can’t.
Why it's life-changing: Imagine the convenience of pulling a thin, portable stick from a drawer instead of digging in the back of a cupboard each time you need to puree something — not to mention how much easier it is to clean, as there’s no extra jar to deal with. Plus, this small but mighty tool can blend almost anything, from silky soups to green smoothies. It usually comes with chopper and whisk attachments, reducing the need for other appliances and an unnecessary arm workout. The one thing it’s not good at is making large batches of icy cocktails, but personal-size ones are no problem.
How it works: Immersion blenders are designed to be placed directly in a pot, bowl or sturdy measuring cup. Submerge the entire head in food to help prevent splattering, and increase blending speed slowly.
GH Lab Tip: Use gentle up-and-down motions for even results. Cut raw items into 1-in. pieces and stack with the hardest on the bottom and the softest close to the blade, and add some liquid.
Best of the Test
Skip the conventional oven! A countertop toaster oven is more efficient and won’t heat up your whole kitchen.
Why it's life-changing: A toaster oven heats faster than a large one and often cooks more quickly, thanks to convection and a smaller cavity. It can replace your toaster, your microwave and even your air fryer! Use it to heat frozen items fast, reheat leftovers, bake, roast veggies and crisp up a whole chicken in less than an hour. It can serve as a second oven for parties —and it’s the best option for one- and two-person meals.
How it works: Select your desired setting, temperature and time and adjust the rack position accordingly. Its programs control the heaters and fan speeds to deliver optimal results.
GH Lab Tip: Use the top rack to broil and air-fry, the middle to bake and toast and the bottom to roast.
Best of the Test
Whip up a little bit of summer on your counter year-round with an indoor grill. You’ll find that it serves up endless meal ideas for meat and veggies, sensational sandwiches, and more.
Why it's life-changing: It’s hard to control the temperature on grills and grill pans, but this game changer makes it easy and usually maxes out at around 450°F — that means fewer smoke alarms. It can be used for every type of protein and all types of breakfast foods, or even for toasting bread if you’ve had enough of your toaster. Our expert’s favorite surprising use is for grilling vegetables like green beans and mini bell peppers. Who says they have to be season-specific?
How it works: Choose from a range of temps to warm, cook or sear food using the grill or griddle plates (many come with both).
GH Lab Tip: Preheat in the closed position for quicker results. Choose the grill side for char marks and greasy foods and the griddle for liquidy items like eggs and pancakes. Use it closed for the fastest, leanest results and open for juicier bites and more surface area.
Best of the Test
Quicker and more precise than a stovetop kettle, an electric kettle makes fresher-tasting water than boiling in your microwave and is safe to handle.
Why it's life-changing: An electric kettle is always at the ready to work fast. Use it for everything from tea and French press coffee to baby formula. Fill pots for pasta with already-boiling water for quicker results, or add hot liquid to in-progress meals (like braises and soups that have reduced too much) without lengthening the cooking time. It facilitates great instant meals or sides for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert!
How it works: Fill with fresh water and press the Start button to activate. Some have specific temperatures for different types of tea or coffee. Most also keep water warm for a certain amount of time and can be used for refills.
GH Lab Tip: Descale it each season to remove mineral buildup with a mix of water and white vinegar.
Best of the Test
Recipes to Try With Your New Gadgets
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