Whether you are just moving into your first home or are looking to update your kitchen by adding all the small appliances you should have, there always seems to be some sort of question as to just what is needed and what you can do without. Since some things can be used for more than one thing, some appliances you may not need at all. Here is a list of some of the appliances you just can’t do without.

Food Processor

There is almost nothing you can’t do with the right food processor. From chopping vegetables to slicing and shredding cheeses, a food processor is a must have, must use item. Since there are so many on the market, you might want to read a few food processor reviews before deciding on which to buy. Just make sure the one you choose has a powerful enough motor so that there is nothing it can’t chop, grate or blend.

Toaster Oven

All well-stocked kitchens have a toaster over. They can be used, of course, to make several slices of toast at once or they can be used to bake small portions so you don’t need to heat up that big oven, wasting so much electric. For economy’s sake, every kitchen should have a toaster oven!

Coffee Maker / Espresso Machine

What well-stocked kitchen doesn’t have at least a coffee maker? However, if you can get one that doubles as an espresso machine, that’s so much better. You may not drink espresso or cappuccino but your guests will often partake in this extremely delightful beverage. What a treat on a cold winter day – cappuccino and an almond biscotti! I personally love my Krups Savoy coffee maker and Keurig machine. I love the ability to make a killer chai latte at home with my Keurig.

Stand Mixers

So many recipes call for a mixer but the benefits of having a stand mixer, like a Kitchen Aid that has a number of optional accessories that do everything from grinding meats to kneading breads, are many. Who needs a bread machine to knead bread when you have a big stand mixer from a company like Kitchen Aid?

Crock Pot / Slow Cooker

The busy family always seems to eat out more days throughout the week than they eat at home because there never seems to be enough time to cook dinner after work and school and still get to bed on time to get up early the next morning. A slow cooker solves that problem nicely. Simply add the ingredients in the recipe in the morning and set it on slow cook. Upon arrival home in the evening you can simply sit down to a nice warm meal. Personally, I think the Instant Pot is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I use mine ALL the time and it’s just fantastic! Wait for Amazon Prime Black Friday sales to snag one for under $100.

Wine Coolers

Anyone who loves a nice cold glass of wine with dinner will really appreciate a countertop wine cooler. There are a couple of reasons why you should not store your wine in the refrigerator. First of all, wine is best kept lying on its side and not straight up. Have you ever seen a wine cellar and how they store wines? They are always lying down. Also, fine wines are not kept as cold as the temperature in your refrigerator so a wine cooler can be set to the appropriate temperature assuring your wine keeps just as it should and ages perfectly at the same time.

Some people add blenders to the list of  because of the frozen and cream drinks they love during warm summer months but if you don’t often cream drinks, the food processor might do the trick. Or if all else fails, get a little hand blender for occasional use. Once you have all the above kitchen appliances you will be assured you truly do have a well-stocked kitchen.

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