While you may have your larger appliances, such as your refrigerator, stove and dishwasher in order, it may be time to consider the value of smaller, high-end appliances that you and your family use on a daily basis. This is especially true if you’re coming out of a kitchen remodel, or a much-needed refresh.
Here are five small appliances for you to consider, and why they’d make a worthy addition to your kitchen.
Wine Coolers
A wine cooler, or cellar, is a must-have for any wine aficionado, especially if you tend to host fellow wine-lovers at your home. Designed for storing and serving wine at ideal temperatures, wine coolers aren’t just for restauranteurs or collectors. Consumer wine coolers boast many benefits, including:
- Allowing you to serve your wine at its ideal temperature, preserving its taste, aroma and texture. Additionally, these coolers can be made to store other alcoholic beverages, meeting the preferences of your family and guests.
- While their intended use is for wine and alcoholic beverages, wine coolers can also be used as a handy back-up storage for food products. As a bonus, because wine coolers are usually more humid than regular refrigerators, they can be great storage options for certain cheeses or olive oil.
Toasters & Toaster Ovens
Toasters and toaster ovens are key appliances in any kitchen and play an integral role in reheating leftovers and helping you and your family deal with the morning breakfast rush. Toasters, of course, are ideal for quickly and efficiently toasting different types of bread. Toaster ovens, however, come with their own set of benefits.
- The term “toaster oven” is misleading, as many modern models of these mini ovens can do a lot more than toast bread. Between cooking pizza, a whole chicken, broiling meat, and baking sweets, there’s no shortage of what a toaster oven can do.
- Smaller than a traditional oven, toaster ovens are great alternatives if you find yourself tight on space, or in need of an additional oven.
- Toaster ovens often preheat faster and use 1,200-1,800 Watts of energy, which is about half of what a conventional oven consumes.
- They’re also exceptionally easy to clean and maintain thanks to their smaller size.
Coffee Makers & Systems
Perhaps the most important appliance in your modern kitchens, investing in a high-quality coffee system is paramount to ensuring you and your family brew a great cup every morning. Your own coffee preferences and those of your family will largely determine what kind of system in which you choose to invest, but regardless, there are many benefits of including a coffee system in your kitchen that transcend different models.
- Making your coffee at home makes economic sense and can be tailored to your preferences. It’s also a great sustainable option, especially if you opt for reusable mugs and tumblers.
- These systems are especially handy if you host events and get-togethers at your home. Many systems have large capacities, allowing you to meet the needs of your guests.
- High-end, built-in coffee systems allow you to integrate luxurious design directly into your kitchen by creating a streamlined look that reduces countertop clutter. They’re also user-friendly and simple to use, brewing gourmet coffee at your convenience.
Wall Ovens
For when your stove just won’t do, installing a wall oven is key for both family dinners and functions, making your cooking and reheating life easier than ever. Consider the following benefits to determine if a wall oven is suited for your kitchen.
- While the cooking capacity of a wall oven is virtually the same as a 36-inch range that comes with a built-in oven, wall ovens trump in the double oven category. A double wall oven comes with two full-sized ovens, giving you a lot more cooking space. This can be especially useful when hosting guests, or if you and your family rely heavily on ovens for most of your daily cooking.
- Undoubtedly, wall ovens are more convenient to access than standard range ovens. Typically mounted at eye-level, wall ovens don’t require any bending, kneeling or crouching to retrieve food, which can be especially useful when transporting hot dishes. As such, wall ovens are a great option for cooks of all ages!
Microwaves
Perhaps the most convenient of all the small appliances, most households rely heavily on a microwave, making it important that you invest in a high-quality one that will last. Microwaves have become ubiquitous in modern kitchens, and it’s not surprising given their many benefits.
- Chief among the benefits of using a microwave is the convenience. There simply isn’t any other appliance that allows you to heat or cook food at the press of a button and in a matter of minutes. This can be especially useful for reheating leftovers or cooking a meal when you’re pressed for time.
- Microwaves are also great for ensuring you don’t burn your food. For cooks in your household of any age or experience, incessant watching of the food to ensure it’s not over- or under-cooked isn’t necessary, as a microwave will allow you to set the time and temperature and do it’s thing.
- If sustainability and energy efficiency are important to your household, microwaves are a great option as they consume much less energy than gas burners and conventional ovens.
While the list of small appliances will vary by household, it’s important that you sit down and assess your family’s needs and create a list for yourself of must-haves and nice-to-haves. This will inform your purchasing decision and ensure you invest in the appliances you’ll use the most. When shopping for these appliances, the sales experts at Appliance Canada will help educate and guide you on the fit and finish of each appliance, and how they will meet your needs and wants.