On the counter we have toaster oven (used weekly or so, rarely use full size oven), rice cooker (used multiple times/week and instant pot (used multiple times/month). Built into wall is microwave oven used multiple times/day. Oh yes, H has a coffee maker that he uses multiple times/week. We also have a stand mixer that S had been using when staying with us that my in-laws had gotten as wedding gift 80 years ago.
In cupboard we have a ice cream maker, blender, immersion blender, 10 cup rice pot. I think that’s it.
I love to cook. At home I like having my appliances out and I generally use them. Microwave, toaster every day. Food processor at least once a week. Kitchen-Aid mixer once a month or so. Waffle iron every weekend. (It lives in a drawer.) The hot pot is out currently, but I have yet to find anything I think it cooks better or faster than my stove. What else is there? Electric knife sharpener and a simple juicer they get used often too.
The only small appliances that take up our counter space are an electric kettle, used daily; a toaster oven, used daily; a soda stream that has been used daily in the past, but not so much lately; a big ol’ Kitchenaid that I do use some, but not with great regularity, but it’s too big to go anywhere else; and DH just bought a new induction hot plate I guess you’d call it for roasting tea. That might go in a drawer soon.
Other small appliances that I have and use with some regularity are the Cuisinart and the crock pot and immersion blender, but they live in the drawers/cupboards.
Don’t have an Insta-pot or a rice cooker. We do eat a fair amount of rice, but I grew up with it cooked on the stovetop and it tastes fine to me that way so that’s what I do. Don’t feel the need for an Insta-Pot.
Our microwave is mounted over our stove so it doesn’t take up counter space. Use it daily.
We do have a waffle maker, but rarely use it. DH bought it for super cheap when a high end store was closing here.
LOL - for us, microwave is not really thought of as a small appliance. It’s a built-in over the stove, a workhorse of our kitchen used frequently during the day. Many of our friends say they hardly use their microwave at mealtime, but we use it (and the gas grill) frequently during meal prep.
I can’t imagine hand grating zucchini. Since this “Handy Slice/Shred” device is so compact, I will likely keep it even if we downsize.
Our microwave gets used several times per day for anything from making tea to cooking veggies for dinner or reheating leftovers.
The toaster gets used a few times per week - mainly by H who likes sandwich bread toasted.
That’s it for today so far and for regular use.
Later today I’m making zucchini bread so our food processor will come out to shred the zucchini. We have pecans from FIL’s tree to use instead of walnuts, but will be cracking those by hand. If we have walnuts from the store those go through the food processor too.
No one in our family drinks coffee. We don’t even own a machine. Anyone who visits has either used instant or runs out to a local convenience store to get some if they need it.
I don’t like anything too complicated, not if I can make do with something easier. So far I like my blender, my electric kettle, and simple egg beater. My husband uses his coffee, tea machines and of course the toaster. Another frequent thing that I use is my crockpot, something I got from work as a Christmas, still use it after nearly 20+ years.
So far I have a food processor, a juicer, kitchen aid, small rice cooker, not use frequently. Too much washing up for my husband.
This week I just bought an air fryer, try to eat healthy plus save money on oil. I also use the microwave to bake potato regularly, much healthier way of cooking.
Another way we are alike! H and I don’t drink it. The kids do, but since our nest is empty now, no coffee devices are left here.
I did leave out that we have a hot air popcorn popper that gets a lot of use. H loves some popcorn and it is so much better for you this way than the microwave stuff with all those chemicals and added flavors. It’s just plain popcorn. He puts a little olive oil and salt and nutritional yeast on it. He also has a hard boiled egg maker appliance. I don’t use it much, but he eats a hardboiled egg almost every day. It really kind of steams them. We also have a blender on the counter, but don’t use it too much. Kids used to use it to make smoothies. I can’t be bothered too much and I’m more likely to use the immersion blender for cooking.
I’ve had a Salad Shooter for at least 30+ years and just bought a new one. Can’t live without it to grate cheese. I had a hand crank type but it finally broke and new ones don’t have the medium size grate (all I can find are ones with the tiny grate holes).
My cheapo rice cooker makes it “set and forget”. I hated making rice on the stove. Always had to watch it and stir it and get to it before it burned to the bottom of the pot. Best 10 bucks. Great for one pot meals like jambalaya and black beans and rice.
The immersion blender replaces the blender and food processor for many uses. And so much less to clean.
Love my instapot but still need to learn more. The more used to it I get the better it is. But it’s a keeper.
Ii have a breadmaker that I bought for 3 bucks brand new in the box at a garage sale. It is great! I’d be making bread daily but I’d just eat it…
I have heard of other people burning rice on the stove, too. Not sure how that happens. As a public service to those who don’t have rice cookers and struggle with making rice on the stove here’s how my mama taught me. Nothing could be simpler. No watching or stirring necessary (unless you’re making risotto, but that’s a whole different thing.)
(Asian and Indian folks avert your eyes. This is how we make rice in the South.)
Measure your rice. Put it in the pot. Add twice as much water. Add a dash of salt if desired. Turn the burner on high. Wait until the rice and water come to a full rolling boil (you can’t stir it down and make the bubbles go away). Turn the burner down to low. Put the lid on the pot. For the first minute or two that it is on low you may have to leave a crack for the steam to escape or come back once or twice and lift the lid if it threatens to boil over. Once it is down to a simmer with no more danger of boiling over, put the lid on tight and forget about it. Do not stir. Do not lift the lid. It should not burn if it is on low. It should be done in 20 minutes, but you can come back in 30 or 40 if you’re doing something else. Might possibly stick to the bottom of the pan, but no burning unless your stove is super hot.
Been making rice this way for at least 40 years and haven’t burned any yet. Works for brown rice too, but it takes at least 40-45 minutes, usually a bit longer.
My roommate in college taught me how to make rice in the stove, I had no idea how to make it. But my daughter insisted I buy another small rice cooker, so I bought it, really to please her. But I rarely make rice or eat rice. Too much work.
Thanks to this thread I’m getting rid of my juicer and my 30+ plus food processor that I received from my wedding, but I never used it, too complicated, somebody has to read the instructions.
I use my espresso machine every.single.day. Husband uses the $10 coffee pot I got on great sale at Macy’s, after the Krups from 1987 finally died.
We use our blender for drinks, so mostly in the summer, maybe once a week. (Often it gets put under the counter).
Our toaster/convection oven gets used a couple of times a week.
The can opener sits on the counter, but doesn’t get used much.
Kitchen Aid sits on the counter, pushed way back into a corner, but doesn’t get used much either.
Crock pot lived in the attic for about 15 years, but finally pulled it out and make soup in the winter.
I try hard NOT to buy new appliances, even the insta-pot.
I like it that our rice steamer doubles as a veggie steamer. (Tis a clear plastic design). My foolproof rice recipe: Fill base reservoir to highest line. Into bowl add 1c rice (any kind) and a-cup-and-a-quarter water (I like the rhyme). Cover. Turn timer to 60 minutes and walk away. Oh… last step is usually to tell hubby estimated completion time, since typically he is in charge of the companion entree at the grill. The convenience factor not as much needed now that I’m retired and not popping into the kitchen for only a moment toward end of work-from-home day, but I still like it.
My rice–do whatever proportions it says on the box/bag for rice and water. Add whatever extra you want. Flip it to “cook”. Wait til it flips to “warm” (about 30 min). Serve.
Interestingly it seems the most expensive “fancy” rice cookers take twice as long to cook the “perfect” rice which would actually make it deal breaker for me just on a time basis. I wouldn’t make rice in the instant pot for the same reason.
I still miss my crockpot. (The base went wonky. I still do have it and the set of 2/4/6 qt crocks in basement… but the blinky light scenario per manufacturer reply means I should not use it. “This is Us” fans would concur. )
We do have a 6qt instantpot, which we mostly use for steel cut oats. Sometimes we use it for entrees, but never did warm to it.
At Thanksgiving we will have our DIL who is GF - I’d love to make my traditional crockpot Indian Pudding, which can cook away from the other excitement. An elderly friend gave me a 7qt crockpot which I don’’t totally trust, but it’s way to big for this (and other uses).
