Kitchen Appliances

Choosing countertop appliances

Worktop space is the real constraint in most kitchens. The appliances worth buying are the ones that get used weekly; everything else becomes cupboard archaeology.

Air fryers: capacity is the decision

Cooking performance between brands is closer than the marketing suggests. Size is what you actually live with. Under about 4 litres suits one or two people; 5 to 7 litres covers a family meal; dual-basket models let two things cook at different temperatures and finish together, which is the feature people who own one say they use most.

Stand mixers are bought on the attachments

The motor and bowl matter less than what the machine can become. A mixer that takes a pasta roller, mincer or spiralizer replaces several other gadgets. If you bake occasionally rather than weekly, a hand mixer does the job for a fraction of the price and the worktop.

Blenders divide by what you are making

• Smoothies and shakes — a personal blender that blends straight into the cup you drink from removes the washing-up that stops people using it.
• Soups and nut butters — you need real motor power; underpowered jugs stall and overheat on thick mixtures.
• Chopping and pastry — that is a food processor, not a blender. They are genuinely different tools.

Coffee machines: be honest about the routine

Bean-to-cup makes better coffee and needs regular cleaning and descaling. Pod machines make adequate coffee with almost no effort. The best machine is the one matching how much faff you will tolerate before work, not the one that scores highest.

Check the plug and the wattage

Several high-powered appliances on one kitchen circuit will trip it. If the kettle, air fryer and toaster share a socket bank, be aware of what runs at the same time.