Here are some of our top picks for small kitchen appliances that are huge time-savers and must-haves! That’s because they won’t just take up valuable counter or cabinet space – you’ll actually get a TON of use out of them!

Here’s a great idea before we even get started!  In our last blog, we talked about using glass food storage containers instead of plastic. Now might be a good time to do just that!

3 Kitchen Must-Haves:

Rice Cooker: A rice cooker to make rice and other grains (like quinoa) is one of the BEST tools for your delicious meals!  Every batch comes out great and you don’t have to watch the stove to make sure your rice isn’t gummy or overcooked. Cooking quinoa in it is amazing. Rice cookers are relatively inexpensive so they are definitely a must-have!

Slow Cooker: Chances are, you already have one of these kicking around, but if you don’t, definitely consider picking one up. If you meal prep, it will help you multitask big-time. You can even roast a chicken in a slow cooker while you’re using your stove/oven for other things!

Note: consider what you’ll be cooking before you buy a slow cooker, as they come in a variety of sizes. If you plan on roasting chickens or cooking in bulk/for a crowd, get a bigger cooker. Likewise, if you hate leftovers and mostly will be cooking for one or two, buy a smaller version.

Instant Pot: Right now, these updated pressure cookers are all the rage! If the idea of reducing the length of time it takes to cook meals like pot roast, stews or other dishes that take hours to cook, you might consider buying one of these. They come with dozens of options, and some even make yogurt.

These are NOT to be used by unattended kids, because the appliances cook at high pressure. Even though safety measures are built into the devices, you still need to pay attention!  Hint: It pays to read the instructions. 🙂

Buying tip: think about how you will want to use your Instant Pot and choose the option that best suits your preferences. You might want a model where you can experiment with different kinds of yogurt.