Moving into a new home can be a daunting process and it can take a moment to figure out what you have and what you need. Some people focus on cool kitchen gadgets that won’t get much use, such as electric can openers and an egg maker. But, a manual can opener works fine and you can cook eggs in a pan of boiling water. In this article, we will look at five small kitchen appliances that will improve your daily life.

1.  Immersion Blender

This is a smaller handheld blender that you can easily move around the home or outdoors if you wish. It has a long handle with a sharp blade at the business end which is partially covered for your protection. The blade can be removed for cleaning and the partial cover will prevent most food splatters. When you’re cooking veggies or broth on the stove, you simply put the immersion blender in the pan and puree it to make the perfect soup. This is a great small appliance to create your favorite sauces too.

2.  Coffee Grinder

If you don’t drink coffee, you can skip this small appliance, but for many of us, it would be hard to start the day without our morning joe. Buying whole coffee beans and grinding them at home is a great way to extract the most flavor and aroma from your coffee. A fresh grind each morning will ensure that you never drink instant coffee again. Even a higher end coffee grinder is affordable and reliable which makes the purchase a no brainer.

3.  A Slow Cooker

The technology used in the crock-pot and other types of slow cookers has improved significantly in recent years. Many people were reluctant to use these devices, but if you start using one you will wonder how you ever managed without it.  The recipes require a little advance prep and they can be a little complex. But, once you have the slow cooker set up, you can turn it on and leave it as you go about your day. When you return, the meal will be warm and ready to eat after a brief heating stage. These appliances use very little power and the slow cooking process retains the health and taste of the food.

4.  Hand Chopper

Let’s face it, most of us lack the impressive knife skills that chefs use on our favorite cooking shows. Practice and a sharp knife help, but in the meantime how can you get the fine chops that you need for your veggies? This is a job for a hand chopper that can finely chop onions and mince garlic rapidly. When vegetables such as carrots and onions are chopped in a uniform way, they are easier to use in a recipe and the cooking times are shortened. There are many hand choppers on the market and they vary a great deal in quality, so it’s important to carry out some research and read reviews.

5.  Food Processor

Many modern food processors are truly multifunctional machines that can double as bread makers and perform a wide variety of tasks. If you want to make your own doughs, sauces, dressings, and chop nuts, you cannot go wrong with this appliance. The best thing about a good model is that it’s modular in nature and you don’t need to learn every function at once. If you get a good model, it will usually arrive with a recipe book and some tips and tricks to get started.

If you’re thinking about setting up a new kitchen, you can explore the options with our online collection of small and large kitchen appliances or speak with a home appliance expert for a specialized service.