Whether you have just moved into your first apartment or are a culinary veteran, your kitchen is destined to be at the hub of your daily activities. Even if you plan to make many of your meals from prepared ingredients, there are several essential appliances that will make cooking both easy and fun. Think of them as an investment in your gastronomical future.

FOOD PROCESSOR

It’s tempting to think that the space taken up by even a 3-cup unit could be better used for other things, but trust us when we say that you won’t regret making this purchase. Having one of these gadgets close at hand will enable you to accomplish numerous tasks much more quickly. These include pureeing soups, making pesto as well as the pasta you can serve with it, grinding nuts, whipping up nut butter and making bread crumbs.

BLENDER

Several different appliances fall into this category. What you should purchase depends on what you plan to make. That being said, you can’t go wrong if you have the money and space for a high-end countertop model, which can accomplish a wide array of tasks. With it you can make everything from hot soups to ice-cream and smoothies as well as various types of doughs and butters. If that’s more than you want to tackle right now, an inexpensive immersion blender can be invaluable in making creamy soups and sauces.

ELECTRIC MIXER

As with blenders, you have several options with these appliances, from low-cost hand mixers to a full-scale stand model. If baking is your forte, the latter is probably a good investment since it can save you from hours of manual stirring and beating. A smaller type is fine for the occasional mashed potato side dish or for home-made whipped cream.

PRESSURE COOKER

Yesterday’s pressure cookers were intimidating, hissing monstrosities that caused many a kitchen accident. However, the modern versions come equipped with locking mechanisms that remained sealed until all of the pressure has been released. Several models also multi-task by combining pressure cooking with slow cooking, yogurt-making and more. In these relatively inexpensive and incredibly versatile countertop cookers, you can effortlessly concoct instant pot potato soup, clean your pot and easily make a pressure cooker cheesecake for dessert.

ELECTRIC KETTLE

Are you having difficult justifying the need for this essential appliance because you can boil water on the stove? Once you adorn your countertop with this immensely utilitarian appliance, you’ll never ask that question again. Particularly if you’re an avid coffee or tea drinker, you will love the speed and efficiency of a kettle as well as the ease of pouring steaming liquid into your cup.

Let’s face it, kitchen gadgets are hard to resist. The ones we have deemed the most essential not only help you accomplish a wide variety of tasks but are also great investments that are a lot of fun. Once you make them a part of your cooking space, you will wonder how you ever lived without them.

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