10 Countertop Appliances I Can’t Live Without (and Why You Might Not Want To Either)
Recommendations from someone who loves to cook—but also loves convenience. Oh, and I've written a few cookbooks.
It’s true—small appliances take up space. But the right ones make preparing delicious, nutrient-rich, plant-based meals easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Some are absolutely worth the footprint—and I’ve included a few bonus “nice-to-haves” that, while not essential, are pretty great to have around.
1. Air Fryer (Ninja)
An air fryer is essentially a compact convection oven, circulating hot air up, down, and all around to cook food evenly and quickly. I use mine almost every day and absolutely love it.
Top choice
Ninja Air Fryer (5.5 quart) – If you have the space, go for this “family size” air fryer. I have the 4-quart size and wish I had the larger one.
2. Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
This was a total game-changer in our kitchen. No exaggeration. Beans (no soaking required!) are ready in 30 minutes and taste better than anything from a can or even after hours on the stove.
Top choice
Instant Pot (8 quarts)
3. Blender (Vitamix)
I use this blender to make my daily protein smoothies, shakes, and “nice cream.”
Top choice
Vitamix 5200. Nothing beats this blender, its tamper, and its 5-year warranty.
4. Food Processor (Kitchen Aid)
Not a day goes by that I don’t use it to quickly chop onions, carrots, and garlic; to purée soups; to make peanut butter; to make hummus…and so much more!
Top choice
Kitchen Aid 11-cup
5. Soy Milk Maker (Joyoung)
While you can certainly make soy milk without a machine, it’s INFINITELY easier to do so with a soy milk maker.
Top choice
Joyoung Soy Milk Maker.
6. Countertop Convection / Toaster Oven (Breville)
I don’t like using my large wall oven unless I have to; it uses a ton of electricity, and the fan is loud. So, I use our countertop convection oven for everything from baking Japanese sweet potatoes and drop biscuits to toasting ciabatta!
Top choice
Breville
7. Popcorn Air Popper (Presto)
The air popper I use several times a week is so old that I can’t find it available anymore, but this one has the same features I love about mine!
Top choice
Presto Air Popper
8. Electric Stand Mixer (Kitchen Aid)
A stand mixer is essentially the same as a hand mixer but with more powerful motors than their hand-held counterparts. I’ve had my machine for at least 20 years and use it frequently for kneading bread dough, whipping up aquafaba for “egg whites,” and for making quick, large batches of cookie dough.
Top choice
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
9. Juicer (Nama)
My favorite juicer — by far — is by Nama, particularly the J2. It’s super easy to clean, extracts more juice than any juicer I’ve ever had, and is portable enough for me to take on road trips.
Top Choice
Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer — use this link and enter COLLEEN10 for 10% off!
10. Electric Kettle (Breville)
This is one of those small appliances you don’t think is necessary until you have one, and then you realize you use it all the time! It’s more energy-efficient than boiling water on the stove, and 10 times faster.
Top choice
Breville Variable-Temperature Kettle
Nice-to-Have Appliances But Not Essential(ish)
I’m walking the line between “appliances” and “tools” here, but I make the rules, so it’s okay if I break them.
Krups Coffee Grinder (for grinding flax seeds): I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my life, but I use this handy-dandy gadget on a regular basis for grinding up those small, nutritious flax seeds.
Breville Panini Press: Wonderful for making hot panini and even pancakes.
Kitchen Electric Handheld Mixer: Super convenient for quick batters.
Kitchen Aid Immersion / Stick Blender: This is great for when you want to puree a pot of soup (or a portion of the soup) and don’t want to pull out your entire blender or food processor.
Cuisinart Waffle Maker with Pancakes Plates: This one almost made my essential appliances list! So easy to use, makes flawless waffles, and even comes with interchangeable plates for pancakes!
(Disclosure: If you purchase any of these products through the affiliate links provided, I make a small commission, so thank you for using the links. It helps support my work.
So, that’s it! Agree? Disagree? Have questions?
Our Breville is an air fryer, toaster oven, dehydrator... We never use the oven and couldn't live without this. I can bake a full loaf of sourdough or bagels in it!
Do you use fresh or frozen soybeans to make the soy milk?