Best Small Appliances

After testing 76 countertop appliances, we pick our favorites in nine categories, from blenders to espresso makers.

Obsessiveness can sometimes come in handy. We called 36 companies and asked them to send us their best small appliances in nine categories. Then we spent over 100 hours on tests—toasting 108 slices of bread, whizzing together three quarts of hummus and whipping 21 egg whites.

We judged the appliances on their performance, design and ease of use to select a first-place winner, runner-up and honorable mentions in each category—and among them were a surprising number of value buys.

The Winners

Published March 2008