What to Buy Appliances Small Appliances The 13 Best Small Appliances, According to Our Testing These are our favorite small kitchen workhorses that have consistently outperformed their competitors. By Nick DeSimone Updated on April 20, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Food & Wine/Maria Ridgway Small appliances come in many forms and offer even more functions — they can bake, roast, blend, chop, and boil, to name a few. The most useful small appliances are usually multitaskers or appliances that make some part of your kitchen routine run smoother, are easy to store, and are generally less expensive. If you’re looking to replace a few essentials or fit your space for the first time, take a look at our list of small but mighty must-haves. We’ve dedicated countless hours in our testing lab testing the very best small appliances on the market, and these are some of our favorites. Our Top Picks Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon Jump to Review Ninja Air Fry Countertop Oven at Amazon Jump to Review Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer at Amazon Jump to Review NutriBullet 600W Personal Blender at Amazon Jump to Review Breville The Barista Express Espresso Machine at Amazon Jump to Review Panasonic Oven with Cyclonic Wave Inverter Technology at Amazon Jump to Review Cuisinart Food Processor at Amazon Jump to Review Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch 4-Slice Toaster at Amazon Jump to Review Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Rice Cooker at Amazon Jump to Review Zwilling Enfinigy Electric Kettle Pro at Amazon Jump to Review Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer 4.7 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Best Buy Pros User-friendly and produced tasty results again and again during our rigorous testing. Cons May not be suited for a large family that requires more cooking capacity. Air fryers may be the biggest rage in kitchen appliances, but there’s reason for that. And we think this Instant Pot air fryer is worthy of space in your kitchen. Its basket is an excellent size that prevents overcrowding but is still compact enough not to be overwhelming or cumbersome on your counter or cabinet. During testing, the results were some of the tastiest of all the testing, including coconut shrimp, roasted potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. Plus, its nonstick coating makes cleanup easy. Price at the time of publish: $160 Food and Wine / Russell Kilgore Ninja Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Target Pros This oven hits all the marks on power and extra features, especially for its compact design. Cons The start/stop button juts out when the oven is flipped up, which can be a hazard if accidentally pressed. If you don’t want a separate air fryer from your toaster, we recommend an air fryer toaster oven. And if you’ve ever been prepping on the counter and wished you could just flip your appliances up against the wall to give yourself more space, this Ninja air fryer toaster oven is your dream come true. Not only does it do double duty with both air frying and toaster oven capabilities, but it folds flat when not in use. For such a compact model, we were pleasantly surprised at how powerful it is — it has a workhorse heating element that excels at browning and broiling. You can even bake perfectly golden brown cookies or dehydrate in it. Price at the time of publish: $200 Food & Wine / Will Dickey Nesco VS-12 Deluxe Vacuum Sealer 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Wayfair Pros Beginner-friendly and incredibly versatile, it performs well even when handling the most delicate of foods. Cons Too much liquid in the bag can make moist sealing difficult. Sleek and compact, a vacuum sealer is one small appliance that offers big reward. Use it to preserve an ingredient about to go bad or for sous vide cooking. During testing, this model proved to be superior, especially in delicate tests. We found it incredibly easy to use, and we think it’s perfect for a chef of any level. Price at the time of publish: $117 NutriBullet 600W Personal Blender 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Walmart Pros We loved the power this small blender brought and its clever design. Cons This blender only has an on/off setting without any specialized buttons. The Nutribullet is ubiquitous in the personal blender market for a reason: It works — and it works well. In any-sized kitchen, this blender is a lifesaver. It has a surprisingly large carafe, so there is no need to waste space on a full-sized blender. This model can easily handle your extra-large morning smoothie. When testing, we also loved its unique design; the carafe’s lid is the blade that locks right into the base, making storage super easy. We also love how straightforward this blender is. There are no buttons; you just snap in and go. That said, it’s not well-suited for more nuanced tasks where you might want varying power and blend controls. But if you’re looking for a no-frills, reliable blender, this is your model. Price at the time of publish: $58 Food and Wine / Russell Kilgore Breville The Barista Express Espresso Machine 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Walmart Pros This machine has every possible setting and accessory you could want from an espresso machine and is half the space you’d expect. Cons It can be complicated to use and isn’t beginner-friendly. If you want that coffee shop experience at home but don’t have the space for a large, decked-out espresso machine, this is the model for you. When testing, we fell in love with this machine because even though it’s incredibly compact, it includes a quality burr grinder, milk frother, pitcher, filter, and built-in tamper. Plus, it has all the expert settings and controls for filtering, grinding, and cleaning to customize each cup to your specifications. Price at the time of publish: $710 Food and Wine / Russell Kilgore Panasonic Oven with Cyclonic Wave Inverter Technology 4.5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Wayfair Pros This energy-efficient microwave excelled in testing and offered even heating in each test. Cons Its exterior isn’t the most exciting to look at. For a microwave that leaves no soggy middles or over-crisped edges, we turn to this model from Panasonic. The brand’s "Cyclonic Wave Inverter” technology is the key to evenly cooked food: It has an inverter circuit that delivers a constant stream of power at the desired level for the entire cooking time. Inverted wave microwaves, in addition to offering superior cooking, is also more energy-efficient. Not only did it heat evenly, but it also heated food faster than any other microwave we tested. Like most microwaves, it comes with pre-sets, like Popcorn, Quick 30, and Coffee/Milk. Price at the time of publish: $371 Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor 4.9 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Bloomingdales Pros We loved this food processor's powerful motor and pour spout. Cons Interchanging the attachments can be difficult. We love this food processor for so many reasons, with the top being its straightforward design. With just an on/off and pulse setting, there’s little room for error. The sizable bowl holds up to 14 cups, making it a great investment for a variety of creations — dips, batters, sauces, pestos — you name it. It received top marks across the board during testing, never wavering during any of our rigorous tests. Price at the time of publish: $55 Food and Wine / Russell Kilgore Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch 4-Slice Toaster 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Walmart Pros Reliable, high-performing toaster that left bread perfectly toasted during testing. Cons It’s prone to fingerprints, so you will need to wipe it down often. This toaster from Zwilling impressed during testing, evenly toasting bread, waffles, and bagels. We love that its slots are wide enough to accommodate different thickness levels, like a hand-cut piece of sourdough or a bagel slice. During testing, we didn’t notice any signs of patchy toasting like some other ones we tested. This toaster will look sleek on any countertop with its clean lines and no-fuss controls. Price at the time of publish: $215 Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Rice and Grain Cooker 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Pros It produced the best rice in all of our testing, and its several functions are a bonus. Cons Dishwashing may affect the interior pot. For just $30, make the best rice of your life with this editor-loved rice maker. But with eight pre-sets, this is more than just a rice maker. Make your favorite type of grain, or whip up a stew, chili, or soup. Even a cake is possible with this appliance. But when rice is on the menu, a “quick-rice” function will yield fluffy, perfect results. We loved it during testing, and we think it deserves a permanent spot in your kitchen. Price at the time of publish: $30 Zwilling Enfinigy Electric Kettle Pro 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Walmart Pros We loved the thoughtful design and luxurious features of this kettle. Cons This model is pricey compared to similar kettles. When we tested this kettle, we loved the double-walled design that keeps this kettle from feeling too hot on the outside — a great safety feature. It has six temperature settings for precision, plus the added "keep warm" button that ensures you won't have to reboil your water if you lose track of time for, say, 30 minutes. It comes in silver, pink, black, and gold, and we think its sleek exterior will look great in any kitchen setting. Price at the time of publish: $130 Breville Handy Mix Scraper Hand Mixer 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Walmart Pros We loved the built-in scrapers and smart storage solution. Cons The rubber scrapes on the beaters don’t have the same longevity as the metal portion. When we tested the very best hand mixers on the market, this one easily emerged as the top performer. It offers an impressive nine speeds, a convenient digital display, and a built-in timer and light. The best feature of this hand mixer is the built-in rubber scrapers on the beaters; they ensure every last bit of batter and dough gets evenly mixed. It’s perfect for smaller kitchens because the mixer's base sits on a plastic storage case for all the attachments, plus the cord coils and tucked away. During testing, this mixer this model outranked the others for efficiency, functionality, and versatility. We also love its additional accessories: dough hooks, balloon whisks, and a snap-on case to keep things organized. Price at the time of publish: $150 Food & Wine / Ashley Craiger Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender Amazon View On Amazon View On Williams-Sonoma View On Breville.com Pros It’s a powerful, convenient appliance that doesn’t take up loads of cupboard space but offers many use cases. Cons Not the quietest appliance out there. If you don’t have room for a regular-sized blender, an immersion blender may be the answer. These handheld blenders can whip, blend, and emulsify in one convenient appliance. During testing, we liked the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender for its powerful performance and no-mess operation. We found its textured grip easy to handle during testing, and our arms never fatigued. It has a 15-speed dial to choose from, and its shallow head made minimized suction, which prevented food from getting stuck. All in all, this is a convenient, easy-to-use appliance that any kitchen would benefit from. Price at the time of publish: $130 Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Anovaculinary.com View On Sur La Table Pros Easy to use with its onboard controls and suitable for any chef level. Cons It can be loud when in use. Sous vide cooking is an excellent way to ensure just-right temperatures in almost any dish by bringing water to a set temperature and maintaining it. We liked a few different models from Anova when testing Sous vide cookers, but this one stood out to us for a few reasons, including its accuracy, easy setup, and Wi-Fi availability that allows you to connect to an app for recipes and tutorials. We also like that it can attach to a pot with its adjustable clamp for hands-free use. Price at the time of publish: $220 Our Expertise Nick DeSimone is a food writer and culinary professional with nearly ten years of experience in professional kitchens. They have used many different types of small appliances and have owned many of the items on this list. Additionally, Nick included insights from Food & Wine product testing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit