Which appliances do I need for my kitchen?
Kitchen appliances are the essential tools of every modern household and span an extremely wide range that includes both free-standing and built-in fridges and freezers, ovens, gas and electric hobs, cookers, coffee machines, microwave ovens and dishwashers. Therefore when it comes to deciding what you need for your kitchen, it is really a case of you deciding what you can afford, what you have space for, and what you require on a day-to-day basis.
Which appliances will work best in my kitchen?
It depends on your space available and your budget. If you are limited by either one or both, there are still a number of efficient appliances to choose from that will allow you to enjoy the same benefits as those who have more space, such as integrated fridge/freezers, which save on space but are just as efficient as two separate units. Choose your appliances carefully – don't think about what you want or what will look nice in your kitchen, but rather try to be practical and only choose what you personally consider to be essential appliances; for example, if you do a lot of cooking, you should definitely consider buying a dishwasher to save on washing up.
Get more advice on making the most of a small kitchen
How should I organise my appliances?
It is rare that you will use all your kitchen appliances at once, so if pushed for available space on your work-tops, only have your smaller appliances out on display that you use on a daily basis, such as the kettle, coffee maker and toaster. Other, more specialist appliances such as juicers and blenders can be stored in easily accessible kitchen cabinets. Not only will this save on space, but will also prevent your appliances from becoming covered in household dust and grease from cooking. You should also think about buying and plugging in a multi-adaptor on your kitchen work surface so that several appliances can be plugged in to the same outlet at the same time.
Get more ideas for storage from our range of kitchen organisers
How should I invest my money in my appliances?
Spend your money wisely and think about the long-term: choose a dishwasher with low energy consumption, an economy cycle or a half-load button – this will save water, and therefore save money. When it comes to buying an oven, a multi-functioning oven is worth the investment: choose one with a both a grill and a fan, which gives you more cooking options as well as speeds us cooking time. When choosing a cooking range, consider investing in one with a hood with an extractor fan, splashback, and numerous burners. This will make cooking on and cleaning your range much easier. Worried about paying for your kitchen appliances?
See our article on financing your kitchen
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