The kitchen is without a doubt the “soul of the home”. It is the place where we gather, eat and drink. The place where we relax, chat and share moments. At parties and gatherings, guests always find their way to the kitchen! And it is of course the place where we prepare our food and cook.
A well-organized kitchen equipped with the necessary electrical appliances helps make cooking a positive and creative experience.
But let’s look at what are the basic appliances that are essential in a kitchen. This list of course varies from family to family, depending on personal needs and preferences.
Refrigerator
It steals the show in a kitchen because of its size and its frequent use. Freestanding or built-in (mainly for aesthetic reasons), with top or bottom freezer (ergonomics) or refrigerator-closets with cooling and freezing in… “parallel paths”, refrigerators have evolved nowadays and offer quality and innovation. Before buying a refrigerator, consider the following:
the capacity of the appliance (calculated in litres)
The refrigerator’s depth (there are now models with a depth of 60 cm to prevent food from sticking out and disappearing into the depth of the refrigerator)
the energy label (excellent: A+++, very low: C)
the existence of no-frost technology (no need to defrost)
and extra functions such as cold water outlet, ice cube outlet (even for crushed ice) and a mini-bar on the door!
Kitchen and Oven
The modern trend is to place the oven in a column for greater ergonomics and functionality, as the oven door is at arm’s length and the hobs are placed separately. There is still, of course, the traditional solution of the freestanding or built-in kitchen, where the cooking hobs are located directly above the oven. Hobs can be divided into ceramic, enamel and gas, and it’s worth checking out induction hobs, whose technology makes them stand out. As far as the oven is concerned, a new function that has been added in recent years is that of steam cooking, alongside those of resistance, air and of course the grill.
Extractor
Placed directly above the cooking source (usually above the hobs), its purpose is to remove unpleasant odours and water vapour from the room. Take into account its power (for larger spaces, trust the more powerful outputs), and the noise of the appliance is an important selection parameter. On the market we find sliding/sliding, folding and free-standing hoods, which are mainly recommended for spaces with lower requirements and are more economical, while ceiling (island) and fireplace (wall) hoods win in aesthetics and performance!
Dishwasher
Once a luxury, now a basic appliance in our household, the dishwasher saves time, water and money in the daily dishwashing process. Before you buy, don’t forget to check the type (free-standing, built-in, table/countertop and drawer types are available), the dimensions of your space (60, 55 and 45cm available), noise levels, energy and water consumption and of course the multitude of programmes. Feel free to be amazed at their ‘cleverness’, as there are programmes that adjust time, temperature, water and energy according to the volume of the load and the degree to which the dishes are soiled, or ‘mixed load’, where the top load receives lower pressure and temperature (for fragile and less soiled dishes).
Microwave oven
Loved everyday appliance for many, unwanted for others, the microwave has entered our lives for good, making it much easier to heat up food in particular. Built-in or freestanding, with power from 700 watts to 1200 watts+ and capacities from 17 to 30lt+, the latest microwave ovens also provide defrosting, grill and hot air functions, offering even more options.
Small household appliances
Mixer – Blender
If you want to blend a small amount of a mixture quickly and easily, a hand mixer is definitely the most economical and handy option, while one of the most commonly used appliances in a kitchen for chopping vegetables or pureeing foods is the mini-blender. For our most demanding creations, food processors or food processors are the ultimate suggestion! Their many possibilities pleasantly surprise us. They don’t just make coffee. And speaking of coffee…
Coffee maker
If we’ve known and loved simple filter coffee makers for so long, the new ones that brew espresso and cappuccino coffee are simply going to be loved! A new trend in recent years has been to brew coffee using a special capsule, and the added option for sparkling milk is definitely welcome!
Tostika
A toast for breakfast or an afternoon snack is part of our daily eating habits. Today’s toasters aren’t limited to just that, though, as many have a grill function and also a barbecue function for delicious grilled foods. Removable grilling plates that can even be washed in a dishwasher, and specially shaped fat-collecting surfaces for healthier grilling are an added bonus.
Electric Squeegee
It cleans up the crumbs we hate and there are wipes that suck up liquids too! One of the most practical kitchen gadgets for quick and easy surface cleaning. We look at its power, autonomy time and capacity.
Actuator
It remains the easiest solution for quick and easy boiling water. Kettles on the market from branded and trusted companies offer more or less the same options. We make sure they include an automatic stop and water level indicator and choose – why not? – based on design and colour!
Nice to have
For fresh, hot bread with your own ingredients choose a bread maker, for healthy food choose a steam cooker, and for waffles, popcorn, ice cream and donuts choose the corresponding dessert makers! If you drink a lot of juice, an electric squeezer or juicer will make life easy, while an electric scale will ensure you add the right amounts of ingredients to your food or dessert.
