What are your two favorite kitchen appliances?

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Rparrny

Senior Cook
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
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195
Location
NY
Large or small, doesn't matter but tell us why ya love em!

My two favs are my KitchenAid stand mixer, the 6000HD with the 1.3HP motor...can even handle rye bread dough...this bad boy is a BEAST.

My other is my GE Profile bread proofer/warming draw. I had this built into my kitchen island when I remodeled and I love it. Great for proofing of course, warming dishes and platters and keeping food warm till it gets to the table. It has several heat settings and has a moisture or dry heat setting depending on what kind of food you're trying to keep warm.

What's your favorite?
 
My two favorite? Hmmm. I'd have to say my choices change with the season.

Right now I'm hopelessly in love with our wonderful GE toaster oven. Except for the occasional "large-sized" items, this little wonder allows me to keep from having to fire up our big oven. It's hot here in the summertime. Well into the 100+ range of temps for the last several weeks. Being able to prepare a variety of meals without heating the kitchen up is a real plus. It also has a rotisserie feature that makes fabulous roast chicken and/or Cornish hens. Glenn loves both and will often ask if we can have chicken on the merry-go-round or "little birdies" on the merry-go-round.

My second appliance? Probably our Cuisinart Griddler. Handy for a multitude of tasks. Easy to clean and easy to use.

My answer would be different if it was any of the other four seasons.

Rparrny, your proofing drawer sounds like a winner and would be something I'd be interested in if I had the space.

For years, I've used my microwave for proofing. I simply put a cereal bowl of water in it on HIGH for 4 minutes, then put whatever needs proofing. The bowl of water stays hot for nearly an hour (about as long as most dough needs) and provides a cozy environment for the dough to rise.
 
My two favorite? Hmmm. I'd have to say my choices change with the season.

Right now I'm hopelessly in love with our wonderful GE toaster oven. Except for the occasional "large-sized" items, this little wonder allows me to keep from having to fire up our big oven. It's hot here in the summertime. Well into the 100+ range of temps for the last several weeks. Being able to prepare a variety of meals without heating the kitchen up is a real plus. It also has a rotisserie feature that makes fabulous roast chicken and/or Cornish hens. Glenn loves both and will often ask if we can have chicken on the merry-go-round or "little birdies" on the merry-go-round.

My second appliance? Probably our Cuisinart Griddler. Handy for a multitude of tasks. Easy to clean and easy to use.

My answer would be different if it was any of the other four seasons.

Rparrny, your proofing drawer sounds like a winner and would be something I'd be interested in if I had the space.

For years, I've used my microwave for proofing. I simply put a cereal bowl of water in it on HIGH for 4 minutes, then put whatever needs proofing. The bowl of water stays hot for nearly an hour (about as long as most dough needs) and provides a cozy environment for the dough to rise.

I envy your toaster oven, years ago I bought a KitchenAid toaster oven...it was quite pricey too...and I hate it. Makes the worst toast and because of the design inside you are constantly burning the top of your hand when you go to take things out. It's also pretty big and uses up a lot of space on the counter. Sooner or later I will replace it but the price I paid for it makes me wait.
 
My two favorite? Hmmm. I'd have to say my choices change with the season.

Right now I'm hopelessly in love with our wonderful GE toaster oven. Except for the occasional "large-sized" items, this little wonder allows me to keep from having to fire up our big oven. It's hot here in the summertime. Well into the 100+ range of temps for the last several weeks. Being able to prepare a variety of meals without heating the kitchen up is a real plus. It also has a rotisserie feature that makes fabulous roast chicken and/or Cornish hens. Glenn loves both and will often ask if we can have chicken on the merry-go-round or "little birdies" on the merry-go-round.

My second appliance? Probably our Cuisinart Griddler. Handy for a multitude of tasks. Easy to clean and easy to use.

My answer would be different if it was any of the other four seasons.

Rparrny, your proofing drawer sounds like a winner and would be something I'd be interested in if I had the space.

For years, I've used my microwave for proofing. I simply put a cereal bowl of water in it on HIGH for 4 minutes, then put whatever needs proofing. The bowl of water stays hot for nearly an hour (about as long as most dough needs) and provides a cozy environment for the dough to rise.

Merry go round? Does it have a rotisserie function????
 
My Zojirushi electric flat top griddle and my new under-counter wine cooler.

Why the Zojirushi? I know that their bread machine is coveted by those that use bread machines but I've never seen the griddle.
 
Why the Zojirushi? I know that their bread machine is coveted by those that use bread machines but I've never seen the griddle.

Brand loyalty I guess. Growing up in Japan we've always had either Zojirushi or Tiger brands of small appliances. The large griddle is great for doing pancakes or yakiniku (or Korean BBQ) at the table.
Our rice cooker is also a Zojirushi.....but no particular advantage over other brands, including generic brands. We also have a Zojirushi electric hot pot, for stews, sukiyaki, etc..
 
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Brand loyalty I guess. Growing up in Japan we've always had either Zojirushi or Tiger brands of small appliances. The large griddle is great for doing pancakes or yakiniku (or Korean BBQ) at the table.
Our rice cooker is also a Zojirushi.....but no particular advantage over other brands, including generic brands. We also have a Zojirushi electric hot pot, for stews, sukiyaki, etc..

My daughter swears by her Zojirushi rice cooker and she's had tons of different brands. It was a gift from the wife of her father-in-law who is from China and knows how much rice she eats.
 
Now THAT I would love! How much did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

It's at least 15 years old now and it was less than $50. It's been a real champ and I'll be lost when it goes belly up.

However, I already have done some homework and pretty well have decided what I'll replace it with. The only negative thing about any I've looked at are that the doors only open in a drop down manner. The GE we have opens like a standard door. Hinges on the left vertical side. Guess I'll just have to adapt.
 
I envy your toaster oven, years ago I bought a KitchenAid toaster oven...it was quite pricey too...and I hate it. Makes the worst toast and because of the design inside you are constantly burning the top of your hand when you go to take things out. It's also pretty big and uses up a lot of space on the counter. Sooner or later I will replace it but the price I paid for it makes me wait.

My mom gave me a pair of little bamboo tongs to use to pull out the toaster oven rack, or pull the toast off the rack. I keep it in a little jar next to the toaster oven so it's handy.
 
My mom gave me a pair of little bamboo tongs to use to pull out the toaster oven rack, or pull the toast off the rack. I keep it in a little jar next to the toaster oven so it's handy.

Your bamboo tongs sound a lot cuter than my little plastic tongs but the same idea GG. Actually my little plastic tongs finally broke and the SC found a package of 12 on ebay for next to nothing. Now I keep one in every drawer as I use them for so many things, I don't have to look for them. :LOL:
 
My mom gave me a pair of little bamboo tongs to use to pull out the toaster oven rack, or pull the toast off the rack. I keep it in a little jar next to the toaster oven so it's handy.

Are they small little mini tongs, are they regular size or shorter?

Got a pic of them? I'd love to see them.
 
I envy your toaster oven, years ago I bought a KitchenAid toaster oven...it was quite pricey too...and I hate it. Makes the worst toast and because of the design inside you are constantly burning the top of your hand when you go to take things out. It's also pretty big and uses up a lot of space on the counter. Sooner or later I will replace it but the price I paid for it makes me wait.

Never been a problem getting things in or out of our toaster oven. It came with a handle-like device that hooks into the front edge of the racks. It allows you to gently slide the rack forward to remove things. It's a handy gadget and will keep it if/when this toaster oven goes bye-bye.

As for toast, it makes fantastic toast.
 
My absolute favourite I don't have at the moment. We had a stove with a convection oven for the last 16 years; however, with moving we had to leave it. While the stove works well here, it is older and has a conventional oven.:(

We were going to replace it when we moved but there were other expenses and I said I could make due for now. But I really do miss the convection feature.

The second is my KitchenAid Pro 600 mixer. I call him Brutus, which came from TB saying it is a "brute" to move around. Thankfully I have a nice corner I can keep him in on the counter but out of the way - no lifting, just some sliding forward.

These two really should be tied for first because I can make the batter for 12 dozen chocolate chip cookies and bake them 60 at a time for 6 minutes! They come out perfectly every time with the great crispy outside, chewy inside! They make other things as well, together or separately, but cookies are important.
 
Are they small little mini tongs, are they regular size or shorter?

Got a pic of them? I'd love to see them.
They're little mini tongs. Here's a pic, along with the jar I keep them in (just because it's pretty [emoji2] ). It was handmade at the Glass House in Colonial Williamsburg by historical reenactors.
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My Kitchenaid mixer, well I have two, but the one that my parents bought me 25 years ago has been a trooper, I love that thing, so many great recipes made with that.

Second would have to be my range, it's not high end, but it has a convection oven with a proofing function that I use all the time. It also has a warming drawer with multiple settings, super convenient when I'm cooking for the holidays. It does everything really well.
 
Right now just because of the heat, I use my George Foreman grill and my toaster oven (if I can't grill outside). All time faves? I love my kitchen aide to make bread ( I do rise in the oven) and my salad spinner. I hate wet lettuce and if you have a better way quickly I'd love to know!
 
I'd have to go with my toaster oven, too. I use it all the time, especially in the hot months. I think it's a Black & Decker. It does toast well and is big enough to roast two large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, which I use often in the summer. I use it to reheat pizza, broil hot dogs, toast crostini, make tuna melts etc. It's a workhorse.

Second one is probably my food processor. It's old (1989) and small (one quart) but it's still going strong and helping me make great tzatziki and pesto every summer, among other things.
 
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