Before You Buy Small Kitchen Appliances

When purchasing small kitchen appliances, keep a few things in mind:

• What do you do most often in your kitchen? Can you find small appliances to assist with that?


• How much counter space are you willing to sacrifice? Should you focus on finding small appliances with built-in cord storage or other space-saving designs?


• Does your budget allow for only the most practical items, or can you splurge?


• Would you like any special features or design aspects with the small appliances you buy?

Answering these simple questions can easily narrow your options, allowing you to hone in on the right small appliances.

Let's take a look, for example, at the process for buying a coffee maker, something most households require. While many take up the same amount of counter space as the next, many offer fancy features like brewing timers, digital controls, and LCD screens, or with espresso makers with milk frothing attachments. Generally, the more features or specialty colors a small appliance includes, the more it will cost. If basic needs are what you're trying to fulfill, opt for more affordable small appliances (appropriately sized for the household - a four-cup coffee maker for a single person, for example, or a 12-cup coffee maker for a large family); if you're looking to add a little luxury to your kitchen, go for it.