17 countertop appliances that chefs use at home

Farberware's 3-liter capacity deep fryer has features such as an oil filtration and storage system, a charcoal filter to reduce “fry” odors, and easy-to-use temperature control. The chef and owner of the eponymous Jeffrey Lumpkins Country Boy Kitchen in Sumter, South Carolina, keeps this fryer on his countertop. That's because, “Whether you're frying for your family or just for yourself, this is definitely an easy-to-use appliance,'' he says. Lampkin values ​​the quality of its food for consistent results.

This stylish gooseneck kettle has a rapid boil setting and five presets for different styles of tea, including green tea, oolong tea, and even coffee brewing. Chef Derrick Wade of Darling Oyster Bar in Charleston, South Carolina, finds uses for the kettle beyond just a quick drink. That's not to say he doesn't use it often for its intended purpose, but he also uses it as a quick boiling water source to make pasta or kids' ramen on the fly.

For people who cook for a living, cooking at home without being tied to the stove has a special appeal. Wade says that while it's “not your typical 'countertop appliance,' I often reach for the Anova Precision Cooker immersion circulator.” Selected as the best overall product in our sous vide cooker test. “I love using my sous vide to make meals that are easy to prepare without making a mess,” he says, adding, “I can set the circulator to the desired temperature without worrying about the food overcooking. It can be done,” he added. With Anova's onboard and app-based controls, you can monitor your cooking from another room or across town. Also, a low water alarm will automatically turn off the cooker when the water in the cooking vessel drops below a certain level.

A common theme among the appliances Wade keeps on his countertop is that they require little interaction. “No real-time commitment is required” to get freshly baked bread, he says, and this automatic bread maker “save you the hassle of going through the time-consuming process of kneading, proofing, and baking.” . The Cuisinart has 12 pre-programmed bread-making options, a 13-hour delay timer, and can make three different sizes of bread. This is a feature that stood out in our testing.

Maxell Hardy, the chef at Detroit-based COOP and Jed's, is one of the few chefs who keeps a vacuum sealer handy. Mr. Hardy chose his USV20 from Avid Armor. “It's the perfect kitchen essential for anyone who makes too many recipes or buys too much at the grocery store,” he says. Avid Armor is a chambered style sealer that can also seal many alternative containers, such as mason jars. Hardy also likes the sealer's marinade feature, which infuses flavors into food quickly.

“This is my favorite rice cooker because it's easy to use, easy to clean, and allows for a variety of cooking methods,” says Hardy. Aroma earned the title of best value in our rice cooker test thanks to its clear display and versatile features. Hardy said these features are “essential when making a variety of grains a dietary staple.” Hardy says he particularly likes the steam option, which allows you to cook meat and vegetables on top of the rice while it cooks.

Scott Crawford, chef-owner of Crawford & Son, Jolie, and Crawford Cookshop in Raleigh, North Carolina, loves espresso, and he says Virtuo is “an easy way to enjoy amazing coffee.” I also have a dedicated counter space for his Vertuo, and I find it much more convenient than my previous espresso maker by just inserting a Nespresso pod and pressing a button. Apart from single or double espresso, Vertuo Plus produces 5-ounce or 8-ounce cups of coffee with rich crema and rich flavor. Precise measurements require more regular maintenance such as descaling, which, along with the reliance on pods, is the machine's biggest drawback.

The KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer is another appliance that we enjoy using on our countertops in our Crawford kitchens. “My wife and daughter love baking, so this is their go-to appliance,” he says. KitchenAid has been at the forefront of home stand mixers for years due to its durability, speed settings, and capacity. The Artisan Series mixer features a 5-quart bowl, 10 speeds, and a tilt head for easy access to the bowl. One of KitchenAid's strengths in the mixer market is that accessories such as meat grinders, shredders, and pasta rollers can be purchased separately.

Crawford's final countertop essential is a VitaMix Propel Series 750 blender. In our testing, we found the large 64-ounce capacity to be suitable for most home uses, and VitaMix introduced five presets for blending smoothies, hot soups, frozen desserts, and more. There's also an auto-cleaning setting that lets you walk away. The Propel 750 still features a pulse control that allows you to fine-tune settings when blending. Crawford says the blender is used more than any other appliance in the kitchen. “My family loves soups, smoothies, and protein shakes. This equipment is a great tool for our family's healthy lifestyle.”

This high-capacity coffee maker brews six sizes from cups to travel mugs to full carafes. It also comes in multiple style settings, from regular strength to pour-over to ice. You can also create specific strengths for espresso-based drinks. Ryan and Jeri Martha O'Hara, owners of Big His Spoon Creamery in Birmingham, Alabama, have even made it a family event. “My kids really enjoy drinking frothed milk as a snack at home.”

The O'Hara family uses this digital food scale so often for baking bread at home that it's a staple on their counter. With its pull-out display, OXO solves one of the big problems of small scale. When you reach the upper limit of your scale's capacity, food or the container it's in often obstructs the view of the display, which can be frustrating and lead to inaccurate measurements. The ability to move the display to a better viewing position can go a long way in alleviating these issues. This His OXO is at the top of the range for kitchen scale pricing and won the top splurge award in our tests, but its price leaves many shocked when weighing its features. You will not receive any.

Nespresso Pixie is the perfect choice for coffee with minimal fuss on your countertop. Stephen Satterfield, chef and co-owner of Atlanta's Miller Union, keeps one on his counter. “I'm also a very lazy home barista. I mean, I'm lazy,” he says. The Pixie “produces the perfect espresso shot with a really nice crema,” he says, adding that the variable dilution setting allows you to adjust it to your preferred strength. In terms of sustainability, Satterfield says used pods can be recycled by being bagged and returned to retailers that sell Nespresso.

Satterfield also dedicates counter space to the Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 oven. “If you can't be bothered to turn on the big Viking oven, this is your go-to for breakfast or lunch when you're at home,” he says. Combi Wave covers most of the bases of multiple common household appliances such as microwave ovens, air fryers, and convection ovens in one form factor. (Another Breville model is one of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens.) One of Satterfield's favorite features is the ability to adjust the microwave's power settings, allowing him to ” He says he uses it to thaw things and gently cook eggs.

“For a long time, the only thing on the counter was the coffee maker,” says Rob McDaniel, chef at Helen in Birmingham, Alabama. “I have to say that over the last few years I've gotten into the air fryer craze and am using it more and more because it's basically a small convection oven.” When tested, we found this Breville to be extremely versatile, with 11 special settings available. There is also a “frozen food” setting that allows you to adjust the time and temperature.

Micah Pearson, chef at Harold's Cabin in Charleston, South Carolina, is a fan of this corded blender. “The versatility of a hand blender is unparalleled. I use it primarily for purées, vinaigrettes and sauces, smoothies, and occasionally foam,” he says. In our testing, the KitchenAid tackled ice and frozen foods quickly, with no splatter or suction at the bottom of the mixing container. Rather than using a bulky food processor, Pearson prefers a hand blender to make small batches at home.

Chicago baker Martin Sorge isn't shy about sharing his opinions on toast. “Toast is one of mankind's great inventions. I mean, who thought, 'Let's toast this bread again?'” That's why he likes his compact Cuisinart toaster. , claims that “it always works.” As the name suggests, this toaster from Cuisinart is small and simple. Toasters have special settings for defrosting frozen foods or reheating certain items, but they're best when dealing with toast or bagels, and can be set to 7 for specific doneness. There are two settings.

Elizabeth Blau, owner of restaurants such as Honey Salt in Las Vegas and Crown Block in Dallas, continues to collaborate with appliance manufacturer Smeg and designers Dolce & Gabanna on her countertops. “She's so bright and colorful that she always makes me smile when she comes into the kitchen,” she says. But looks aren't everything. After testing juicers, she named the Smeg the best splurge on electric models for reasons such as ease of use, drip-free spout, and pressure-sensitive reamer.