When you think about an average home and all the rooms inside of it, you cannot deny the fact that the kitchen comes to mind as arguably the most important area. There is so much that goes on in a kitchen no matter the size of the family, their schedules and responsibilities, or the age of the people using it. It is often referred to as the heart of the home for a reason. It gives us warmth and comfort like nothing else mostly because it is where food is prepared and stored. The pantry and the dining room often combine with the kitchen to make up one larger room where it is all about family gatherings, snacks and drinks, and all sorts of culinary magic.
With that being said, we must also turn to the individual things that make up the kitchen and which give it meaning and purpose. Of course, the cabinets and cupboards are crucial for keeping plates, glasses, and cooking equipment. The working areas like the islands or counters are where magic happens and where you display your small appliances. You keep your cutlery in the drawers and the fridge, the cooker, and the sink are as obligatory as they come.
Is there anything else that every kitchen needs that we often forget about? Well, yes. Those would be kitchen accessories. Now, the tem accessory can refer to numerous different things, big and small, useful and decorative. In this article we talk about them in greater detail and determine which have been the best ones in 2024. Read on to learn more about how you can take your kitchen to a whole new level.
1. Charcuterie Board
The art of cooking and preparing meat specialties is known as charcuterie, and it takes a lot of skill and experience in order to do it right. However, that does not mean that you cannot have a neat board to display the meat specialties in fun and artistic way. These boards are utility accessories that usually come with many features like hidden utensils, multiple slide out boards, and even stone or granite elements.
You will steal the show whenever you pull out a meat or a cheese platter served on one of these. They are also perfect as gifts for that foodie in your life that loves food more than anything. If you are that friend, treat yourself right now and you will have a new favorite food display accessory. If you want to learn more about charcuterie boards, check here.
2. Thermometer
In order to cook your meat (and other food) properly, you have to know its temperature. And we do not only mean the temperature of the oven or the stove. It is far more important how hot the center of the food in question is.
This is where you use the kitchen thermometer, an accurate device that will tell you whether the meat is ready in seconds. If you have trouble with leaving food to roast without worrying about burning it or if you always take it out too soon, get this gadget and worry no longer. Every meal you make from there on out will be a guaranteed success at least when it comes to cooking time and accurate temperatures.
3. Food Processor/Blender
There are multiple types of blenders and food processors on the market to choose from. All you need to know about them is that you definitely need one. If you want to prepare food easier and faster, you require modern equipment. You cannot prepare cream soups, purees, and sauces the old-fashioned way and expect optimal cooking speeds.
Whenever you have to blend or whip something, you can use this gadget. Stick blenders or all-in-one countertop devices with many features, whatever you choose your life will be easier. Do you like milkshakes and smoothies? Guess what, you can make them too with a few spins and swirls of your new blender. A kitchen is not a kitchen without some kind of a blender, and luckily there are dozens of them to browse.
4. Coffee Maker
Similar to blenders in terms of choices and options on the market, coffee makers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and types. You will definitely need one sooner rather than later if you love coffee but have no time to brew one every time you need it. A simple espresso maker or an all-in-one device that makes anything from cappuccinos and lattes to mochas and Turkish coffee, the choice is yours.
Know that your life will definitely be simpler if you have a machine that gives you a hot cup of joe in the morning with a few pushes of a button. Many coffee makers look nice as well and they are able to make your kitchen look more modern, or more rustic. Some even have cold brew options for those who enjoy alfredo coffee and those who only take their coffee with cold.
5. Kettle
It is strange really, but not nearly enough households have an electric kettle that boils water in seconds. The gadget is a lifesaver, particularly if you regularly boil and cook things. Having boiling hot water in mere seconds up to a minute for larger amounts saves time since you do not have to wait for your stove and pot to get hot enough. Pour the boiling water from the kettle into the pot and you will barely have to wait before putting in hot dogs, eggs, vegetables, rice, or pasta. Easy peasy!
6. Steam Cooker
Steam cookers, also called rice cookers, are amazing for anyone who wants to eat healthy and have as little dishes to clean as possible. And that should definitely be most of us right? They are very easy to use, they require only a few drops of water (sometimes oil), and your food will come out perfectly tender every time. Put in your meat, potatoes, rice, or veggies, choose a setting, and wait until it is done. That is literally all you need to do. Steam cookers are really the kitchen gadgets for the 21st century.
7. Lightning Round
Here is a quick list of things that you do not really need, but that will surely make things easier in the kitchen:
-Measuring spoons
-Reusable metal straws
-Universal lids
-Kitchen scale
-Utility openers, peelers, pressers, mixers
-Salad spinner
