Kitchen appliances have exploded in popularity the past few years, with new gadgets showing up on store shelves all the time. Most homes have basic large appliances in the kitchen like refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers. But an increasing number of consumers are buying smaller countertop items to save time and inspire creativity while cooking.

In my household, we’ve always had a microwave oven, blender, and coffeemaker. Through the years, we’ve added things like a panini machine, a rice cooker, and even a countertop ice maker- which comes in handy during the summer when hosting backyard gatherings.

Circana reported that while sales of small kitchen appliances are projected to decline by 4-5% throughout 2024, purchases of these items is still higher than it was before the pandemic began in 2020.

What types of small appliances do you use the most in your kitchen? Which one could you not live without? Leave a comment and let me know, I’d love to hear from you! And who knows, maybe I’ll learn about something that would be useful to me in my own kitchen!

Recently, we asked our Facebook followers: “What small kitchen appliance do you use the most?” We received a large number of comments on this post, and the answers didn’t surprise us at all.

The most common responses included:

– Coffeemaker
– Microwave
– Toaster
– Air fryer

Other items frequently used by panel members included electric kettles, can openers, blenders, hand mixers, rice cookers, and slow cookers.

According to Circana, the top five appliances used for in-home dinner occasions are the stovetop, microwave, oven, oil or air fryer, and grill. That probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to most people, as most of these have been around for many years. But, new items are constantly competing for countertop space, and regularly-used appliances like microwaves are frequently upgraded and improved with new features.

Unique countertop gadgets

Just when I think I’ve seen every type of kitchen appliance or gadget, I spot another one online or on a store shelf that I’ve never seen before! Some of the more interesting appliances I’ve spotted recently include:

– S’mores maker
– Breakfast sandwich maker
– Donut maker
– Mini waffle makers that create different shapes like hearts, dinosaurs, etc
– Grilled cheese sandwich toaster

Niche kitchen gadgets are fun, especially to give as gifts, but if you’ve ever walked through a thrift or secondhand store, you’re likely to see a lot of these items on the shelves. They’re fun for parties and special events, but often take up a lot of space and are difficult to store. And if they aren’t used very often, it may not make sense to keep them.

Many small kitchen appliances are popular for awhile and then disappear, only to come back around- kind of like clothing styles! Remember how fondue pots were so popular in the 1970s and have enjoyed a resurgence at different times? I also remember when everyone rushed to buy breadmaking machines, only to lose interest a few years later (myself included!). But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, baking bread became popular again.

Many consumers are becoming more interested in multi-tasking appliances. For example, we used to have a toaster, microwave, and air fryer in our kitchen. Last year, we upgraded our microwave to a version that combines all of these functions- which allowed us to eliminate several small appliances from our countertop. Likewise, the basic blender we received as a wedding gift years ago has since been updated to a newer version with multiple settings and functions.

Panel Member reminders

If you purchase small kitchen appliances and gadgets, whether as a gift or for yourself, don’t forget to scan the barcodes and report those purchases to NCP!

Not an NCP panel member and want to become one? Click here to learn more or join the panel.

What is your favorite countertop appliance, the one you use the most often, or the gadget you can’t live without in your kitchen? Leave a comment, I’d love to know! And if you’ve seen a unique kitchen appliance recently, I’d love to know that as well- it’s so interesting to see what new things appear on the store shelves.

Regards,
Taylor

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

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