Best kitchen appliances: Our top stand mixers, air fryers, kettles and more

We can all picture it in our minds – our dream kitchen. Bright, sparkling and spacious, it would have the perfect kitchen island, the ideal breakfast bar and the best kitchen appliances to tie it all together. Nothing makes cooking, baking or just day-to-day kitchen life easier than having a range of sturdy, multi-featured appliances at hand to take care of tasks like smoothie making, coffee brewing and air frying. It also doesn’t hurt if these appliances are aesthetically pleasing and reasonably priced. To that end, we’ve selected appliances that have the best intersection of functionality and price-point, to get you a lot of bang for the minimum amount of buck.

Our short buying guide below offers some general tips on picking out appliances, while our mini-reviews further down the page break down our favourite kitchen appliances in a little more detail.

If you’re still undecided, we’ll also provide links to our full lists for each category, so you can see our full range of picks for lists such as best stand mixer, best toaster and best multi cooker.

Best kitchen appliances: At a glance

• Best kettle: Russell Hobbs Quiet Boil | £38
  
• Best stand mixer: KitchenAid 5KSM175PS Artisan Stand Mixer | £500
  
• Best toaster: Smeg 2 Slice Toaster | £149
• Best coffee machine: Gaggia Classic Pro | £429
  
• Best air-fryer: Tefal ActiFry Genius+ | £220
  
• Best multi-cooker: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 | £78
  
• Best blender: Nutribullet 600 Series | £70

How to choose the best kitchen appliances for you

What should I look out for when buying kitchen appliances?

While there are a variety of kitchen appliances listed below, with various factors that can affect whether or not they’re worth purchasing, there are a few common things to look out for.

Build quality: Nothing is worse than shelling out hard-earned pounds on an appliance only to find that it rattles when you turn it on or a bit has fallen off without any obvious spot for it to be reattached. When buying kitchen appliances, always look for devices made of stainless steel, high-quality hard plastic or other similarly sturdy materials, as well as parts that fit cleanly together without gaps – a lengthy warranty doesn’t hurt either. For the roundup below, we’ve focussed on finding items with superior build qualities that also come at reasonable prices.

Capacity and wattage: Using most kitchen appliances involves at least two steps, you fill something up and then you turn it on and let it get to work. To that end, you’ll always want to ensure that when purchasing an appliance, you buy one that has a large enough capacity to boil, blend, brew or chop whatever amount of ingredients you’re planning to work with. A high-wattage motor, similarly, is not only a sign of a good quality appliance, but will allow you to prepare larger amounts of food and drink quickly and effectively.

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Worktop footprint: Without decent forward planning, your kitchen countertops can easily become overfull and you may end up with those dreaded, overstuffed cupboards filled with different attachments and pieces of various appliances. To avoid this scenario, it’s worth your while noting the dimensions of the appliances you’re planning to buy and quickly checking your worktop size with a measuring tape to ensure everything will fit neatly into your kitchen.

Multi-functionality: Buying an appliance which has multiple functions is a great way to not only save space, but to also get the best return on the money you’re spending. A stand mixer with extra attachments or a food processor, such as the Ninja 3-in-1, which also functions as a blender, can make everyday cooking a lot easier without cluttering your kitchen or stretching your budget over multiple items. One thing to look out for when purchasing multi-functional devices are ones which suffer for trying to do too much. That said, all the multi-purpose appliances on our list have been chosen because they perform both their main and auxiliary functions to a high standard, so there’s no need to worry about that for now.

How do we test kitchen appliances?

In order to deliver clear and dependable recommendations, we thoroughly test the products listed on our various kitchen appliance round-ups. While the test themselves will vary based on the appliance involved, our general methodology involves first testing the core feature of the an appliance. For example, with kettles, we time the length a given model takes to boil, while also measuring how loudly it operates using a sound-level meter. Alongside the standard features, we also conduct tests to measure the performance of any secondary functions, unique features and different settings a given appliance might have. As well as functionality, we also look at an appliance’s build quality, how much space it takes up it will take up in a kitchen and try to assess its relative value for money.

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The best kitchen appliances to buy in 2023

1. Russell Hobbs Luna: The best kettle for your kitchen

Price when reviewed: £38 | Check price at AmazonThis kettle from Russell Hobbs is a reliable model that ticks all the boxes – the big two being speed and noise. So, if you tend to be in a hurry in the mornings, you’ll be happy to hear it boils a cup’s worth of water, around 235ml, in just 45 seconds. We also really appreciated how quietly it gets to work, in our original test the noise metre recorded a decibel level of just under 75dB on average – meaning you don’t have to stall your conversations or wake up the whole house if you want a cup of tea.

While the Russell Hobbs Quiet Boil is a great kettle at its price point, it is missing one niche, luxury feature: temperature control. While it’s on the pricey side compared to the Quiet Boil, our favourite variable temperature model is the KitchenAid Artisan Kettle.

For more info on the ins, outs, gauges and spouts of our favourite kettles, check out our roundup of the best kettles to buy.

Key specs – Power: 3,000W; Maximum fill: 1.7L; Minimum fill: 235ml; Warranty: 2yrs; Illuminated gauge: No

2. Tefal ActiFry Genius+: The best smart air fryer

Price when reviewed: £220 | Check price at John LewisFrom the outside, the rise in popularity of air fryers might look like something of a fad. However, once you’ve given one a go, you’ll quickly see that they provide relatively healthy, quick and simple convection cooking, all from your counter. Among air fryers, the Tefal ActiFry Genius+ is among the best we’ve tested. There’s a roomy 1.2kg capacity, a self-stirring wand to ensure even cooking and a digital touchscreen that gives you access to a wide range of preset cooking functions, as well as buttons for manual adjustments.

Using these presets is where the Genius plus earns its name, as it can cleverly self-adjust cooking times based on volume. So whether you’re cooking 100g or 300g of chicken nuggets, you can use the same preset and you should get consistent, crispy chicken every time.

For a more in-depth look at the air frying process and a wider range of models, check out our full best air fryer roundup, though, as you’ll see, the Genius plus is still the pick of the bunch.

Key specs – Power: 1,500W; Capacity: 1.2kg; Display: Digital touchscreen; Accessories: Measuring spoon; Manufacturer’s guarantee: 2 years

Check price at John Lewis

3. Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1: The best value multicooker

Price when reviewd: £79 | Check price at Amazon

Multi cookers save time, space and money in the kitchen, allowing you to whip up meals using a variety of different methods. The Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, as its name would suggest, has a wide range of functions, serving as an effective pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and more. It has a spacious 5.7L capacity and a number of simple-to-use, one-touch programs, making it the ideal set-and-forget option for midweek soups, stews and pasta bakes, as well as a whole range of recipes and suggestions which are available via the companion app.

Our multi-cooker roundup hailed the Instant Pot Duo as the best intersection between high-functionality and low-price, but if you want to check out other options, such as the top-performing Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid, you can peruse our full best multi cooker roundup.

Key specs – Capacity: 5.7L; Dimensions: 31 x 34 x 31.7cm (WDH); Accessories: None; Dishwasher safe bowl: Yes; Warranty: Not specified

4. Nutribullet 600 Series: The best high-powered, compact blender

Price when reviewd: £60 | Check price at AmazonFor those of you looking to introduce daily smoothies into your life, the Nutribullet 600 Series is our top choice, offering high-powered blending without taking up too much countertop space. An affordable model, the 600 Series performed well in our original tests, blending nuts, seeds and fibrous veggies easily and quickly. Smoothies from the Nutribullet seemed to keep their colour and freshness for longer than those made in cheaper models.

While powerful, this model did have a little trouble standing up to ice and some tougher ingredients, so if you’re planning on doing any heavy duty blending, the more powerful Nutribullet 900 Series might be more your speed.

For our full range of top blender picks, pop your head into our best blender list.

Key specs – Power: 600W; Capacity: 0.6L; Speed settings: 1; Attachment/Accessories: 7; Removable blades: Yes; Dishwasher safe parts: Yes; Manufacturer’s guarantee: 1 year

5. Smeg 2 Slice Toaster: The best toaster for style and performance

Price when reviewed: £149 | Check price at John LewisA crap toaster, and we’ve all had one, can really throw your mornings out of whack, taking random amounts of time to either undertoast or burn your bread. Well worth it for an upgrade, this model from Smeg has a sturdy and stylish build, two nicely wide slots and a handy mode specifically for toasting bagels. In terms of performance, our tests found that it produced delicious, evenly browned toast consistnetly and efficiently. If you’re looking to make toast for larger groups, Smeg’s 4 Slice Toaster should fit the bill a little better. 

This model is our top pick for getting the most out of your toast, but if you want to see more, do check out our full roundup of the best toasters.

Key specs – Number of slots: 4; Reheat mode: Yes; Defrost mode: Yes; Bagel mode: Yes; Muffin rack: No; Warranty: Not specified

6. Gaggia Classic Pro: The best espresso machine under £500

Price when reviewed: £429 | Check price at Gaggia

For those who like their coffee, a quality espresso machine is often the final piece of the kitchen puzzle, saving one money on overpriced takeaway coffee and providing the luxury of cortado and espresso at any hour of the day. Simply put, the Gaggia Classic Pro is the best such coffee machine you’ll find in the sub-£500 range.

It has a beautiful, classic look that would fit nicely on any countertop, it’s simple enough for novices to use and, most importantly, it makes excellent espresso. Its potent internal boiler heats up in about 45 seconds, and its metal steam wand provides a healthy jet of steam, giving you all the basic tools you need for the perfect start to the day.

If you’d like to consider everything from pod and capsule models, to bean-to-cup machines and filter coffee makers, then check out our full best coffee machine roundup.

Key specs – Dimensions (HWD): 380 x 230 x 240mm; Water capacity: 2.1L; Cup warmer: Yes; Milk frothing: Manual (steam wand); Warranty: 2 years +1

Check price at Gaggia

7. KitchenAid 5KSM175PS Artisan Stand Mixer: A high-performance stand mixer with a great range of attachments

Price when revieed: £500 | Check price at Amazon

A quality stand mixer is every home baker’s dream, reducing the physical workload of baking, while also ensuring thorough and consistent mixing so recipes turn out as they should. Cheaper models will get the job done, but if you want a machine that will last for years while providing tons of functionality, then you won’t find much better than this Artisan model from KitchenAid.

It works by a powerful direct drive motor, so you don’t lose any power between the motor and the attachment and mixes uses a planetary mixing motion, meaning both the attachment and the head rotate, moving in opposite directions to ensure ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Beyond that, it has ten speed settings, comes with two stainless steel mixing bowls and a range of quality attachments including a dough hook, which makes kneading dough for bread a doddle. If you want to learn more about stand mixers or check out other models, then head on over to our full best stand mixer list.

Key specs – Power: 300W; Capacity: 4.8L (with additional 3L bowl); Speed settings: 10; Attachments: Non-stick flex edge beater, non-stick flat beater, wire whisk, non-stick dough hook; Manufacturer’s guarantee: 5 years

8. Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor with Auto-IQ: The best food processor for everyday use

Price when reviewed: £169 | Check price at Ninja For the avid amateur chef, home baker or just anyone who hates chopping things, a food processor can be a life changing purchase. The Ninja 3-in-1 comes with three different sized and shaped blending chambers, a powerful 1,200w motor and a range of detachable blades, giving you all the tools you need to effectively chop, blitz, grind, mix, mince or purée just about anything you can think of. Alongside manual settings, this Ninja model also has a number of “smart” Auto-IQ settings, for many of the previously listed tasks. In our original tests, the Ninja 3-in-1 performed impressively, chopping vegetables uniformly, blending to a very smooth consistency and blitzing ingredients to a fine, powder-y state.

For more information on the boundless capabilities of food processors and a range of alternative models, refer to our full best food processor roundup.

Key specs – Capacity: 1.8L (food processor), 2.1L (large blending jug), 700ml (personal blending cup); Power: 1,200W; Manufacturer’s guarantee: 1 year