Must-have kitchen appliances

You’ve decided to go all-out with your kitchen renovation. You’ve got the kitchen design down-pat and have chosen your dream cabinets, door fronts and bench top. Are you going to spoil it all by making do with the appliances you currently have? Not if you love your kitchen and want to lift your gourmet cooking to the next level. These are the chefs’ choices of must-have kitchen appliances.

A gourmet oven

You don’t have to be rich or a snob to lust after a gourmet oven, but it’s worth spending more on an oven that has gourmet features. The following are features to look for.

• Gas ovens are the choice of gourmet chefs because they can be precisely adjusted and don’t dry out the food that’s being roasted or baked.
• Fan-forced ovens evenly distribute heat. In turn, this makes food cook evenly and eliminates the need to rotate dishes.
• A steam oven cooks food faster, helps improve the flavour and retains vitamins and other nutrients.

A French-door fridge

All fridges do an adequate job of keeping food cold or frozen, but they differ in their storage capacity and accessibility. If you’re tired of sticking your head in your fridge to look for something, consider buying a different style of fridge. Would a larger freezer suit you better? Look for upside-down fridges. French-door fridges allow you to store different items behind different doors. They are great for organising your fridge; they also help save energy.

If you’re after a bit more convenience, consider getting a fridge with a water dispenser and ice maker. They can be manually filled or you can go all out and get them connected to your plumbing. That way you will have cold water and ice whenever you need it!

Compare cooktops

Four-burner cooktops have been with us for so long that we tend to choose them without thinking about the alternatives. People normally think the choice is between gas and electric, but you should also consider whether the standard configuration is best for your needs. Induction cooktops have vastly improved in recent years. Yes, they tend to cost more and you will have to buy cast-iron or stainless-steel cooking vessels, but they have a lot of advantages.

After you’ve got the major appliances out of the way, it’s time to look at small appliances. Don’t overlook the following.

Mix master

Most amateur chefs dream of having a mix master in their kitchen for all their baking needs. The ultimate in mix masters has to be the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. It is available in a range of colours so you can match it to your decor while you bake cakes galore.

Food processor

Gourmet chefs used to frown on food processors. Why? Because old-style food processors were fairly crude ‘food choppers’. A good food processor today will make short work of dozens of chopping, slicing, mincing and shredding jobs. If you use a food processor frequently, look for a stylish model you can display on your bench top. An elegant design such as the Bosch MUM5 Styline Kitchen Machine can whisk, beat and juice in an instant.

Blender

“Why can’t I use my food processor for blending?” you ask. Because they are made for different purposes. Like your food processor, you may want to keep your blender on your bench top, so look for a stylish design rather than spend your money on a model that offers 15 speeds. Low, medium and high are all you need, according to the experts.

The ProAppliances BlendPro Vortec Blender will blend fruits, vegetables and ice in an instant.

Espresso machine

In the past, a good espresso machine cost as much as a new kitchen and you had to be an experienced barista to operate it. Today, dozens of home espresso/cappuccino machines are on the market. Choose between automatic, semi-automatic and pod machines. Since it will definitely be going on your bench top, find a good-quality, stylish espresso machine that will complement your kitchen design.

The Breville Barista Express machine is top of the line. Its stand out feature is the in-built coffee grinder. This machine will take you from desperate instant coffee drinker to professional barista in seconds.

Your major appliances will fit into your kitchen better if you choose one brand rather than mix and match. It’s not as important with small appliances, but if they are going to be on display, think about how well they look together. After all, your gourmet kitchen should look as luscious as the gourmet meals you create taste.