While I like the look of an uncluttered countertop, I’ve become a big fan of the convenience and time savings delivered by a select number of small appliances. It helps that these three are also sleek and lovely to look at – and I use each of them every.single.day.
I’m a BIG fan of sparkling beverages, but was feeling a little iffy about all the cans piling up in the recycling bin. So a few months ago I decided it was time to invest in a DIY solution, and fell in love with the Spärkel Beverage System. Instead of canisters, the Spärkel uses carbonator powder to create the CO2 (away from your beverage). You can choose from 5 levels of fizz, and – this is the coolest part – you can add bubbles to anything: juice, tea, cocktails, wine, infusions, or plain ol’ water. I use mine all day, every day.
From tea to cocoa, I’ve got a hot beverage-loving family. We used to wait several minutes for our stovetop kettle to heat up, plus it was always taking up space on a burner just when I needed it for something else. I’ve had the KitchendAid electric kettle in Pistachio for years, and I love it. It fills and pours easily, has simple controls (just one button) and heats up SUPER quickly and consistently. The color is lovely, and the classic style looks great in my vintage kitchen.
A rice cooker seemed like a superfluous tool until I learned all the different things you can make with it – like quinoa, hard-boiled eggs, and oatmeal. The timer on this model means I can prep my steel-cut oats at night and wake up to a perfect bowl in the morning. Midafternoon, it’s convenient to give the pot a quick rinse (it’s super non-stick) and then start rice for the kids’ dinner while I prep the rest of the meal. This rice cooker gets used every single day – often multiple times per day.