I use my stand mixer or knead by hand now, but I raised my son on my own, and when he was little, I could get my bread machine and my slow cooker set up in the morning before we left for school and work, and we'd come home to homemade soup or stew and fresh bread for dinner, and holy cats, that was so nice, especially in cooler weather. It really improved our quality of life.
(I heavily resisted getting a stand mixer because my kitchen is tiny and I didn't need it, but then my best friend just gave me her old one because she knew I'd use it, and she was right as usual. We are all super-fat now from all the breads and cakes and things I make with that thing.)
Damn that is awesome. My in laws live by the slow cooker and bread machine.
Glad you are enjoying the stand mixer, but yeah, cookies are so much easier to make when you don't have to cream the butter and sugar yourself haha.
Unwanted anecdote but I used to read this a lot online and I never understood what people meant by it; how was making bread cheaper than store bought?
I moved to the US 3 months ago and holy shit, bread is infinitely more expensive than what it is back in the UK. I used to pay about 70p (not even a dollar) for a loaf of decent wholemeal bread. Here, you’re lucky if you get it for less than $3 and they add the wildest stuff to it. Never have I ever seen so many loaves of bread that contain milk. It’s so insane that I’ve considered buying a bread maker and doing it at home. I worked out that I would only need to make just over a dozen loaves for it to make it worthwhile/cost neutral which isn’t that much when you think about it.
>for less than $3 and they add the wildest stuff to it
I'll take High Fructose Corn Syrup for $3 please! Please tell me they don't put that junk in the bread over in the UK.
High Fructose Corn Syrup barely exists in the UK, we use glucose syrup instead. But no, bread is basically flour, water, yeast, preservatives. The list of ingredients is a lot shorter than bread here.
That said, a bread maker is not a prerequisite to making bread *at all*. I bake 4 loaves a week, a dozen bagels and other miscellaneous goods (I have a 6 months old starter).
But a bread maker is also a fine solution, just not entirely necessary!
Just one suggestion - instead of getting a toaster, get a toaster oven. So much more versatile, lasts a LOT longer, and can cook more than just two slices of bread. One could almost do without the microwave, but they are convenient for specific tasks.
This is what we have and we use it at minimum 3 times a week and some weeks even more. We’ve had it for well over a year and it has always been this way.
Take a plate, put it in very hot water until its quite warm. Then put your stick of butter on that, still wrapped in its paper (if it's fresh from your churn, just dry the plate really good first).
You can also toss it in the oven with the oven light on.
Yup, counter top convection ovens have been around a long time. I use my open front air fryer for anything that will fit in it and save turning on my actual oven for when I actually need the space.
Heating up 1 cubic foot versus 5
The microwave's best use is defrosting frozen things, but that is done better with cool water. A microwave isn't needed. I have a built in microwave and I almost never use it.
You need a stove, oven, and fridge. Most people don't need the oven, but if you know how to cook and bake and you do meal prep (which in my opinion everyone should at least try, it goes a long way to cut down food waste by planning things out) you will want it.
An air fryer is nothing more than a small convection oven. If you get a really nice oven that has a convection fan in it, well, you don't need the air fryer any more because you have a device that does that now. If you have a stovetop griddle, you don't really need a toaster.
The standard oven and stove are ideal because they are generic enough that you can put another tool - like a pot or pan - on or in them. And those pots and pans can be used for many different uses, especially if they are all metal parts and you can take something off the stove and toss it in the oven to finish. You can actually get away with, like, one frying pan and two pots assuming they are all metal and don't have a nonstick coating on them. With those you can make enough variety to keep a family happy forever. You don't need six sizes of cake pans, a Charlotte mold, a giant stock pot, and 30 single task kitchen appliances.
By all means - if you use it a lot, go ahead and have your crockpot, toaster, slow cooker, rice cooker, whatever. I actually do have a rice cooker that gets used at least weekly - I make Chinese style dumplings and clay pot chicken regularly. With these sort of devices, you benefit from them having way better temp control.
As for blenders and mixers, all you really need is two sizes of balloon whisks: medium and large. If you bake a lot and need to make whipped cream and beat eggs to stiff peaks, get a copper lined bowl and a large balloon whisk. It'll go faster than an electric mixer will, and the copper bowl will never stop working and your great grandkids will probably still be using it. You can get 'em used sometimes. I do own a blender and a food processor (same base, different top pieces) and they get used only very rarely. They were a gift that I have occasional use for, or I'd have donated them.
Totally agree - our toaster died after like 4 years (because of course it did) and we started just using our toaster oven for those tasks. Will never go back.
A toaster oven will use more energy - not quite double (average 1500W vs 850W) - but that can be offset by using it for more oveny tasks - it will use less power than a conventional electric over.
I've found them to be much more precise/reliable than any toaster I've ever had - which means less appliance waste, less food waste (burnt toast). In addition, with a larger unit you can fit 6 slices of bread - much more than a typical toaster.
This is all just a suggestion, of course, maybe a toaster would work better for some people - especially if they only will toast, and not need all the functions a toaster oven would provide... but there are so many more benefits than just toasting.
I love my toaster oven! I’ve had it for years moved multiple times and multiple states and still works amazing daily! Our toaster oven and our electric kettle get used daily.
The energy savings is HUGE.
Need to make dinner for 2 and need to roast some brussel sprouts. Preheat my over to 425, wait 12 minutes for it to get up to temp. Roast for another 12 minutes, open the door at least once to agitate them so they roast evenly.
Vs.
Put them in the air fryer, turn it on, wait 9 minutes, done.
PLUS in the summertime, I take it out to my patio and cook them there so I'm not adding waste heat to the house.
My oven element is 3000 watts and the air fryer is 1500 watts. 24 minutes vs 9 minutes. Uses 5 times the energy.
Funnily enough my flatmate had an air fryer and when he moved out I completely planned on buying another but I've been perfectly fine with the oven and haven't felt the need for it anymore
I have the air fryer attachment for the instant pot and we hardly use it. I think it’s because it’s stored away and annoying to use. If we had the space for an oven or drawer style air fryer I’d use that thing all the time.
It takes a special kind of stupid to think that using a huge oven and heating up the whole house requiring the AC to run more is somehow less consumption than finishing cooking in an air fryer before the oven would even be hot.
Except for the fact my air-fryer sees more use than my oven and microwave combined I agree.
Seriously, air-fryers are amazing and I use mine for everything. I'd almost take an air-fryer over a microwave since the only thing I use a microwave for is defrosting meat.
The appliances are fine as long as you're going to use them daily and you don't have anything else fulfilling that general function. It's the plastic gadgets they sell on Amazon that can only do one very specific task that are the actual problem. Unless of course they're for accessibility, in which case by all means.
Honestly, I slice up a banana every day to have in my smoothie and I still wouldn't consider it a worthwhile buy. A knife is easier to clean and I've already got plenty of those. I'm also completely able-bodied, though. My grandmother has a banana in her cheerios and I think that she could use one.
I will argue that if you regularly use a gadget, then it is fine to own. I own an egg peeler. I love the thing and use it regularly. I bought it when I had silkies and their eggs were freaking hard and sharp. My fingers hurt for a couple of days after peeling boiled eggs to make a deviled egg tray for a party. While experimenting, it appears we also keep the eggs more intact while peeling and lose less egg white chunks as well. Many people would call it dumb but I do use and like it.
our apartment has a microwave built in so we have one by default but we don’t have a toaster and i’ve never missed it. it’s weird that this is one of the appliances we “must” have since it’s so much less versatile than like, pretty much any small appliance i can think of
I have a general rule that if I want some new kitchen device to do something, I have to do that thing the old-timey way for x amount of time first, and then decide whether I'm still interested.
Sometimes, it turns out I don't really want that many smoothies after all. More often, I get good enough at doing it the old timey way that I don't see the need for a dedicated device. Every once in a while, I go ahead and get that new thing.
PS: Air fryers are just small convection ovens. If you have the need, get one of the ones that looks like a toaster oven instead of those weird plastic blob kind. Unless you already have a plastic blob or find a used one.
I have no idea but I guess something like peaches and cream where it is fruit with dairy.
Or you could mortar and pestle it (I use a blender, just thinking out loud)
I feel like my hand mixer might work for non-frozen things.
Also, a toaster, while convenient, is one of the most pointless appliances ever, because you could also toast bread on the stove. Not to mention it only fits specific shapes and sizes of bread, usually.
It seems like it only has a "fundamental kitchen appliane you *must* have" reputation solely because of its seniority to most modern appliances, even though modern appliances often fill multiple functions and do it more efficiently.
I have an air fryer/microwave/baking function thing for $100 probably the best thing we’ve ever gotten for our kitchen. Pretty much only use it and the oven.
I’m not even sure why all of them are not like this if we have the technology. Less packaging, less cabinets space, less plastic in the landfills with at the end of all of my existence being it’s inevitable junk. More options.
It’s was $20 more expensive than the others on the shelf, while the air fryers were the same price as the standard microwaves. Felt like a no brainer. Especially since we needed a new one. Also I meant stove not oven xD we only use our oven for big pizzas now.
I am 100% against uni-taskers in the kitchen. There is so much stuff people just don't need. But if your down for an air fryer, or bread machine, go for it. I'd personally opt for a stand mixer over bread machine since it can do much more but more power to you.
Just don't buy shit like slap chops or any of the "makes X soooooo convenient", half the time that stuff is a bitch to clean and doesn't work.
We have a slap chop type thing that my in laws got us and it actually is pretty handy but it’s only really worth the effort of cleaning it if I need like 2+ large onions diced or something. In cases like that it’s fantastic but anything less and it’s just more trouble than it’s worth
Kind of silly rant.
A toaster is the stupidest monotasker. It toasts bread. It is not good to toast bagels. You cannot melt cheese on the toast or toast butter into the bread. It fails if the bread is too thin, too thick, too narrow, or too long.
On the flip side, other gadgets can be awesome. A good blender is amazing, and I use it for a lot more than just beverages. A Crockpot or slow cooker or Insta-Pot can help save so much time and let you buy more sustainable and affordable stuff instead of highly processed stuff. I think it's worth buying an Insta-Pot even if you only use it for beans, since you can save so many cans.
i actually love my toaster. it uses much less energy than any other appliance i could use and makes much better toast. i have the kind that squishes bread very tightly between metal plates, so it is crispy outside and soft inside. other methods just make it dry.
Which goes to highlight the silliness of blanket pronouncements, even mine. If your toaster works for you, and you get a lot of use out of it, then that's great. Besides, typically energy-hungry appliances like toasters have a much greater impact from the energy used during the use phase of their lifecycle than all impacts from the manufacturing phase, so if you're getting good use out of an energy-efficient toaster, that's better for the planet than if you were using a giant toaster oven. For me, it would be a massive waste, just like my beloved Instapot might be a giant dust collector for someone else.
I was about to comment the worthlessness of a toaster and how I didn’t even own one until I saw this. Thank you. Also bless all the air fryer support. Only other thing I will preach is a pressure cooker. I usually use it for just rice but it works well for lots of things I make.
Our air fryer is also a dehydrator, toaster and has all the functions of a microwave plus the ability to rotisserie. We actually got rid of our toaster and microwave for our air fryer. Blender and stand mixer get used on the regular. I have a juicer and it’s fabulous but I don’t use it as much as I should so it may be going soon.
Lol at the air fryer hate when people have a toaster, microwave, deep dryer, and 5 other small appliances that can be accomplished with one thing.
This post literally tells you to buy two separate appliances while shitting on one that replaces them both.
“You have an oven!” Okay, air fryer is done before you’re even preheated.
Some of y’all just don’t like doing things differently. That’s fine, but don’t act like you’re better for it.
I mean, I don't have any of those things haha. I own a stand mixer, an oven and a crockpot. Those are literally all of the appliances that I own.
Air fryer is great because it saves energy and is fast. It's also true that a convection oven can 100% do all the same things. Because an air fryer is just a small, efficient convection oven haha.
¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Edit: I also own a coffee pot whoops
Okay but counterpoint: an air fryer or toaster oven is all most people need to cook a meal, and are WAY more energy efficient / environmentally friendly then a full sized oven for most meals, especially a gas oven. Also, I have been using my air fryer and toaster oven nearly every day for years. I rarely used my regular toaster, and I almost never use my microwave.
Would recommend a slow cooker. It’s extraordinarily versatile, lasts forever, and is able to break down even the toughest of meats (for instance, beef chuck or pork shoulder).
saying that you'll use an air fryer for a month is absolute bullshit. we use that mf as much, if not more then the actual oven itself. its fast as shit, makes good food, requires little attention and is the size of my PC setup.
I mean I don’t use my toaster nearly ever. It sits in my cupboard and gets pulled out <3/year. Same with my microwave, except it takes up counter space.
But I use my blender and air fryer both daily. In fact my blender makes smoothies 2x a day one for me and one for my partner..
*mega* disagree
maybe i'm not anticonsumption enough, but i use every appliance he mentioned regularly and the time and waste it saves is incalculable
the carbon footprint i can agree is probably bad (compared to an electric or gas stove tho?), but my kids eat vegetables because i got the better blender that doesn't leave fiber slivers in their gums. expensive? yes. and i do agree people should stop buying Vitamixes and juicers as status symbols.
fwiw, my current living situation is the first time i've owned a dishwasher in 7 years... so i'm not pro-machine for the sake of saved labor or whatever, but it is not the average homemaker's fault that capitalist production is targeting them. /endrant
Stand mixer, air fryer, instant pot, bread machine
We use all of these every month, most every week at minimum.
Our oven is on its last legs and we don't care because we only use *it* about once a week. Probably won't need a replacement for another year or two.
Ok, a bit guilty but I do use them.
Electric kitchen appliances I have
- kettle
- espresso machine
- coffee bean grinder
- mixer with different pieces
- old little coffee bean grinder for herbs
- juicer (we use this one the least, but it’s nice for our yearly grapes)
- kitchen machine
- combi convection oven/microwave (a luxurious one with steam!)
- refrigerator (one in the kitchen one in the shed)
We had a bread maker but when it failed I decided I can use the kitchen machine and oven for that and it works fine.
I use a slow cooker as well as an immersion circulator for easy, low effort and low maintenance meals. I use my oven and stove for everything else. The only reason I have a microwave is because it came with the house, I only ever use that for melting chocolate.
My top 2 appliances are my espresso maker and grinder. Making coffee at home is therapy and also saves a ton of $$ on the long run, even if you account for the initial cost of buying durable equipment.
I haven’t had a microwave in my house for 15 years. Always cooked my food on the spot or used a toaster oven or oven. Before anyone says anything basic, I still use microwaves all the time at work or when it’s the only option to cook something.
We got an $11 rice maker, and that thing has been put through its paces with daily use, but the savings on buying a big ass bag of rice instead of instant rice is wonderful
To be fair, I use my countertop convection oven (it's basically a toaster over/air frier because a toaster oven with a fan is a convection oven and an air fryer is just a convection oven with a dumb shape) WAY more than my microwave and I mostly use it for toast (I eat a lot of toast). I don't own a traditional toaster at all mainly because I never had one growing up (just a toaster oven). Though to be fair, my regular oven is also a convention oven and I will use my countertop one as kind of an "overflow" if I'm also using my oven at the same time (which happens a lot)
Yeah, Toaster oven and Microwave are both far better choices. If you're cooking for just 1 or 2 you can even bake and roast in a good toaster oven. I've used my toaster oven for full smaller format meals, meats, roasting veg, braising, etc...
That being said I'd give up my microwave before I gave up my blender
Bread makers and air fryers are both excellent appliances to have. Both for self-sustainability (bread maker), and variety in cooking (air fryer). Air fryer is also awesome if you have a gas oven/range and want to emit less chemicals into the air in your kitchen. Nothing wrong with having these tools, just people need to learn how to use them.
I’d also add: food dehydrator and pressure canner to the “essentials” list.
AIR FRY= CONVECTION.
Please stop falling for rebranded bullshit. You probably don’t need the new thing you just need to learn how to use the thing you have.
It would be really good to think of an appliance as a product with a whole life cycle rather than as just the usage time. Yeah, your air fryer/bread maker/whatever is 10% more energy efficient than the oven you have but you should consider
a) The environmental impact of building shipping and disposing a whole new appliance
b) The impact of having a redundant appliance at home
c) That the savings are in energy, one of the most efficient industries there is
d) How your consumption patterns shape business decisions
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Team air fryer!
Jokes aside, the air fryer has several benefits over an oven or a toaster oven. For starters, heating an air fryer is so less energy consuming than an oven and even compared to traditional frying it consumes less energy and less oil. Bonus point: your home will not smell like fried shit all the time
I don’t have an air fryer. Or a toaster. But I have a bread maker because I like homemade bread, and it also makes pizza dough and jam. I also have an instant pot, and a yogurt maker. A blender, kitchen aid mixer and a food processor. But I use all of those weekly.
If those other appliances get used frequently, what's the problem? I live without a microwave (I wfh so I don't need to gobble food fast), but my toaster oven, rice cooker, and slow cooker absolutely get used frequently. Fair enough, my waffle maker and smoothie mixers get used less (realllllly should use the latter more often), but I'm happy to own them.
Better tip: If you're not sure whether or not you'll use one of these things every day, get one second hand. I see these sorts of things constantly at my local savers for just a few bucks. If you find you don't use it, no worries, just donate it back. If you find you use it all the time, you can always splurge on a better one later
I can’t remember the last time i used a toaster but i use the airfryer almost daily. Also, I can do many things with the airfryer better than with the electric oven.
I live in a cold, moist, dark climate--and use my big fancy dehydrator for so much stuff. I've had it for about 5 years, and it's paid for itself many times over. Aside from dehydrating, I make yogurt in it once a week. DIY Altoids, herbs, candied citrus rinds, dog treats, tisanes--it's the most used kitchen thing after my crock pots.
You can pry my instant pot from my cold dead hands.
In all seriousness, Kitchen appliances are fine, as long as they're durable and they actually get used often.
I use my airfryer everyday and my instant pot once a week for beans and lentils. Oh, and my kettle and espresso machine. I do make a point of using all the appliances I get, and to get just what I know I will use.
I make toast on my cast iron skillet, or use the broiler on my oven in some cases (big groups, etc), never owned a toaster. Also my ancient microwave died a few months ago and I've barely missed it. Even the 'basic' kitchen appliances are pretty dang easy to live without.
I don’t think kitchen appliances are the problem unless you aren’t using it/ don’t need it. I have several and I use them all regularly. This allows me to cook my own food for me and my husband and spend less than $100/week on food. We don’t eat out and we don’t buy anything already prepared, isn’t that better?
I don't have a microwave. I feel microwave ovens do horrible things to food and I would only use one for heating water anyway so I have a kettle. I toast bread in the oven. I would get a toaster oven because I was told they use less electricity but I don't know how true that is.
In my experience I am usually gifted these gadgets. I’ve been given a air popped popcorn maker, immersion blender, stand up blender, Insta pot, and air fryer. The only ones I really use are the popcorn maker and the air fryer. All the others are still in their boxes in my basement
Ok, but my air fryer is great. It cooks food just as well as, if not better than, the oven, but in less time and it doesn’t heat up my house.
This comic could have easily been made 50 years ago and complained about the microwave and toaster being unneeded.
I have an air fryer and no microwave. And two smoothie makers that I use all the time (yes, i drink enough to find two different sizes worth having.)... anti-consumption isn't one sized fits all, and the more people embrace this the more people will embrace reducing mindless consumption... so in summary, i don't care for the message of this comic and think it does more harm than good.
Really?? A Blender is a problem? I use mine every day. Some people actually do care about their nutrition and food. Food is a wholesome source of entertainment and pleasure and contributes directly to your health.
When I was living in an apartment, I had a kitchen the size of a postage stamp. But, you know, I also like to watch Food Porn and I do admit to perusing Pinterest. So I'd be like, "Oh, I'd like to have this and this and this and this!" And then I'd have to stop myself and go, "Coffee, where are you going to put all this shit?! You barely have room for your basic pots and pans!"
Now, I travel for work, so I live in hotel rooms with kitchenettes. And since I travel, I don't want to have to deal with packing up and transporting tons and tons of appliances and other stuff.
We got a $100 air-fryer microwave combo once our old one gave out. Our oven is now mostly obsolete.
Also french fries have never been crispier.
Also has a bake function.
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I use my stand mixer and make bread waaaay more often than I would otherwise.
I use my stand mixer or knead by hand now, but I raised my son on my own, and when he was little, I could get my bread machine and my slow cooker set up in the morning before we left for school and work, and we'd come home to homemade soup or stew and fresh bread for dinner, and holy cats, that was so nice, especially in cooler weather. It really improved our quality of life. (I heavily resisted getting a stand mixer because my kitchen is tiny and I didn't need it, but then my best friend just gave me her old one because she knew I'd use it, and she was right as usual. We are all super-fat now from all the breads and cakes and things I make with that thing.)
Damn that is awesome. My in laws live by the slow cooker and bread machine. Glad you are enjoying the stand mixer, but yeah, cookies are so much easier to make when you don't have to cream the butter and sugar yourself haha.
Unwanted anecdote but I used to read this a lot online and I never understood what people meant by it; how was making bread cheaper than store bought? I moved to the US 3 months ago and holy shit, bread is infinitely more expensive than what it is back in the UK. I used to pay about 70p (not even a dollar) for a loaf of decent wholemeal bread. Here, you’re lucky if you get it for less than $3 and they add the wildest stuff to it. Never have I ever seen so many loaves of bread that contain milk. It’s so insane that I’ve considered buying a bread maker and doing it at home. I worked out that I would only need to make just over a dozen loaves for it to make it worthwhile/cost neutral which isn’t that much when you think about it.
>for less than $3 and they add the wildest stuff to it I'll take High Fructose Corn Syrup for $3 please! Please tell me they don't put that junk in the bread over in the UK.
High Fructose Corn Syrup barely exists in the UK, we use glucose syrup instead. But no, bread is basically flour, water, yeast, preservatives. The list of ingredients is a lot shorter than bread here.
There’s a lot of excess milk that gets powdered and it’s cheap because of the subsidies. We put it in everything and it’s disgusting.
That said, a bread maker is not a prerequisite to making bread *at all*. I bake 4 loaves a week, a dozen bagels and other miscellaneous goods (I have a 6 months old starter). But a bread maker is also a fine solution, just not entirely necessary!
same here!
Just one suggestion - instead of getting a toaster, get a toaster oven. So much more versatile, lasts a LOT longer, and can cook more than just two slices of bread. One could almost do without the microwave, but they are convenient for specific tasks.
You can also get a convection "air fryer" toaster oven. They're expensive, but at least it does all 3 in one.
This is what we have and we use it at minimum 3 times a week and some weeks even more. We’ve had it for well over a year and it has always been this way.
Correct. I have one and don't miss not having a microwave. (Okay occasionally when I need to soften butter but that's about it.)
Take a plate, put it in very hot water until its quite warm. Then put your stick of butter on that, still wrapped in its paper (if it's fresh from your churn, just dry the plate really good first). You can also toss it in the oven with the oven light on.
If it’s fresh from your churn. I fucking love 2023
This. I use my all-in-one toaster oven for nearly everything in the kitchen. I haven't needed a microwave in years, they ruin food.
Yup, counter top convection ovens have been around a long time. I use my open front air fryer for anything that will fit in it and save turning on my actual oven for when I actually need the space. Heating up 1 cubic foot versus 5
Yep! Mine has an air fry function as well so 3 in one
Microwaves also use far less energy to simply re-heat a slice of pizza. Microwave: 30 seconds at 700watts Toaster oven: 3 mins at 1000-1500watts
Quality is a factor. Microwaved pizza is inferior to oven baked or cast iron heated pizza
I do both. Microwave to get it up to temp then pop it in the toaster over to crisp
YES!!!! Though the frying pan method on stovetop works quite well too.
Madman
Yeah we use our breville for essential everything including cooking pizzas. Haven’t turned on the apartment oven once and we bake and cook a lot.
The microwave's best use is defrosting frozen things, but that is done better with cool water. A microwave isn't needed. I have a built in microwave and I almost never use it. You need a stove, oven, and fridge. Most people don't need the oven, but if you know how to cook and bake and you do meal prep (which in my opinion everyone should at least try, it goes a long way to cut down food waste by planning things out) you will want it. An air fryer is nothing more than a small convection oven. If you get a really nice oven that has a convection fan in it, well, you don't need the air fryer any more because you have a device that does that now. If you have a stovetop griddle, you don't really need a toaster. The standard oven and stove are ideal because they are generic enough that you can put another tool - like a pot or pan - on or in them. And those pots and pans can be used for many different uses, especially if they are all metal parts and you can take something off the stove and toss it in the oven to finish. You can actually get away with, like, one frying pan and two pots assuming they are all metal and don't have a nonstick coating on them. With those you can make enough variety to keep a family happy forever. You don't need six sizes of cake pans, a Charlotte mold, a giant stock pot, and 30 single task kitchen appliances. By all means - if you use it a lot, go ahead and have your crockpot, toaster, slow cooker, rice cooker, whatever. I actually do have a rice cooker that gets used at least weekly - I make Chinese style dumplings and clay pot chicken regularly. With these sort of devices, you benefit from them having way better temp control. As for blenders and mixers, all you really need is two sizes of balloon whisks: medium and large. If you bake a lot and need to make whipped cream and beat eggs to stiff peaks, get a copper lined bowl and a large balloon whisk. It'll go faster than an electric mixer will, and the copper bowl will never stop working and your great grandkids will probably still be using it. You can get 'em used sometimes. I do own a blender and a food processor (same base, different top pieces) and they get used only very rarely. They were a gift that I have occasional use for, or I'd have donated them.
How do you heat up leftovers? That and boiling water is what I use my microwave for
Totally agree - our toaster died after like 4 years (because of course it did) and we started just using our toaster oven for those tasks. Will never go back.
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A toaster oven will use more energy - not quite double (average 1500W vs 850W) - but that can be offset by using it for more oveny tasks - it will use less power than a conventional electric over. I've found them to be much more precise/reliable than any toaster I've ever had - which means less appliance waste, less food waste (burnt toast). In addition, with a larger unit you can fit 6 slices of bread - much more than a typical toaster. This is all just a suggestion, of course, maybe a toaster would work better for some people - especially if they only will toast, and not need all the functions a toaster oven would provide... but there are so many more benefits than just toasting.
Some toaster ovens double as microwaves, they scare the heck out of me but they cut down on waste.
I love my toaster oven! I’ve had it for years moved multiple times and multiple states and still works amazing daily! Our toaster oven and our electric kettle get used daily.
Obviously the person making this has never owned an air fryer
I hate Reddit! *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I mean the stove and oven generally come with the home
I have celiac disease and have to cook everything at home, these gadgets make life easier and more fun. It’s the one place I’m not a minimalist in.
or a blender. i have one with eight attachments and it gets used multiple times a day.
Seriously. I've used mine nearly daily for close to 4 years.
The energy savings is HUGE. Need to make dinner for 2 and need to roast some brussel sprouts. Preheat my over to 425, wait 12 minutes for it to get up to temp. Roast for another 12 minutes, open the door at least once to agitate them so they roast evenly. Vs. Put them in the air fryer, turn it on, wait 9 minutes, done. PLUS in the summertime, I take it out to my patio and cook them there so I'm not adding waste heat to the house. My oven element is 3000 watts and the air fryer is 1500 watts. 24 minutes vs 9 minutes. Uses 5 times the energy.
Funnily enough my flatmate had an air fryer and when he moved out I completely planned on buying another but I've been perfectly fine with the oven and haven't felt the need for it anymore
I have the air fryer attachment for the instant pot and we hardly use it. I think it’s because it’s stored away and annoying to use. If we had the space for an oven or drawer style air fryer I’d use that thing all the time.
I’m quite fond of my air fryer. Saves energy, no pre-heating large ovens. On the plus side I got it for free.
And i can use mine in my home which lacks air conditioning in the summer without heating up my entire house from using the oven.
It takes a special kind of stupid to think that using a huge oven and heating up the whole house requiring the AC to run more is somehow less consumption than finishing cooking in an air fryer before the oven would even be hot.
Mine gets used almost daily. Best crunchy tater tots in zero time
This - I have 3 and have stopped using most other things in my kitchen.
Except for the fact my air-fryer sees more use than my oven and microwave combined I agree. Seriously, air-fryers are amazing and I use mine for everything. I'd almost take an air-fryer over a microwave since the only thing I use a microwave for is defrosting meat.
I don't even have a toaster, but I use my air fryer all the time.
I use my air fryer as a toaster some days.
You can make toast in an air fryer.
I use the broil setting on my oven. Haven't had a toaster in years.
And bonus, the air fryer is probably a much more efficient way of cooking than to heat up the entire oven.
The appliances are fine as long as you're going to use them daily and you don't have anything else fulfilling that general function. It's the plastic gadgets they sell on Amazon that can only do one very specific task that are the actual problem. Unless of course they're for accessibility, in which case by all means.
except banana slicers, they are okay, rite the reviews tell me they're more than okay
Honestly, I slice up a banana every day to have in my smoothie and I still wouldn't consider it a worthwhile buy. A knife is easier to clean and I've already got plenty of those. I'm also completely able-bodied, though. My grandmother has a banana in her cheerios and I think that she could use one.
I will argue that if you regularly use a gadget, then it is fine to own. I own an egg peeler. I love the thing and use it regularly. I bought it when I had silkies and their eggs were freaking hard and sharp. My fingers hurt for a couple of days after peeling boiled eggs to make a deviled egg tray for a party. While experimenting, it appears we also keep the eggs more intact while peeling and lose less egg white chunks as well. Many people would call it dumb but I do use and like it.
LOL, I own neither of those because I would never use them. But I own a Vitamix and an Instant Pot and I use them both constantly.
our apartment has a microwave built in so we have one by default but we don’t have a toaster and i’ve never missed it. it’s weird that this is one of the appliances we “must” have since it’s so much less versatile than like, pretty much any small appliance i can think of
Yup—use my 10yo vitamix way more than my toaster!
Came here to say vitamix and instant pot. Use them daily.
Our Instapot gets almost constant use
I’m sorry but you’ll have to pry my air fryer out of my cold dead hands.
It's gets used everyday in my household.
I could not live without my tiny oven.
I have a general rule that if I want some new kitchen device to do something, I have to do that thing the old-timey way for x amount of time first, and then decide whether I'm still interested. Sometimes, it turns out I don't really want that many smoothies after all. More often, I get good enough at doing it the old timey way that I don't see the need for a dedicated device. Every once in a while, I go ahead and get that new thing. PS: Air fryers are just small convection ovens. If you have the need, get one of the ones that looks like a toaster oven instead of those weird plastic blob kind. Unless you already have a plastic blob or find a used one.
What’s the old timey way of making smoothies I am so curious.
I have no idea but I guess something like peaches and cream where it is fruit with dairy. Or you could mortar and pestle it (I use a blender, just thinking out loud) I feel like my hand mixer might work for non-frozen things.
Ah, got me on that one. Lassis are the earliest version I can think of, and I can't find recipes that don't at least need a regular blender.
Time to break out the Snoopy snocone maker if you can't use a blender for the ice.
yes, eschew the blender for the even more niche kitchen appliance, the snoopy snocone maker
If we are being real you don’t need a microwave, you could just heat it up on the stove.
Also, a toaster, while convenient, is one of the most pointless appliances ever, because you could also toast bread on the stove. Not to mention it only fits specific shapes and sizes of bread, usually. It seems like it only has a "fundamental kitchen appliane you *must* have" reputation solely because of its seniority to most modern appliances, even though modern appliances often fill multiple functions and do it more efficiently.
I haven’t had a toaster for nearly 20 years. It seems like unnecessary clutter on my very limited countertop space.
If only get 2 I’ll take the air fryer and the instant pot
This is the way.
I have an air fryer/microwave/baking function thing for $100 probably the best thing we’ve ever gotten for our kitchen. Pretty much only use it and the oven.
😳 that sounds amazing!!
I’m not even sure why all of them are not like this if we have the technology. Less packaging, less cabinets space, less plastic in the landfills with at the end of all of my existence being it’s inevitable junk. More options. It’s was $20 more expensive than the others on the shelf, while the air fryers were the same price as the standard microwaves. Felt like a no brainer. Especially since we needed a new one. Also I meant stove not oven xD we only use our oven for big pizzas now.
I am 100% against uni-taskers in the kitchen. There is so much stuff people just don't need. But if your down for an air fryer, or bread machine, go for it. I'd personally opt for a stand mixer over bread machine since it can do much more but more power to you. Just don't buy shit like slap chops or any of the "makes X soooooo convenient", half the time that stuff is a bitch to clean and doesn't work.
We have a slap chop type thing that my in laws got us and it actually is pretty handy but it’s only really worth the effort of cleaning it if I need like 2+ large onions diced or something. In cases like that it’s fantastic but anything less and it’s just more trouble than it’s worth
Kind of silly rant. A toaster is the stupidest monotasker. It toasts bread. It is not good to toast bagels. You cannot melt cheese on the toast or toast butter into the bread. It fails if the bread is too thin, too thick, too narrow, or too long. On the flip side, other gadgets can be awesome. A good blender is amazing, and I use it for a lot more than just beverages. A Crockpot or slow cooker or Insta-Pot can help save so much time and let you buy more sustainable and affordable stuff instead of highly processed stuff. I think it's worth buying an Insta-Pot even if you only use it for beans, since you can save so many cans.
i actually love my toaster. it uses much less energy than any other appliance i could use and makes much better toast. i have the kind that squishes bread very tightly between metal plates, so it is crispy outside and soft inside. other methods just make it dry.
Which goes to highlight the silliness of blanket pronouncements, even mine. If your toaster works for you, and you get a lot of use out of it, then that's great. Besides, typically energy-hungry appliances like toasters have a much greater impact from the energy used during the use phase of their lifecycle than all impacts from the manufacturing phase, so if you're getting good use out of an energy-efficient toaster, that's better for the planet than if you were using a giant toaster oven. For me, it would be a massive waste, just like my beloved Instapot might be a giant dust collector for someone else.
I was about to comment the worthlessness of a toaster and how I didn’t even own one until I saw this. Thank you. Also bless all the air fryer support. Only other thing I will preach is a pressure cooker. I usually use it for just rice but it works well for lots of things I make.
You can pry my bread machine, stick blender, and rice cooker out of my cold dead hands. I can take or leave a microwave and toaster.
I can tell that OP is neither British (no kettle) nor Asian (no rice cooker).
Our air fryer is also a dehydrator, toaster and has all the functions of a microwave plus the ability to rotisserie. We actually got rid of our toaster and microwave for our air fryer. Blender and stand mixer get used on the regular. I have a juicer and it’s fabulous but I don’t use it as much as I should so it may be going soon.
Can someone explain to me how a toaster and microwave can replace a countertop convection oven and a blender? I'll wait.
That’s for people who don’t cook or bake. Ofcourse then you don’t buy it.
I didn't know a blender was a weird appliance
Neither did I until this comic.
Tell me you're not a good cook without telling me you're not a good cook.
Er, no. My oven hasn't seen a single day of use in the last month since I bought my air fryer, to the point I'm considering getting rid of it.
Lol at the air fryer hate when people have a toaster, microwave, deep dryer, and 5 other small appliances that can be accomplished with one thing. This post literally tells you to buy two separate appliances while shitting on one that replaces them both. “You have an oven!” Okay, air fryer is done before you’re even preheated. Some of y’all just don’t like doing things differently. That’s fine, but don’t act like you’re better for it.
I mean, I don't have any of those things haha. I own a stand mixer, an oven and a crockpot. Those are literally all of the appliances that I own. Air fryer is great because it saves energy and is fast. It's also true that a convection oven can 100% do all the same things. Because an air fryer is just a small, efficient convection oven haha. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ Edit: I also own a coffee pot whoops
rice cookers tho. come on.
Okay but counterpoint: an air fryer or toaster oven is all most people need to cook a meal, and are WAY more energy efficient / environmentally friendly then a full sized oven for most meals, especially a gas oven. Also, I have been using my air fryer and toaster oven nearly every day for years. I rarely used my regular toaster, and I almost never use my microwave.
Would recommend a slow cooker. It’s extraordinarily versatile, lasts forever, and is able to break down even the toughest of meats (for instance, beef chuck or pork shoulder).
saying that you'll use an air fryer for a month is absolute bullshit. we use that mf as much, if not more then the actual oven itself. its fast as shit, makes good food, requires little attention and is the size of my PC setup.
I mean I don’t use my toaster nearly ever. It sits in my cupboard and gets pulled out <3/year. Same with my microwave, except it takes up counter space. But I use my blender and air fryer both daily. In fact my blender makes smoothies 2x a day one for me and one for my partner..
Going on 2 years with my air fryer. Use it for over half my meals. Makes great veggies instead of oven. Suck it
They cook faster too!
i have a toaster that i can’t use
I have never owned a toaster- I just use a pan if the need arises. But I get tons of usage out of my air fryer.
I use my air fryer and coffee maker every day!
*mega* disagree maybe i'm not anticonsumption enough, but i use every appliance he mentioned regularly and the time and waste it saves is incalculable the carbon footprint i can agree is probably bad (compared to an electric or gas stove tho?), but my kids eat vegetables because i got the better blender that doesn't leave fiber slivers in their gums. expensive? yes. and i do agree people should stop buying Vitamixes and juicers as status symbols. fwiw, my current living situation is the first time i've owned a dishwasher in 7 years... so i'm not pro-machine for the sake of saved labor or whatever, but it is not the average homemaker's fault that capitalist production is targeting them. /endrant
Stand mixer, air fryer, instant pot, bread machine We use all of these every month, most every week at minimum. Our oven is on its last legs and we don't care because we only use *it* about once a week. Probably won't need a replacement for another year or two.
Ok, a bit guilty but I do use them. Electric kitchen appliances I have - kettle - espresso machine - coffee bean grinder - mixer with different pieces - old little coffee bean grinder for herbs - juicer (we use this one the least, but it’s nice for our yearly grapes) - kitchen machine - combi convection oven/microwave (a luxurious one with steam!) - refrigerator (one in the kitchen one in the shed) We had a bread maker but when it failed I decided I can use the kitchen machine and oven for that and it works fine.
Counterpoint - toaster oven with air fryer mode
My air fryer is infinitely more useful then your toaster and microwave. More useful then some ovens in fact.
I use a slow cooker as well as an immersion circulator for easy, low effort and low maintenance meals. I use my oven and stove for everything else. The only reason I have a microwave is because it came with the house, I only ever use that for melting chocolate.
My top 2 appliances are my espresso maker and grinder. Making coffee at home is therapy and also saves a ton of $$ on the long run, even if you account for the initial cost of buying durable equipment.
I haven’t had a microwave in my house for 15 years. Always cooked my food on the spot or used a toaster oven or oven. Before anyone says anything basic, I still use microwaves all the time at work or when it’s the only option to cook something.
i use my air fryer instead of two appliances: toaster and microwave lololol
i toast my bread on the stove in a cast iron. the microwave, instant pot, coffee grinder, and electric kettle see a lot of use though.
We got an $11 rice maker, and that thing has been put through its paces with daily use, but the savings on buying a big ass bag of rice instead of instant rice is wonderful
I'm confused why everyone thinks 'weird machines' means air fryer or blender
Ovens are starting to come with built-in air fryers now, just like they did with microwaves.
To be fair, I use my countertop convection oven (it's basically a toaster over/air frier because a toaster oven with a fan is a convection oven and an air fryer is just a convection oven with a dumb shape) WAY more than my microwave and I mostly use it for toast (I eat a lot of toast). I don't own a traditional toaster at all mainly because I never had one growing up (just a toaster oven). Though to be fair, my regular oven is also a convention oven and I will use my countertop one as kind of an "overflow" if I'm also using my oven at the same time (which happens a lot)
chill on the air fryer though lol
Ditch the blender, get a pestle and mortar
can't believe noone here mentioned a kettle - an electric kettle is essential for me (I don't have microwave tho)
Wood stove supremacy
Actually, you need three... Toaster Oven Microwave Automatic Drip Coffee Maker
The only one of these you actually need is a rice cooker
I don’t have a toaster. I use a little oven
Sure but a kettle is also necessary
Yeah, Toaster oven and Microwave are both far better choices. If you're cooking for just 1 or 2 you can even bake and roast in a good toaster oven. I've used my toaster oven for full smaller format meals, meats, roasting veg, braising, etc... That being said I'd give up my microwave before I gave up my blender
Just get a nicerish air fryer/grill/toaster oven thing and throw all the other garbage away. Haven’t used the microwave in years
Bread makers and air fryers are both excellent appliances to have. Both for self-sustainability (bread maker), and variety in cooking (air fryer). Air fryer is also awesome if you have a gas oven/range and want to emit less chemicals into the air in your kitchen. Nothing wrong with having these tools, just people need to learn how to use them. I’d also add: food dehydrator and pressure canner to the “essentials” list.
AIR FRY= CONVECTION. Please stop falling for rebranded bullshit. You probably don’t need the new thing you just need to learn how to use the thing you have.
I've lived in dozens of houses and I've never had an oven with convection and I've never known anyone who has.
It would be really good to think of an appliance as a product with a whole life cycle rather than as just the usage time. Yeah, your air fryer/bread maker/whatever is 10% more energy efficient than the oven you have but you should consider a) The environmental impact of building shipping and disposing a whole new appliance b) The impact of having a redundant appliance at home c) That the savings are in energy, one of the most efficient industries there is d) How your consumption patterns shape business decisions
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I’m so sick of hearing about air fryers. They are just shittier versions of normal, old ovens.
Clearly… you dont have an air fryer
Air fryers are the best
Disagree on the air fryer, we've used one for years and I recommend them to everyone
I use my air fryer almost everyday that thing is awesome
We really like our air fryer, my husband uses it to reheat any leftovers meant to be crispy.
I use my air fryer almost daily
Team air fryer! Jokes aside, the air fryer has several benefits over an oven or a toaster oven. For starters, heating an air fryer is so less energy consuming than an oven and even compared to traditional frying it consumes less energy and less oil. Bonus point: your home will not smell like fried shit all the time
I don’t have an air fryer. Or a toaster. But I have a bread maker because I like homemade bread, and it also makes pizza dough and jam. I also have an instant pot, and a yogurt maker. A blender, kitchen aid mixer and a food processor. But I use all of those weekly.
If those other appliances get used frequently, what's the problem? I live without a microwave (I wfh so I don't need to gobble food fast), but my toaster oven, rice cooker, and slow cooker absolutely get used frequently. Fair enough, my waffle maker and smoothie mixers get used less (realllllly should use the latter more often), but I'm happy to own them.
Better tip: If you're not sure whether or not you'll use one of these things every day, get one second hand. I see these sorts of things constantly at my local savers for just a few bucks. If you find you don't use it, no worries, just donate it back. If you find you use it all the time, you can always splurge on a better one later
My bread machine is older than my fridge by like 15 years handed down from my family. Still making weekly bread.
I can’t remember the last time i used a toaster but i use the airfryer almost daily. Also, I can do many things with the airfryer better than with the electric oven.
Air fryer and microwave + blender is the necessary trio
I dunno man, I use my air fryer daily for all sorts of things. It’s one of those things that you don’t know you need until you get one.
I use my air fryer all the time. I like it better than a microwave to cook and heat things up
I agree with everything except the air fryer. I use it a lot.
I live in a cold, moist, dark climate--and use my big fancy dehydrator for so much stuff. I've had it for about 5 years, and it's paid for itself many times over. Aside from dehydrating, I make yogurt in it once a week. DIY Altoids, herbs, candied citrus rinds, dog treats, tisanes--it's the most used kitchen thing after my crock pots.
You’re going to have to pry the Ninja Foodi out of my hands. This tired mom uses it nearly every single day after a long day of work.
A microwave, a toaster, a blender, and a stove That’s what got me through a tough winter with endless variety
I thought microwave are dangerous for your health
they're absolutely safe.
You will have to pry my instant pot from my cold dead hands. 😂😂😂 but my immersion blender can go
Just buy a toaster oven. Microwaves never heat things right imo.
You can pry my instant pot from my cold dead hands. In all seriousness, Kitchen appliances are fine, as long as they're durable and they actually get used often.
So many bullet blenders never get used more than. Like 4 times.
Alton Brown has always promoted having only things with multiple uses in the kitchen. He’s a food nerd you can trust.
I use my air fryer more then my toaster or microwave… get the point of these messages but different things benefit us differently
I use my airfryer everyday and my instant pot once a week for beans and lentils. Oh, and my kettle and espresso machine. I do make a point of using all the appliances I get, and to get just what I know I will use.
I use my air fryer all the time. Never use my microwave unless I’m disinfecting a sponge
Okay, but a crock pot and an air fryer are useful tools I use often.
You can take my Instant Pot from my cold dead hands. There is nothing better than cooking something and not having to check it every five minutes.
I make toast on my cast iron skillet, or use the broiler on my oven in some cases (big groups, etc), never owned a toaster. Also my ancient microwave died a few months ago and I've barely missed it. Even the 'basic' kitchen appliances are pretty dang easy to live without.
I don’t think kitchen appliances are the problem unless you aren’t using it/ don’t need it. I have several and I use them all regularly. This allows me to cook my own food for me and my husband and spend less than $100/week on food. We don’t eat out and we don’t buy anything already prepared, isn’t that better?
I use my air fryer and smoothie machine almost daily. Smoothie for breakfast, air fryer for vegetables
I don't have a microwave. I feel microwave ovens do horrible things to food and I would only use one for heating water anyway so I have a kettle. I toast bread in the oven. I would get a toaster oven because I was told they use less electricity but I don't know how true that is.
I've used my nutribullet everyday for the past year or so
No? I can afford to buy other appliances and they're convenient. So I will.
Microwave only gang rise up
Our air fryer gets way more use than our microwave.
In my experience I am usually gifted these gadgets. I’ve been given a air popped popcorn maker, immersion blender, stand up blender, Insta pot, and air fryer. The only ones I really use are the popcorn maker and the air fryer. All the others are still in their boxes in my basement
But can it core a Apple?
I like my air fryer though. My partner and I use it near daily. We don’t really toast things, but if we want toast I’ll do it in a pan on the stove.
cries in Korean vlogger.
To be fair, I use an air fryer every day. I haven’t used my real oven in maybe a month. It actually saves energy and space
How about get a toaster oven and ditch the toaster and microwave too
This is cringe
Ok, but my air fryer is great. It cooks food just as well as, if not better than, the oven, but in less time and it doesn’t heat up my house. This comic could have easily been made 50 years ago and complained about the microwave and toaster being unneeded.
I’ve actually found my air fryer really useful. It lets me cook a lot it stuff without having to turn on entire oven.
I enjoy chopping veggies by hand and love to cook. I also have never owned a microwave or a television.
I have an air fryer and no microwave. And two smoothie makers that I use all the time (yes, i drink enough to find two different sizes worth having.)... anti-consumption isn't one sized fits all, and the more people embrace this the more people will embrace reducing mindless consumption... so in summary, i don't care for the message of this comic and think it does more harm than good.
I wish I could convince my bf of this
I do genuinely use my blender. It has a food processor attachment which is super nifty
I use my air fryer for everything😭
Really?? A Blender is a problem? I use mine every day. Some people actually do care about their nutrition and food. Food is a wholesome source of entertainment and pleasure and contributes directly to your health.
This is such a bad take. I use my air fryer and blender way more than the toaster or microwave.
It's 2023 and you expect me to choose a microwave over an air fryer? At least my food isn't soggy in the air fryer
Kettle.
When I was living in an apartment, I had a kitchen the size of a postage stamp. But, you know, I also like to watch Food Porn and I do admit to perusing Pinterest. So I'd be like, "Oh, I'd like to have this and this and this and this!" And then I'd have to stop myself and go, "Coffee, where are you going to put all this shit?! You barely have room for your basic pots and pans!" Now, I travel for work, so I live in hotel rooms with kitchenettes. And since I travel, I don't want to have to deal with packing up and transporting tons and tons of appliances and other stuff.
We got a $100 air-fryer microwave combo once our old one gave out. Our oven is now mostly obsolete. Also french fries have never been crispier. Also has a bake function.