Five Kitchen appliances that actually make life easier

And five that don't... confessions of a gadget queen

a high tech kitchen

I know , I know - all you really need in a kitchen is a really sharp knife and some decent saucepans, but if you cook every day as I do and have never managed to source a kitchen maid then there are some kitchen appliances that make everything quicker and easier. I have had all the below for at least ten years and I use them pretty much every day( unlike the fancy rice cooker I bought that I have used twice).

THERMOMIX

This is the ultimate bit of kitchen kit. It can chop ice, saute onions, blitz chickpeas into hummous, but unlike a regular food processor it can also boil up jam, melt chocolate, turn flour butter and milk into bechamel, and make the perfect hollandaise. It is also foolproof for making custard. I bought one twenty years ago and it is still going strong. I am so evangelical about mine that my kids call it my ‘ mid life crisis machine.’ I think there are now Thermomix shops but in the old days you had to buy through a demonstrator – once I saw mine make a sorbet in seconds from frozen raspberries and an eggwhite I was hooked. It has an inbuilt recipe function which is perfect for beginner cooks as it tells how to make things step by step. They are a standard bit of kit on Masterchef Professional and have achieved cult like status in Australia where they take food almost too seriously. They are expensive but mine has paid for itself a hundred times over in terms of cost per cook. I would recommend buying two bowls so that you can make two things at once. The biggest bonus is that it is very easy to clean. Thermomix

PRESSURE COOKER

I like the drama of the pressure cooker. Although I have never had a problem using one, I find the sigh it gives as it reaches full pressure wonderfully cathartic. The joy of using it is that it can make slow food fast with no loss of flavour. I can start an osso buco at 6 and have it ready by 7.30. It’s ideal for pulses as you don’t need to presoak and you can cook dried chickpeas in twenty minutes. Also great for making stock without making the whole house stink. I bought mine fromKuhn Rikon – which do a handy saute pan cooker, ideal for making smaller portions.

AIR FRYER

I wasn’t at all sure that I needed one of these, but when a professional cook told me I should get one to save the planet I succumbed. I have a small one fromLakeland Plastics and I use it for toasting nuts, breadcrumbs, - all those small but essential garnishes that make things so much nicer but are not really worth turning the oven on for. My best tip is to use it boiled egg and soldiers – I put the egg and the bread in the basket – cook at 180 degrees for seven minutes and breakfast is ready.

ICE CREAM MACHINE

No I don’t use an ice cream machine every day. I would be the size of a house and my cholesterol levels would be even higher, but it is a very nice thing to have. There are machines that freeze the ice cream and ones where you pre freeze the container. The latter type is cheaper and greener and the ice cream tastes exactly the same – but it takes longer to make as it is essential to let the mixture cool before you start to freeze it. I use mine to make Brown Bread ice cream which is delicious and can’t be bought. https://www.cuisinart.co.uk/cuisinart-solo-scoops-ice-cream-maker-ICEM10U.html

BOILING WATER TAP

This was in my category of useless gadgets until I actually got one. My house burnt down ten years ago and we put one in when we refurbished after renting a flat which had one. If you are a tea drinker like me it is a game changer – no waiting for the kettle to boil. It also speeds up cooking pasta, vegetable, everything where you have to wait for things to boil. Having one has been the silver lining to the considerable cloud of a house fire. https://www.zipwater.co.uk/

BEAN TO CUP COFFEE MACHINE.

I bought a Delonghi Prima Donna bean to cup machine ten years ago for my husband’sbirthday, and it is still going strong.If you are a coffee fiend then I think one of these is worth the investment.It has certainly saved my marriage.But they are big pieces of kit, so you need counter space, and as the name suggests they need lots of attention.I notice that Delonghi features Brad Pitt on their website whereas Nespresso has George Clooney , I don’t think either is included, sadly..https://www.delonghi.com/en-gb/products/coffee/automatic-coffee-makers

AND FIVE THINGS YOU DON’T NEED

A microwave - a pressure cooker is just sexier, and an air fryer makes things crispy.

A pasta maker - Italian Nonnas use a rolling pin, and everyone else buys it ready made.

A deep fat fryer - unless you have the arteries of a mountain goat.

A waffle iron - but it makes a good weapon.

A rotisserie attachment for your oven - I have never found one that actually works.