The Appliance Type That's Just Cluttering Up Your Kitchen

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The modern era of home cooking often centers around appliances, going well beyond the usual stove and oven; there's the microwave, the toaster, and even the coffee maker. While some of them are genuinely worth the purchase, there are far more appliances that you really don't need, and they'll only end up cluttering your kitchen space. More often than not, that is especially the case with single-use appliances.

A blender can make soups, smoothies, plant milks, and juices — but a juicer can only make juice, so it's a single-use appliance you really don't want on your countertop. It's easy to fall into the trap of these sole-purpose gadgets, especially when social media is always trying to sell them to us. The heart-shaped waffle maker makes an appearance every February, and the mini breakfast sandwich maker that's supposed to recreate an Egg McMuffin features in many viral videos.

Realistically speaking, such appliances won't be used nearly as much as the multipurpose ones. How often do you actually make popcorn from scratch? Not to mention, everything that you can make with a single-use appliance can be made with a multipurpose one. You don't need a breakfast sandwich maker to fry an egg and stack it onto a bun! These specialty gadgets end up taking valuable real estate in your kitchen, resulting in a cluttered countertop and overflowing cabinets.

To be entirely fair, what's considered clutter is extremely subjective. If you're using something regularly, it's not clutter — even if it only has one use. That said, you're unlikely to constantly use a plethora of single-purpose appliances. You might also consider that the reason you're so drawn to these gadgets is the lack of trust in your own cooking skills, or perhaps simply the lack of experience with multipurpose appliances. A slow cooker, for example, has a variety of uses that go well beyond soups and stews. You can also make a pretty great toasted sandwich with a simple pan, and hard-boiled eggs are hardly rocket science.

Still, we understand the allure that specialty gadgets can have. Sometimes these appliances do make cooking a more enjoyable experience, and that's totally fair. When that's the case, instead of opting for a bunch of single-use appliances, find more versatile ones that will scratch the novelty itch while serving more than just one purpose. Skip the waffle maker in favor of the Ovente 3-in-1 Electric Sandwich Maker, Panini Press Grill, and Waffle Iron Set. It comes with removable plates, which are a lot easier to store than three separate appliances. The Nostalgia 3-in-1 Breakfast Station is another fun one that comes with a griddle, toaster oven, and a coffee maker; perfect for smaller kitchens where counter space is highly limited.