Small Kitchen Appliances- From Kettles to Coffee Machines

You may not think that small kitchen appliances should be given much thought when it is time to purchase a new one because they are smaller and generally inexpensive in comparison to major home appliances, which are generally larger and static in that they can not be moved all that easily such as fridge- freezers and cookers.

But small appliances are very important as they give the finishing touches to your kitchen and are things that you probably use the most. And not all small kitchen appliances are the same. With the rise in such clever technology over the last couple of decades there is a great deal of choice. There are still standard appliances available that do exactly what they say on the tin, but some small kitchen appliances have some rather clever features to make your life little bit easier- maybe even luxurious.

For example, Siemens' Porsche Design kettle is cordless, saving you space and keeping counter tops clutter free, but it also includes a range of safety features. The kettle automatically switches off when removed from its base, automatically switches off when boiling is complete and has a safety locking lid so it can not open when pouring and scold your hands. Boiling water can be very dangerous and with most accidents occurring inside the home, the kitchen is somewhere that you do not want to be cutting corners.

But kettles are pretty regular as far as small kitchen appliances go. For real luxury, why not invest in something a bit more novel such as an ice- cream maker or a coffee machine? For real luxury De-Dietrich's fully automatic integrated coffee machine will give you that real coffee aroma throughout your home. It has a maximum volume of 2 litres and can hold 300g of coffee beans. It has a coffee bean holder and grinder and is touch control with a cool blue light to give your kitchen a modern glow, fitting in especially well with a contemporary glossy black or stainless steel themed kitchen. But luxury does not come cheap and although this is a top of the range specification coffee machine, it will set you back by over £1100, depending on where you buy from.

So what can you get for a bit less? Well, if you look at the other end of the spectrum, you can still get a nice looking small kitchen appliance that has plenty of features. The Whirlpool built in coffee machine costs just under £400, which is a far friendlier price tag if you are a bit strapped for cash. The water tank capacity is slightly lower that De- Dietrich's at 1.5 litres and it only takes ground coffee and pods, not beans. It is also slightly more compact and is only semi- automatic compared to De-Dietrich's fully automatic option. This small kitchen appliance is made from stainless steel which means that it is easy to clean and looks sleek and modern and there is a good £700 shaved off of the price tag to boot.

Of course, both manufacturers offer alternative coffee machines of varying specifications and prices and you should have a look at all of them carefully before deciding on which one is right for you.