Major appliances like ovens and refrigerators always seem to steal the limelight in your kitchen space, but what about compact appliances? We certainly appreciate the visually stunning full-size appliances, but your kitchen would not be complete without a stellar supporting cast of role players (small appliances) filling out the team.
As we know here in the Steel City, a championship-worthy team always has a great bench. Your major cooking appliances will always be the star of the show, but we all depend on those small appliances to check into the game and carry us through mealtime.
And not every kitchen space has room for full-size appliances. City-dwellers living in tiny apartments, condos, or townhouses are most likely living with even tinier kitchens in search of powerful appliances that won’t overcrowd their space. A small living space still requires a fully functional cooking area with a free range of motion.
The notion is, while compact appliances can still be appealing in your home, they aren’t always as effective. That's why our experts at Don's Appliances wanted to highlight a few small-scale appliances that are just as important and as effective as their full-size companions. Whether you need to make coffee or blend ingredients for your favorite salsa recipe, we carry a wide selection of small appliances from the most exceptional brands.
Coffee and Espresso Makers
Since we already mentioned making a cup of joe, let’s start with coffee and espresso makers. If reaching for the coffee pot and your World's Greatest Dad mug is the first thing you do in the morning, then you’ve come to the right place.
From countertop coffee makers to espresso machines to built-in coffee makers, we’ve got everything you need to pour the perfect cup of java. If you’re tight on space but want something a little more luxurious than a regular coffee pot left sitting on the counter, one of our favorite models is the built-in coffee machine from Bosch (BCM8450UC).
The sleek design brings the coffee shop feel to the comfort of your home with multiple settings to prepare espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, macchiato, and more. The Home Connect app allows you to prepare a cup from anywhere in your home and the MyFavorites setting stores up to eight of your favorite coffee preferences. This is one barista you can always depend on to get your order right the first time.
Toaster and Toaster Ovens
Whether you’re making toast and jam in the morning or heating leftovers, toasters and toaster ovens are a much more versatile appliance than you might imagine.
A GE Convection Toaster Oven (G9OCABSSPSS) features a quartz heating element that allows you to experience the superior quality of a toaster and the heating element of a convection oven which rapidly toasts bread and evenly bakes or broils your favorite foods. This extra-large capacity toaster oven can easily prepare a 12-inch pizza, six slices of toast, or a 9x13-inch baking pan without taking up much room on your counter or in your cabinets.
With a sleek stainless-steel finish and seven easy-to-use cooking modes including Toast, Bake, Broil, Bagel, Pizza, Roast, and Keep Warm, you can tackle any meal and complement your kitchen décor with a small appliance designed for durable performance.
Microwaves
If your kitchen layout won’t allow for a built-in or over-the-range microwave, there‘s nothing wrong with a classic countertop microwave. They’re small enough to fit discretely on any kitchen countertop and powerful enough to handle any cooking need.
Microwaves aren’t just for heating frozen finger foods; they are a versatile kitchen appliance used to simplify your cooking routine. The LG NeoChef countertop microwave (LMC2075ST) handles spills, splatters, and resists stains and buildup thanks to the EasyClean interior. Cleaning your microwave after meals never has to be a chore; simply wipe with a damp cloth—no chemicals, no scrubbing, no problem.
The sleek and practical design of the intuitive SmoothTouch glass controls not only look stunning, but they also allow you to operate your appliance with just a touch of your finger. The hexagonal-shaped stabilizer ring on NeoChef microwaves provides six wheels for the turntable to rest upon instead of just three. The added support means you can place even tall or heavy items anywhere you like without fear of them tipping over while heating.
And can’t always tell if your meal is heating the way you’d like, bright LED lighting makes it easy to check on the progress of your food while offering greater energy efficiency than traditional lighting.
Compact Refrigerator
We’ve come to rely on the ease and convenience of s full-size refrigerator, but when space is a factor, a compact refrigerator is the perfect solution.
More commonly referred to as a mini-fridge, compact refrigerators are ideal for a garage, basement, home office, or your kitchen. Whether it’s used to store and chill groceries or as your designated drink fridge, a compact fridge model will handle your refrigeration needs.
A GE Double-Door Compact Refrigerator (GDE03GLKLB) has a separate freezer compartment to store frozen goods as well as refrigerated items. Interior lighting automatically illuminates when the fridge door is opened so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Clear crisper drawers provide the ideal storage environment for fruits and veggies, and two glass shelves create a convenient storage location with an easy-to-clean finish.
Best of all, this compact fridge meets all the standards for an Energy Star rating so you can save space in your kitchen and save money on your energy bill.
Trash Compactor
This might not be the first product that crosses your mind when you think of compact appliances—but hey, compact is in the name after all. Trash compactors are a great solution if you’re looking to simplify your trash collecting and recycling efforts.
This stainless-steel KitchenAid trash compactor (KTTS505ESS) features the Solid Pack Control, allowing you to reduce trash volume by up to 80 percent. Not only will you use fewer bags, but with the odor management system, the trash compactor helps keep your kitchen odor-free.
The new design includes a fully integrated front panel, a 1/3 HP motor for powerful, worry-free operation, satin-textured handles, and features Whisper Quiet Plus to help maintain a quiet home environment while the compactor is running.
Blenders, Food Processors, and Blenders
These are the everyday cooking appliances that most people think of when they hear small appliances. These appliances are the supporting cast that you may depend on to make it through three meals per day.
Don’s offers counter blenders and hand blenders to meet an array of cooking needs. The Beko 8-Cup Power Blender (TBS8154X) whips through all your favorite blended treats, from smoothies to soups, with a 1500-Watt motor and 2 HP performance. This model is designed to pulverize the toughest ingredients and blend and crush fruits, ice, and hard foods with even results at nearly three times the power of a standard blender. And for fancier get-togethers, the Pulse Switch setting easily controls the consistency of foods like quick salsas or tapenades with uniform results.
Food processors like this GE 12-Cup Food Processor (G8P0AASSPSS) prepare the toughest fruits, vegetables, and meats with a powerful 550w processor. Chop, blend, slice, and shred your favorite food items with three different blades and blade speeds—high, low, and pulse—which are simple and easy to use. The 12-cup capacity provides plenty of space to prepare large dinners or meal prep for the entire week, and an inner feeding tube makes it possible to easily blend smaller ingredients liquids.
If you read our blog on Air Fry holiday recipes, you’ll discover that ranges with a built-in air frying mode are all the rage, but that doesn’t mean traditional fryers have been forgotten. This Miele Electric Boiler/Fryer Combo (CS1411F) is a versatile product with a temperature range of 80 to 200 degrees. The display is safe and effective with three types of indicator settings, the rotary dials are easy to control, and you can use it to prepare all your favorite fried foods and even homemade pasta.
Bonus: Portable Dishwasher
This might seem like a major appliance, which it is, but a portable dishwasher is still much smaller than a full-size model if you’re in a battle with your kitchen to make the most of every inch. This Portable Dishwasher from Whirlpool (WDP370PAHW) features a 1-Hour Wash Cycle to ensure your plates, pans, and glasses are thoroughly cleaned in a short amount of time. The Normal Cycle is for routine food soils and leftover remnants from day-to-day meals, and the Heavy Cycle will take care of baked-on messes and heavily soiled items so you don’t have to add any extra elbow grease to the wash.
The Soil Sensor determines how dirty dishes are and adjusts the cycle as needed to make sure dishes come out clean. The High-Temperature Wash option gives items like baby bottles and glassware a more thorough clean, and the Heated Dry option increases the heat for optimal drying results.
Small Appliances, Big Impact
Now that you know all about our line of small and compact appliances, you’re ready to make your kitchen and living space feel larger than life. If you have any questions or would like more information, don’t hesitate to give us a call. And remember: You can shop for appliances online or at any of our Don’s Appliances locations. Visit us today.