The Best Small Appliances That Save Me Time Every Week

Making daily meals can feel overwhelming when you’re juggling busy schedules and picky eaters. Over the years, I’ve learned that the right small appliances make weeknight cooking faster and much less stressful.

I use these tools several times a week, and they consistently save me 5 to 20 minutes every time I cook.

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My air fryer saves me 15+ minutes on busy weeknights. It reheats leftovers, crisps veggies, and cooks proteins faster than the oven. I use it for crispy chicken thighs, roasted broccoli, and even quick breakfasts like potato hash.

If you forget to defrost meat (I still do), the Instant Pot is a lifesaver. I cook frozen chicken in 10–12 minutes, pot roast in under an hour, and beans in 35 minutes with no soaking.

It’s also great for recipes like my One Pot Ground Beef Pasta, which adapts easily to pressure cooking. For safety tips, see this guide from Iowa State University Extension.

A good blender saves me time when making soups, sauces, and smoothies. I also use it to puree veggies for picky grandkids or make homemade nut milk with less mess.

For big family meals, my food processor cuts prep time in half. It shreds cheese, slices veggies evenly, and handles doughs and sauces in seconds.

It’s perfect for casserole nights or chopping produce for my Tomato Avocado Salad.

Even after decades of cooking, my slow cooker is still one of my top tools. I add ingredients in the morning, and dinner is ready by evening. It’s perfect for pot roast, pulled chicken, beans, and soups.

For extra peace of mind, you can review USDA-approved slow cooker safety guidelines to ensure meals stay safe and properly cooked.

I reach for this more often than my stand mixer because it’s quick and easy to clean. It’s great for whipping cream, mixing quick breads, or making my Cream Cheese Christmas Spritz Cookies in minutes.

An electric kettle boils water in under 2 minutes, which makes tea time with the grandkids easy, especially when I pair it with treats like my Iced Caramel Coffee recipe.

It’s also helpful for pre-boiling water for pasta to speed things up.

When I don’t feel like pulling out the full food processor, this tiny gadget saves me a solid 5 minutes of mincing onions, garlic, or herbs. It’s perfect for meal prep and small batches of dips or dressings.

A toaster oven is perfect for reheating leftovers without drying them out. It crisps food better than a microwave and makes leftovers feel like a fresh meal.

This little stick blender lets me puree soups right in the pot, no pouring hot liquids back and forth. It takes 30 seconds and cleans up with just warm soapy water.

More Cooking Resources

• What’s In My Kitchen Drawer: Tools I Can’t Live Without
• 10 Kitchen Tools That Make Meal Prep Easier
• The Best Cookware Sets For Every Budget
• 12 Best Kitchen Tools On Amazon

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