When it comes to furnishing your kitchen, it isn’t as easy as picking the first appliances you see or the ones that you like the look of the most. There are several things you need to consider when choosing the perfect appliance.
What to Consider
First off, there are three questions you need to ask yourself when choosing an appliance: is it functional, is it efficient, and does it look good?
Functionality
With regards to cooking appliances, functionality is fairly self-explanatory: how easy is it to do what you want to do with the item? Beyond that, you may want to know if it performs multiple tasks, how big the item is, and how it will fit in your kitchen.
Efficiency
Efficiency refers to how quickly the appliance can perform its tasks. Does the microwave heat up and defrost food properly the first time? Does each hob on the stovetop heat up fast and evenly? Efficiency also refers to how much power an appliance uses compared to its output; you don’t want something that drains a ton of energy for a weak performance.
Aesthetics
Finally, aesthetics is all about the item’s appearance and how it looks and fits in your kitchen. This will come down to personal taste, as there is no right or wrong answer, but it is important to consider how the item matches what you already have if you don’t want it to stick out like a sore thumb.
Microwave
When choosing a microwave, there are two main factors to consider: how big is it, and how much function does it have? On the first point, you want a microwave that comfortably fits in your kitchen, but you don’t want something so small and weak that the best it can do is heat a small bowl of leftovers.
Secondly, choose a microwave with various features, such as different defrosting modes and a convection oven feature. The latter is great as it can double as a mini oven when cooking a large meal.
Oven/Hob
When choosing an oven and hob, the first thing to keep in mind is that size will be an issue. You have to work with your space, but you can still get something that will tick all of your boxes.
A gas stove is brilliant as it heats up quickly and can simplify hob-top tasks. You also want to look for an oven with multiple adjustable layers that is big enough to cook different foods simultaneously.
Coffee Machine
If you love a good cup of coffee in the morning, you will almost definitely want a good coffee machine. Coffee machines vary so much that it will come down to what you need them to do and how much space you have on a countertop.
Do you just want espressos, or do you want to make everything from a regular cappuccino to a pumpkin spice latte? Research what the machine can and can’t do and then buy one accordingly.
Fridge/Freezer
A fridge and freezer are two more things that will be defined by how much space you have to work with. Are you going to keep them in your kitchen, one in the kitchen, and one in your garage, or do you want a two-in-one?
If you choose a two-in-one, you will need to be prepared to either sacrifice space in both or purchase a fridge/freezer that is drastically bigger than normal. The most important thing is to simply purchase something that will store what you need it to store; if that box is ticked, then you can move on to finding something with smart features, an ice and water dispenser, etc.
Washing Machine
Depending on how much space you have in your house, you may need to install a washing machine in your kitchen. This is another fairly simple appliance to choose as it only needs to do two things: hold a decent amount of laundry and then clean it well.
After that, you can look at washing machines that have different functions and features, such as multiple settings for different types of laundry, as well as if it is a washing machine or a washer and dryer in one.
Dishwasher
Once again, if you have the space, you may want to add a dishwasher to your kitchen. Nowadays, you have two options: a regular dishwasher that is about the size of a washing machine, as well as a countertop dishwasher.
While a regular dishwasher is well-known, the same can’t be said for a countertop one. Countertop dishwashers are much smaller, but they are perfect for individuals or couples, as well as those who don’t have the space for a regular dishwasher.
As you can see, choosing kitchen appliances is fairly easy if you just keep three things in mind: how functional is the appliance, how efficient is it, and how does it look in my kitchen? If you just remember those three things, you can’t go wrong.