Counter culture demands equal measures of utility, beauty
Latest generation of appliances can perform double duty as handsome accessories
Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. The directive from 19th century designer William Morris may be shopworn, but it remains useful — even as a guide for determining which appliances should live on a kitchen countertop, says Tamara Robbins Griffith, design expert for HomeSense.
“How much you display will depend on how big or small your kitchen is. Either way, you need to ask, is this something I will take out to use and then put away because it’s not attractive, or something beautiful that I will enjoy seeing all the time?”
Increasingly, manufacturers understand that consumers want appliances to enhance, not detract from, room design, says Robbins Griffith. “We demand a lot from products these days. We want them to function well and be good-looking, so the appliances that do both scream to be given prime real estate on the counter.”
Homeowners, she adds, are turning toward brushed and matte metallic finishes, and multi-purpose, feature-rich kitchen tools — even if they come at a higher price. One easy way to achieve cohesion is to pair countertop appliances or accessory finishes with those of large appliances, suggests Robbins Griffith. “I might look for stainless steel canisters and an espresso machine, for example, because my larger appliances are stainless.”
On the other hand, she loves colour in a kitchen. “Maybe the stand mixer is a bright colour and you have a fun enameled cast-iron skillet on the stove. Some pieces have to stand out and some have to recede, “says Robbins Griffith, adding that she’s also fond of “punctuation marks, which can be anything from a tea towel to a toaster. “
Here, then, are three countertop appliances that may deserve a perch in the contemporary kitchen:
Blender: It’s hard to think of a countertop appliance that’s as versatile as a blender — go-to wedding gift and housewarming present of choice for millennials. Basically, the design — a motor in a box — hasn’t changed for a long time.
It’s worth noting, then, that Kitchen-Aid’s Torrent Blender ($650) won a coveted “Best of the Best” Red Dot award for groundbreaking product design. Here’s why:
The box has become significantly sleeker and smaller. A magnetized drive locks the pitcher firmly in place, making for a low-profile machine that can slide in and out like a coffee pitcher. Ideal, then, for small spaces, and an efficient use of counter space. Four pre-set programs tackle juice, soups/sauces, milkshakes and icy drinks or smoothies; adjustable speed settings and pulse are also options. A dishwasher-safe cup lets you add extra or forgotten ingredients through the top of the machine. Countertop oven: Why do singletons, young families and emptynesters all buy countertop ovens? Because they’re both an energy efficient way to cook in small batches, and useful at delivering extra capacity when preparing a feast for a crowd. Day to day, kids can use them easily and safely to bake pizzas, toast bagels and warm leftovers. Breville’s Smart Oven Pro ($369.99) has a relatively large cav- ity — big enough for a 12-by-12-inch baking pan. There are several preprogrammed settings but among the most useful will be the slow cook function, which can simmer from four to 10 hours. A keep-warm function keeps pre-made dishes warm: useful for parties.
If cooking isn’t your thing, but coffee is, you could hand the space over to Wio Breville’s Barista Express espresso maker ($800). It’s got several features, such as a cup-warming tray and hot water outlet for making Americanos. For freshness freaks, there’s an on-board grinder, which considerably ups chances of consistently good coffee. Electric spiralizer: Yes, it’s new, so the spiralizer could, like many geewhiz-isn’t-that-amazing appliances, come in with a bang and leave with a whimper (remember juicers?) But there are lots of reasons to consider incorporating one into your kitchen, especially if you want to bump up your vegetable consumption.
Spiralizers turn firm fruits and vegetables into long, noodlelike strands. Hamilton Beach’s two-speed, 3-in-1 spiralizer ($50) has a very small footprint and comes with a spiral cutter and grater blade. So, for example, zucchini can stand in for pasta, beets can be made into skinny spirals for salad, while carrots can be grated for slaw.
Just between us — there’s also a ribbon cutter, which you can use on cheat days to make homemade potato chips.