By Lessley Anderson, published on Thursday, June 26, 2008 / Edit Post

APPLIANCES

Be realistic about whether you’ll actually use something. If you never bake, for instance, do you honestly need a KitchenAid stand mixer? Research each product. Is this juicer easy to clean? Is that blender dishwasher-safe? Finally, reconsider registering for items that serve only one purpose. Panini can be made in a grill pan with a weight on top, not just in a panini press. An immersion hand blender can be used to purée soups and make smoothies, pesto, and other things a food processor or blender can do, with half the bulk.

Here are some appliances CHOW likes that you might not have thought of:

Toaster oven: It works not just as a toaster, but also as an energy-saving oven for small portions.
Pressure cooker: You’ll be dumbstruck at how quickly you can make things in one of these babies. You can cook unsoaked black beans in a mere 15 minutes.
Smoker: It goes outside, so it doesn’t take up counter or cabinet space. And you can make your own smoked trout, brisket, or bacon.
Electric coffee grinder: Fresh beans make better coffee. If you have a spare, it can serve as a dedicated spice grinder.
Rice cooker: It’s not hard to make rice with a pot and some water, but if you eat a lot of it, the effortlessness of a rice cooker is hard to beat.

ENTERTAINING

Think about what kind of entertainer you are and select your gadgets accordingly. Do you make cocktails, or do you just wish you did? (If it’s the latter, bar tools will collect dust.) Do you throw big bashes, small dinner parties with just a few friends, or large, seated affairs? Do you have an outdoor space for barbecues?

Here are some items for entertaining that CHOW likes and that you may not have considered:

A great grill for warm-weather cooking.
Plastic outdoor plates for picnics or meals on the deck.
Wide, flat-bottomed serving trays to hold things like deviled eggs and crudités that would otherwise fall into a pile on curved-bottom serveware.
An ice crusher for making fruity drinks, Mint Juleps, and the like.
A travel bar, so you can show up at parties and pour drinks for people, or ensure vacation rentals won’t be without proper cocktails.
A big coffee urn for the end of the party.
A hand citrus juicer for margaritas, ceviche, and more. This one works on both lemons and limes.
A seltzer bottle and CO₂ chargers so you can make your own fizzy water—no more wasteful Crystal Geyser bottles.
A warming tray to keep food hot at parties.