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13 guides

Small Appliances Reviews

Workhorses that do the heavy lifting on your countertop — mixers, fryers, blenders, and more.

Best Stand Mixers
5 picks compared

Best Stand Mixers

For bakers who go through a bag of flour a week, a stand mixer earns its counter space fast.

Top pick: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
Best Air Fryers
5 picks compared

Best Air Fryers

Crispy chicken wings without preheating an oven — these are the air fryers that come out on top in our research.

Top pick: Ninja AF101 4-Qt Air Fryer
Best Blenders
6 picks compared

Best Blenders

From morning smoothies to silky soups, these blenders pulverize anything you throw at them.

Top pick: Vitamix 5200 Standard Blender
Best Food Processors
5 picks compared

Best Food Processors

When the recipe says "finely chop two cups of onion," reach for one of these.

Top pick: Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
Best Toasters
5 picks compared

Best Toasters

Even toast, every time — the four-slice models that earn breakfast counter real estate.

Top pick: Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster
Best Slow Cookers
5 picks compared

Best Slow Cookers

Low-and-slow champions for stews, chilis, and pulled pork that tenderizes itself.

Top pick: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker
Best Electric Pressure Cookers
5 picks compared

Best Electric Pressure Cookers

Multi-cookers that take pot-roast time from four hours to forty-five minutes.

Top pick: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 6-Quart
Best Rice Cookers
5 picks compared

Best Rice Cookers

Fluffy long-grain, sticky short-grain, or perfect basmati — these cookers nail it every time.

Top pick: Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy 5.5-Cup Rice Cooker
Best Countertop Microwaves
5 picks compared

Best Countertop Microwaves

Inverter and sensor-cook microwaves with enough room for a full dinner plate.

Top pick: Panasonic NN-SN966S Inverter 2.2 cu ft Microwave
Best Immersion Blenders
5 picks compared

Best Immersion Blenders

Wand blenders that purée soup right in the pot — and won't splatter the ceiling.

Top pick: Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender
Best Air Fryers Under $150 Under $150
3 picks compared

Best Air Fryers Under $150

We pulled the picks from our full Best Air Fryers roundup that come in at or under $150, then re-compared them against each other. These are the best buys in the category for cooks on a tighter budget — no compromised performance, just smarter price-to-value ratios.

Top pick: Ninja AF101 4-Qt Air Fryer
Best Electric Pressure Cookers Under $150 Under $150
3 picks compared

Best Electric Pressure Cookers Under $150

We pulled the picks from our full Best Electric Pressure Cookers roundup that come in at or under $150, then re-compared them against each other. These are the best buys in the category for cooks on a tighter budget — no compromised performance, just smarter price-to-value ratios.

Top pick: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 6-Quart
Best Rice Cookers Under $100 Under $100
3 picks compared

Best Rice Cookers Under $100

We pulled the picks from our full Best Rice Cookers roundup that come in at or under $100, then re-compared them against each other. These are the best buys in the category for cooks on a tighter budget — no compromised performance, just smarter price-to-value ratios.

Top pick: Cuckoo CR-0655F 6-Cup Heating Plate Rice Cooker

About our small appliances coverage

Every guide in this section follows the same process: we identify the products that matter — based on retail availability, professional reputation, and reader requests — then compile manufacturer specifications, published performance data, and patterns in verified owner feedback. Only then do we publish a guide.

Within each guide you'll find a top pick, a budget pick, and an upgrade pick at minimum, plus honest pros and cons for every contender. We don't list a product just because a manufacturer pitched it to us. If something didn't make the cut, we'll tell you why.

If you're new to the category, start with our top-pick guide for an overview. If you have a specific budget or use-case in mind, the price-band labels in each card will get you straight to the right contender.