Below you will find some of the products that I am currently loving the most! And some of my forever recommendations on what you need to make your kitchen functional without cluttering it up with unneeded tools and gadgets.
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Our new pet Robo Vac:
We run a simple house and never really expected to be the owners of a Roomba. We were hesitant to spend a fortune on a robo vacuum (mostly because it made us feel lazy in our minds, I mean why couldn’t we just vacuum the place ourselves, it’s not that big…and for some of those prices, we just couldn’t justify it) We finally pulled the trigger with the eufy RoboVac. It is an inexpensive robotic vacuum with simple navigation and enough suction to keep your home clean. If you have a smaller home or apartment this might be a good fit for you. It’s simple, unfussy, and most importantly doesn’t break the bank.
After numerous international moves, I’m under the new moto that more is not always better when it comes to appliances for the kitchen. There are a few items though that I have concluded are worth the space during these multiple moves.
1. A trusty food processor – this is great for making hummus, banana ice cream, dips, sauces, blending up herbs, soups and also some doughs. This is my favorite and most used appliances that really give you a lot of flexibility and power to create new things in the kitchen.
2. A blender (if you get one of those ultra high power ones you may not need the food processor, but we have a simple one that can definitely not make hummus but is great for smoothies and soups)
3. A food scale – this is excellent if you are trying to lose weight or stay healthy, when you break a piece off that chocolate bar it’s easy to throw it on the scale and see if you’re eating 1 oz of chocolate or 5! Also great for meat and cheese, that are otherwise hard to measure when you are trying to count your calories. Also for bread and other baking where you’ll really have better outcomes when weighing, a little scale makes it a cinch.
4. Cleaning cloths – we have been using washcloth type cloths to wipe down the table, stove, and counters for probably the last 8 years, it is just like using a paper towel, except that you toss in in the washing machine and use it again. It is incredible how few paper towels we now buy (really only for the bathroom cleaning) They are great for mirrors and you can use them to clean your favorite glassware, gently and easier than with a clunky sponge.
5. Stainless steel pots, with a heavy bottom(this isn’t the exact set we have, but a good set at a good price that will last for many years) We have had a simple set from IKEA for literally 10 years and they are showing no signs of stopping. You don’t need non-stick for your pots, the items you cook in them don’t require it. Non-stick surfaces wear quicker than their stainless counterparts making it necessary to replace them more often, and using nonstick that is worn can become dangerous. Also, I have done my best to ruin our set of pots with no success 🙂 If anything gets really stuck on, another benefit is you can use a scouring pad or steel wool without worrying you will scratch your pan.
6. Glass baking dishes – these are easy to clean, and great for everything from a chicken, to a casserole, or cakes and brownies. I like using glass because I can see what’s going on and don’t need to worry about any coatings or chemicals. They are also simple visually when you bring them to the table.
7. Air Popper – We love popcorn in this household, so if you do to this might be a good addition to your kitchen. Popcorn is a go-to snack for us, especially late night. It’s easy to keep it healthy also when you use the air popper, there is no oil, no clean up, and no worries of burning it.
