What are the essential tools every cook needs in the kitchen? Whether you're setting up a kitchen for the first time or else looking to pare back down to the basics, our Essentials Guides are here to help. We've covered prep tools and cooking tools, cookware and baking pans. Today we come upon a somewhat controversial category: essential small electric appliances. More

Item: Krups Silver Art Collection Electric Water Kettle
Price: $79.00
Overall Impression: This isn't a cheap kettle, but it is well made and functions at top levels. It may be too shiny for some, but I really like its chrome surface and elegant lines.

As I've already confessed in previous a post, my electric hot water kettle is perhaps the most used small appliances in my kitchen. It's important to me that my kettle is safe, efficient and a real workhorse. While the appearance is also something to consider, if it doesn't work well then I won't buy it. So when the Krups people sent me their new, fancy-pants electric kettle, I approached it with some skepticism. More

After last week's slow cooker roundup, we thought it was high time to revisit this lemon garlic chicken, one of our all-time most popular recipes. This is a classic "dump it and forget it" dish: just rub the chicken with seasoning, add some lemon juice and chicken broth, and set the timer. The result is the most tender chicken you've ever tasted with just the right amount of lemon-garlic flavor in every bite. More

Did you know that the toaster oven is one of the few small appliances that Alice Waters approves of? If you do a lot of cooking for one, then you will agree that a good toaster oven is a kitchen necessity. The key is to purchase a decent model, one that really functions as an oven as well as a toaster. Then you can do everything from roast a small chicken (or my favorite, chicken thighs!) to baking off a small tray of cookies to making your cinnamon toast in the morning. More

Q: I am moving from Europe to the US and have to leave a lot of my kitchen things behind. But now I get to go shopping in the US for all new shiny toys! What favorite and must-have kitchen tools and appliances should I get?

Sent by Meike More

Last year KitchenAid went hot pink with Raspberry Ice, and it looks like they're staying bold and bright with the addition of Crystal Blue, a vibrant lagoon blue. But they've also introduced Frosted Pearl, a soft creamy white, for something a bit more classic. (And perhaps perfect for a wedding registry?) More

A hot, cheesy sandwich with tomato, roasted red pepper, a few capers, and a healthy slather of olive tapenade. Delicious and, inevitably, messy. More

Q: My built-in microwave is slowly losing power and on its last leg. I would love to replace it with a toaster oven when it finally dies and do away with a microwave altogether. But I can't seem to find any toaster ovens that are specifically designed to sit above a range and include a fan.

Any ideas?

Sent by Thirza More

Q: After seeing your recipe for Slow-Cooker Beef Shanks, I've been thinking about buying a slow cooker. I have some questions, though.

Since the slow cooker uses electricity over such extended time (4 to 6 hours), do you know if using the oven or a slow cooker is more energy-efficient, or costly? Could I use the oven instead of the cooker? Would it have the same taste?

Sent by Angela More

When I pared down my kitchen tools last year, the Breville Smart Oven was among those that stayed firmly in place. It's a counter hog, no doubt about it, but I use this appliance nearly every day. More