A food dehydrator might be the biggest waste of money in the world. Per Alton Brown, you can accomplish exactly the same thing in either a slow oven or using air filters and a box fan.

fyi, you can get the cuisinart immersion blender with attachments for about $30 at costco.

The KitchenAid Artisan mixer costs £399+ here in the UK . Not sure how that converts with the Dollar but it's way too expensive to go on my wish list.

A slow cooker is a must for me, especially when I need to feed more than 10 people. As for the waffle maker - I'm on the fence about that. I mean, you can't make waffles without one, but how often will I really make waffles??

I think a microwave is a MUST, especially for leftovers that were originally pan-fried. Or for microwave potato chips (SO much faster than baking them):

http://www.beyondthestoop.com/2012/02/im-believer-microwave-potato-chips.html

and until recently, we were without a countertop blender. trying to make smoothies with an immersion blender just wasn't cutting it (would end up with chunks of frozen strawberries, even after blending for a LONG time). we have the kitchenaid 5-speed blender, and LOVE it (though when the funds permit, we WILL have a vitamix one day):

http://www.beyondthestoop.com/2012/01/first-sauce-in-new-blender-spicy-lime.html

I feel like the counter blender and immersion blender are not OR items. I LOVE my Oster beehive blender. But pouring hot liquids into it is a scary hot mess (literally and figuratively).

I have a small kitchen and do just fine with the hand held mixer for cakes and cookies, muffins etc. and immersion blender for quick smoothies, soups and salsas. I have a cuisnart food/processor and blender combo that I'm not a fan of but does the trick for pesto large batches of smoothies/weird nut butter puddings and sauces.. I also want a vitamix... but I'm not sure if the cost vs function will pay off for me. i will probably just use it for smoothies. Will I really blend my own flours and nut butters?

AND... I thought I would see rice cooker on the up for discussion list. Currently I'm looking to get one (newly gluten free and I have a 2 week old and 2 years old to look after--yes I burn my rice often!!)

i need a crockpot. we rarely use our juicer or ice cream maker. this is more because we are busy... we toast our toast in the oven/broiler and don't have a toaster and don't miss it.

My husband HATES that we have a bread maker... I have made about 4 delicious loaves of bread in it over 6 years :) but considering I would have made zero without it... I LOVE IT. Now looking for gluten free recipes to make in it :)

I always saw a microwave as the ultimate must-have kitchen item. Then I spent a year teaching in Korea. I was given a furnished apartment for the year. Refrigerator, stove, rice cooker, toaster oven. No oven. No microwave. I was really put out over the lack of microwave at first, but I got used to it. I got into the habit of making a BIG batch of something (usually some form of curry) on Sunday, and eating away at it over the week. I just spooned what I wanted into my little pan and heated it up on the stove. It worked out just fine!

I almost never use my microwave, and probably wouldn't have one if it didn't come installed in our kitchen. It's just a really big kitchen timer for me, most of the time. Outside of my retro sunbeam stand mixer, the appliances I tend to use most are actually my rice cooker and coffee grinder (for spices). Second place would be occasional use of my slow cooker and ninja blender, and that's really about it. I even make all of my coffee just in a french press and don't even own a coffee maker anymore.

FYI, the Cuisinart Immersion blender tends to crap out after a while. I had mine for about a year and it stopped working. If you read the reviews on amazon, this tends to be a common problem with this immersion blender.

I'm kind of disappointed with the readers' reviews on the immersion blenders. I really wanted to purchase one to save money on smoothies and maybe to make dips. I'm in college and don't want anything too expensive or big since space is limited. Bummer.

My grandmother has a GE hand mixer that has to be from the 60s and still works like a charm. I'd like a waffle iron, but I'm pretty sure I can beg it off of someone who has one and doesn't use it as often.

JANE UK, the key with the KitchenAid is to buy the regular, "classic." The artisans are much more expensive, and it's debatable whether the artisan style is even better. Here's one on Amazon for a little over 300. http://www.amazon.co.uk/KitchenAid-K45SS-Classic-Stand-Mixer/dp/B000744SZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336095737&sr=8-1
SALTED CARAMEL, have you experimented with a mini-cuisinart for smoothies? They're cheap and small and they chop frozen bananas well enough for me. The other option would be the Magic Bullet, but I'm curious as to how loud they are.

I'm always a bit surprised how many people find a microwave unnecessary. I use mine nearly every day. I made hot oats in it this morning (straight in the bowl = no pan to clean - important when you don't have a dishwasher), and I often use it to defrost freezer meals (homemade things that I've frozen in portions, like Thai basil chicken + rice + veggies, which I don't want to stir round and mix up in a pot).

Maybe it's because I live alone, but I love my microwave.

I was at a department store in the South East Asia and I noticed that the cooking habits of people there differed slightly from people in the US. Things like food processors, even ovens, are considered an extravagant. But rice cookers are essential. Slow cookers are rarely, which is weird since there are many dishes in SE Asian cooking require braising for long hours. I guess different cuisines and different cultures call for different appliances.

I also can't imagine where a food dehydrator would be essential. I mean, people have dried their food out in the sun for centuries, right?

You can use the 3-cup Cuisinart to slice or grate large quantities of veggies, cheese, etc., because it comes with a chute that you can use to direct the food into a bowl. I've shredded massive quantities of cabbage quickly with just this little processor and a large bowl. I also own the citrus juicer attachment and it's very handy. It's one of my favorite appliances and it's very versatile.

My problem right now, is that there are so many recipes which specify a Cuisinart (and it's cousins from other mfg-rs) to make something; dough, sauces, mousse, etc. For many cookbooks and cooking sites it's the 'one' gadget they assume you have. Frankly between my stand-mixer with a grinder attachment, a blender and knives, I think I do a better job making dough, puree and even making a more evenly ground/chopped whatever than a Cuisinart. I gave up my mezzaluna/wooden bowl and chopping with two knives on a cutting board techniques when I got a grinder, two passes and you're done and it's not total mush. (And as for stand mixers, I hate the tilt function, I have what was the cheapest lift model at the time; K5SS - but I've had it for 30 years now. BTW, buy white it goes with any decor; can you live with apple green or majestic yellow in 30 years?)

I have entirely too many small appliances that I never use. What can I say? Got scan-happy for our wedding registry..

I'm in love with our Kitchen Aid mixer, it was a gift so we didn't have to shell out the cash. We don't use it all the time, but when we do it's a lifesaver. We usually make baked goods for all of our neighbours come Christmas time and I think we would spend a lot more time mixing with a hand mixer or wooden spoon than we do now! I can whip up a batch of cookies, loaf of bread or pizza dough in minutes. It's awesome.

I'd love to ditch our microwave (it's currently above our stove as the hood fan and I HATE it) but it's the one appliance that gets used daily without fail.

We never use the food processor or immersion blender we have and the hand mixer only gets used if there isn't enough counter space to bring out the Kitchen Aid mixer. Our blender gets used semi-regularly (enough that I couldn't do away with it). And I have to admit that we do own the Baby Bullet (also a gift!), which was awesome to make pureed baby foods and now is sitting in the cupboard waiting for the next baby.

The slow cooker is slowly getting more use and we have a toaster, not a toaster oven (no need for both). With my oven so quick to heat up and the fact that I'm usually cooking for at least 2 people (if not more) I don't see the need for a toaster oven as well.

We have a Nespresso machine which I LOVE. Since my husband doesn't drink coffee, it always felt wasteful making a pot that would just sit there after I was done. With the Nespresso I can make my own single cappuccino. Great fun when we have guests over. I love playing Barista!

I have a stovetop kettle and an electric kettle and although I love the look of our stovetop one, the electric one is so much faster and holds a lot more water, so it gets more use. We do have an insulated tea pot which is really nice to use when making a big batch of tea. It stays warm all day and I can sip away!

No juicer, waffle maker or food dehydrator here. Never felt I needed any of those. I do have a panini press, but it never gets used.

One of my friends purchased most of her appliances second-hand when she moved out of her parents place since she didn't really know what she was going to use most often. After using them for a while she has now started investing in newer or better quality appliances, but only the ones she uses most often. I thought it was a brilliant idea! Especially if you have very little storage space.

Ok, I think it's time to have a garage sale now after doing that inventory!

I've had the KitchenAid Classic stand mixer for a while, but only recently got sufficient counter space to really use it. I have to say, baking a cake from scratch was a revelation. A handheld really isn't sufficient, both in terms of power and because it's a pain to stand there beating the ingredients for the necessary time.

I LOVE my Cuisinart Mini-Prep and use it all the time. The full size one gets so little use, I've considered giving it away.

And I have to disagree with AT's assessment of immersion blenders - the thing they work *best* on is a big pot of hot soup. Ladling scalding chunks of vegetables into a blender is a terrible job and you have to get a second pot dirty as you move the purreed batch out and the unblended batch in. I have a cheap Braun immersion blender that's been going strong for more than 10 years (and it's dangerous how easy it is to make a milk shake with it).

As for the others, the crockpot is a must have, as is a waffle iron. On the other hand, I've never owned a toaster and could easily live without a microwave (but hubby would protest).

My favorite small appliance has to be my little itty bitty probably not even a full 8oz food processor I bought nearly 10 years ago from the local drug store for about $12. Often I find myself processing in batches but it is okay. I got my $12 out of it and then a whole bunch more.

We use our waffle iron every weekend.

I have a microwave, toaster oven, electric kettle, and an immersion blender. I use the electric kettle to boil water for coffee and tea, to hard boil eggs, and to heat water to soak dry beans. I use the immersion blender for soups, making pots de creme, and making dips like baba ganoush and hummus. I mix batters and doughs by hand. The one appliance I've been considering is a food processor to grind things like dough for crackers (currently I use a pastry cutter and elbow grease).

I'm usually cooking for one, and I still find BOTH an 11-cup and a 3-cup processor, AND a stand KA and hand-held mixer absolutely essential. Absolutely. To me, they are not interchangeable appliances. Though, honestly, I could probably live without the hand-held mixer, but not happily. A counter-top blender, meh. Although I do have one, I could easily ditch it to the charity give-away pile. I probably use it twice a year. The immersion blender, maybe once a month, so it's a must. But both size processors, you'd need to rip them from my cold, dead hands.

I smiled when I saw the menagerie of electric mixing devices. Most of what I do in the kitchen involves mixing, and I always find myself wanting another specialized mixing tool. For instance, I have a vintage Osterizer blender, a food processor, and a hand mixer, but I want a Vitamix, an immersion blender, and a smaller food processor too. I'm always making smoothies, blended soups, sauces, and pastes. I rarely bake, so the hand mixer gets used only a couple times a year. Which is why the stand mixer didn't make it on my list of wants :)