7 Small Kitchen Appliances Designed for Compact Kitchens

The sad reality is that the majority of small kitchen appliances aren’t built with, well, small kitchens in mind. Yes, those Ninja air fryers and Instant pressure cookers save time on busy weeknights, but they also take up entire cabinets and counters. Depending on how often you use them, the trade-off isn’t worth it. Luckily, we found seven appliances that are actually small. If you’re looking to save space in your kitchen and time while you cook, read on. 

Best Small Kitchen Appliances for Small Kitchens

Don’t Buy: A Food Processor 

Buy Instead: A Mini Food Chopper

KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper 

A food processor is great to have on hand when preparing minestrone soup or chopping more than two onions, but it’s also bulky and difficult to store. If you only use it every now and again, get its smaller cousin, the food chopper. KitchenAid’s 3.5-cup version can chop, purée, and mix, which explains why nearly 23,000 Amazon shoppers use it regularly to make pico de gallo, hummus, and more. 

Don’t Buy: A Large Drip Coffee Maker 

Buy Instead: A Single-Serve Coffee Maker 

Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker 

At just 4 inches wide, the Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker is an excellent find if you crave caffeine early in the mornings but despise the hassle of making drip coffee from scratch. It brews up to 12 ounces in minutes, and can even accommodate a 7.25-inch-tall travel mug if you remove the drip tray.   

Don’t Buy: A Large Waffle Maker

Buy Instead: A Mini Waffle Maker 

Dash Mini Waffle Maker 

Weekend brunch tastes so much better when orange juice, maple syrup, and hot, crispy waffles crowd the table. For just this scenario, it’s worth buying a mini waffle maker. Since Dash’s version has more than 115,000 five-star Amazon ratings, it’s abundantly clear that it’s worth its inexpensive price tag.   

Don’t Buy: A Full-Size Slow Cooker

Buy Instead: A 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker

Bella 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker 

The perfect size for one or two people, Bella’s 1.5-quart slow cooker is a meal prepper’s dream. Fill it with broth, beans, and turkey before leaving for work and come home hours later to warm, bubbling chili for dinner. If you’re hosting, you can also use it to melt cheese for nachos or chocolate for fondue.   

Don’t Buy: A Full-Size Blender

Buy Instead: A Personal Blender

Nutribullet Personal Blender 

If you regularly make smoothies and dips, a blender is a must. That said, a personal blender will likely suffice, unless you’re feeding more than four people or puréeing hot ingredients for soup. Nutribullet reigns supreme in the product category for its power, price, and versatility. Plus, this one is even on sale for a limited time.  

Don’t Buy: A Large Air Fryer

Buy Instead: A 2-Quart Air Fryer 

Chefman 2-Quart Mini Air Fryer 

Air fryers have officially entered the mini appliance chat, and we couldn’t be happier. Despite its small size, Chefman’s 2-quart model can reach a temperature of up to 400°F and includes a dishwasher-safe basket. It even tells you when to shake your food to ensure it comes out as crispy as possible.   

Don’t Buy: A Fancy Rice Cooker

Buy Instead: A 3-Cup Model 

Aroma 3-Cup Rice Cooker 

We love our rice cookers. They save us from having to babysit a stove when we would much rather be stretched out on the couch after a long day of work. Aroma’s can make up to 6 cups of cooked rice in less than 30 minutes, depending on the type, which is more than enough for a group of six people.