Part 2: Five Cost-Saving Appliances and Smart Ways to Afford Them
A couple of weeks ago, I introduced the crockpot and upright freezer as two of my favorite budget-friendly kitchen gadgets. It’s widely known that cooking at home is both healthier and a great way to save money. With the right affordable kitchen tools, making meals yourself becomes easier and faster. Here are three more economical and efficient kitchen appliances you should consider using.
1. Countertop Conventional Oven: Cooking in high heat during the summer can be a pain, so I found a great alternative to using a big oven—the Breville Compact Smart Oven. It’s perfect for heating up a lot of food quickly and doesn’t take up much space. While you might still need a regular oven for large batches, this smaller oven handles pizzas, pies, and chicken effortlessly.
Saving on groceries: These smart ovens heat up to 400 degrees in less than five minutes and cook faster because of their size, saving energy in the long run. With its quick heat-up time, I can whip up something like a chicken and cheese sandwich in minutes, avoiding the need for fast food.
Finding a bargain Countertop Conventional Oven: Keep an eye out during Black Friday sales or check sites like Craigslist for deals. These ovens can also replace your toaster and microwave, making them a cost-effective choice.
2. Bread Machine: Remember when bread machines were all the hype about 15 years ago? They still have a mixed fan base today. I use mine to do the heavy lifting in bread-making, like mixing and kneading, but I shape and bake the dough myself because I don’t like the hole the machine leaves in the bread. This way, I can still get fresh loaves or rolls with a homemade touch.
Saving on groceries: Making your own bread and baked goods can really cut down your grocery bill, especially for larger families. With the right recipes, you can make bagels, breads, pizza dough, and rolls at home. Buying flour and yeast in bulk and freezing extra baked goods helps manage cost and time efficiently.
Getting a cheap Bread Machine: Lots of people have unused bread machines. Look around at yard sales or ask friends and family—they might have one you can snag for under $20.
3. Multi-Use Rice Maker: The Aroma 3 Quart Rice Cooker and Food Steamer I recently got really showed me that rice makers can do more than just cook rice. It has a range of settings that let me steam veggies, and slow cook meals like soups and meats, and it even cooked raw beans faster than my usual slow cooker.
Saving on groceries: Its small size heats up quickly, using less energy, making it a money-saving appliance. Adding brown rice regularly to meals can make your diet healthier and is cheaper per pound than pasta.
Finding an affordable Rice Maker: Depending on where you live, you can find rice makers with various features online or in stores. If your current rice cooker has options like slow cooking and steaming, make sure to use them fully.
4. Ice Maker: Ice makers can surprisingly raise energy use by 12%-20% when working. The energy goes more into the motor that moves the ice into the tray, not the cooling itself. Even though they require a bit of power to stop from freezing over, they aren’t super energy-efficient.
Remember, these gadgets won’t help you save at the grocery store unless you actually use them regularly! Start making meals from scratch with these tools instead of opting for processed or canned food. What are some of your favorite money-saving kitchen gadgets?
