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How To Set Up Your Benchtop For The Future: 5 Must-Have Small Kitchen Appliances

June 24, 2022 - 3 min read

Just imagine if the average 1960s Australian homemaker could watch you kick-start your 2022 blender from your smartphone! Or hear you instruct your coffee machine to whip up a perfect double shot macchiato. No doubt you’d have to explain what a macchiato was first – but the notion of having such space-age tech in everyday kitchens would definitely blow their mind!

To mark 70 years of The Good Guys leading the way in small kitchen appliances, we celebrate 5 benchtop heroes that have their eye on the future with smart features and the latest tech.

#1 Gifted Grinders

Why we love them: Quick, convenient and much thriftier in the long run than all those café visits, coffee machines have earned a firm foothold on our kitchen counters (especially now they’re no longer as clunky as 1980s computers!). From zero-effort capsule machines and automated models that grind and dispense your perfect brew, to manual coffee machines that give caffeine nuts total control, who doesn’t like to wake up and smell the coffee?

The must-have tech: Preset your morning beverage to have it ready at the touch of a button (for that barista-at-home experience); Wi-Fi connectivity to place your order before rolling out of bed; pause-and-serve mode to halt the brewing process and grab a cup of joe on the go; a milk frother or steam wand for café-style cappuccinos; and the power of self-cleaning to save you extra grind.

Shop Coffee Machines

JURA E6 Automatic Coffee Machine Platinum

Smeg Automatic Coffee Machine with Frother

#2 Blenders with Benefits

Why we love them: Blenders now come in all shapes, shades and sizes – including hand-held 3-in-1s that blend, whisk and chop; sporty portables to blitz your healthy green potion on the run; and high-powered machines that tackle everything from soups, sauces, smoothies and shakes to Saturday night Margaritas!

The must-have tech: Self-cleaning capability and touch screen display for less mess all round; practical design for blending directly into a drinking vessel; variable cup-size options to only blend what you need; Bluetooth-enabled to allow your device to evolve with future advances; and interlock technology (to keep a firm lid on things).

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VITAMIX Ascent Series A2500i High-Performance Blender

Braun PowerBlend 9 Blender

#3 Awesome Air Fryers

Why we love them: These genius appliances circulate hot air around food to produce a crunchy, crispy exterior, letting us enjoy healthier versions of our favourite fried flavours (hello, donuts and crispy fried chicken!) with less oil, less guilt and less washing up. They’re also a whiz at everything from baked brownies to succulent roasts, in up to half the time.

The must-have tech: Rapid airflow technology for even faster cooking; smart sensing technology to automatically adjust time and temperature for optimum results; dehydration mode (convert vegies that are past their best into healthy snacks); Wi-Fi connectivity to track Tuesday night’s dinner without touching a button or to access Alexa’s help with built-in recipes.

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Philips Airfryer XXL Digital Smart

Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill and Airfryer

Cuisinart Express Oven Air Fryer

#4 Multi-Cooker Magicians

Why we love them: Effectively a slow cooker, a steamer, a pressure cooker and a rice cooker all in the one sleek device, these multi-tasking kitchen genies free up precious bench space and save time, effort and money to boot. A slow-cooked chicken curry waiting after work? Fluffy coconut rice? Meltingly tender, pressure-cooked lamb shanks? Nothing’s off the menu with a multi-cooker.

The must-have tech: Wi-Fi smarts to keep tabs on that curry from the office or get cooking tips in the kitchen; auto steam release to take the pressure out of pressure cooking (and keep your hands safe); in-built recipes for midweek meal inspiration; auto-adjust function to toggle intuitively between fast and slow cooking modes for maximum flavour; and auto alerts when dinner is ready.

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Breville Fast Slow Pro Multicooker

Crock Pot Express Easy Release Oval Multi Cooker

“Thanks to big advances in design, technology and functionality, small kitchen appliances now provide us with a sophisticated second kitchen army to help make cooking easier, speedier and more connected than ever before."

#5 Techie Toasters

Why we love them: It’s the first small appliance that most of us buy when we leave home (along with a kettle). Life is just better with hot, buttered toast in it!

The must-have tech: Smart cooking sensors to toast your bread, bagels and waffles exactly to your liking; a reheat function for when your toast gets cold (because you’ve been faffing in the kitchen); digital alerts to flag when your toast is ready; high-lift carriage for easier retrieval of smaller items like crumpets and muffins (no more burnt fingers!); a ‘Bit More’ button to short-cut your way to toast perfection; and futuristic finishes for a statement toaster that you’ll want to keep centre-stage!

Shop Toasters

Russell Hobbs Legacy 4 Slice Toaster Cream

Sunbeam Simply Shine Cream 4 Slice Toaster

Breville Smart Toast 2 Slice

The Good Guys has 70 years of experience in the kitchen, so you can trust us to know all about the latest tech, trends and storage solutions for small kitchen appliances. Visit us in store or online for the widest range and the best brands at the best prices.