Kitchen Deals -> Small Appliances

The importance of high quality knives can't be stressed enough! Buy the best you can and expect to spend some serious money. It is better to buy a couple of excellent knives and slowly add to your collection rather than buying an entire set of low quality knives. Start with a chef knife and paring knife. You will also want to buy a sharpening steel.

Pretty much the same thoughts as the food processor. High quality mixers are great for making bread or other tough jobs. Every kitchen should have one. Be sure that any mixer has all three attachments: paddle, dough hook, and whip. Also, find a spot on the counter where it can be easily accessed at a moment's notice.

The insulation on electrical cords can become damaged by wear, flexing, or age. Do not use any cord that is stiff or cracked. Some clues that you may have an electrical problem are:

• Flickering lights. If the lights dim every time you turn on an appliance that circuit is overloaded or has a loose connection.
• Sparks. If sparks appear when you insert or remove a plug, they could be a sign of loose connections.
• Warm electrical cord. If an electrical cord is warm to the touch, the cord is underrated or defective.
• Frequent blown fuses or broken circuits. A fuse or circuit breaker that keeps tripping is an important warning sign of problems.
• Frequent bulb burnout. A light bulb that burns out frequently is a sign that the bulb is too high a wattage for the fixture.