The best kitchen appliances for cooking: what to choose a housewife?

A large harvest of fruits and vegetables requires a lot of effort from summer residents. First, everything needs to be collected, then transported, and then figure out how to preserve "wealth". To make life easier for housewives, in stores there is a home appliance for harvesting for the winter. Various devices are designed both for storage and for slicing and preparing products.

Types of storage

The quality and duration of storage of products depends on 3 factors: temperature, humidity, air composition. For homemade workpieces, the main role is played by temperature. If it is low enough, microbes will not be able to actively multiply, and vegetables, fruits will remain fresh. To increase the shelf life of food, you will have to take care of the remaining components, which will require special equipment and packaging.

The most popular types of storage for home preservation and other products are:

• freezing is a common way to preserve foods for the longest term;
• canning in whole or in crushed form - harvesting vegetables and fruits for the future with the addition of vinegar, other preservatives;
• drying - moisture removal at a moderately elevated air temperature;
• salting - adding a large amount of salt to products;
• sugaring - mixing fruits or berries with sugar in a certain percentage;
• cooking - heating food to a temperature at which microbes die (most often this method is used in combination with others).

Less commonly used for storage are pickling, spirit, smoking. For almost any of these methods, you can use household appliances of general or special purpose, which will speed up the work and make it more comfortable.

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Cutting and grinding

Automated slicing of products is always more convenient and easier than manually. Now on sale there are devices that themselves will cut, chop, chop vegetables and fruits, giving the pieces a diverse shape.

Harvester

The ideal option for cooking for the future for most housewives is a food processor. This is a universal device in the form of a large bowl with a rotating knife. In addition to it there are various nozzles: a vegetable cutter, a grater, a dough mixer, a blender, a device for mashed potatoes. For workpieces, a grater with a variety of holes can be used. She quickly cuts onions, shreds carrots and beets, makes thin slices of fruit. Some vegetable cutters cut products into even cubes, which is very convenient in the manufacture of salads.

It is best to choose a combine with the ability to adjust the speed and a sufficiently large power. This is especially important if you have to make blanks in large volumes. When buying, you need to pay attention to the complete set: the more the combine has useful tips, the better.

Expensive devices boast such features:

• separate shafts for simultaneous mounting of several nozzles;
• reflection of settings on the display;
• the presence of a small induction panel for cooking.

Harvesters have few disadvantages. This technique is rather cumbersome, so it will have to free up a separate place in the kitchen. The price of the units is also considerable, especially for the untwisted models. There is a solution: more compact, a stationary blender will cost less, which largely replaces the combine. It is a transparent glass with a knife at the bottom and an engine in the lid and performs the main function - it grinds. Some blenders have vegetable cutters, so they are great for harvesting.

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Hand blender

Such a device consists of a “leg” - a chopper with sharp knives, which can be immersed directly in the dishes. A handle with a cord joins the “leg”, and the engine is hidden in it. The device quickly mashes potatoes, pumpkin, boiled vegetables, tomatoes, instantly makes jam a homogeneous jam. The more power, the longer you can work with the device without a break for rest. Some devices have a speed control function and a turbo button.

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Multisection

Another kitchen appliance for quickly chopping food into pieces of the desired shape. The multi-cutter, or electric grater, is compact, easy to put, clean and wash, equipped with a variety of chopping and grater knives. After launch, vegetables, fruits, other products are cut:

• straws;
• cubes;
• slices;
• stripes
• spirals;
• slices.

After slicing, you need to get the mass from a special container, where it is poured, and send to stew, soups, various canned goods and preparations. The device itself is most often made of plastic, but its knives must be made of stainless steel. All nozzles can be washed manually or in the dishwasher. Some multi-cut models have compartments for storing the cord and nozzles.

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Meat grinder

Even a harvester copes with a number of products with difficulty, and with their large volume this unit can even fail. Only a meat grinder will easily twist root vegetables, horseradish, parsley, because its knives are very strong, thick, even designed for processing meat. All electric meat grinders are quite powerful and can work for a long time without stopping. Minus: the meat grinder is not a universal device and does not know how to rub and shred, but only twists.

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Sterilization

The process of preparing vegetables and fruits is not complete without processing cans. Only sterilization allows you to destroy bacteria, fungi, their spores and provides food with long-term storage.

Microwave

The era of sterilizing cans in a pot of hot water is long gone. There is a much more comfortable way to clean containers: heating in the microwave. It is necessary that the equipment has a decent volume chamber, at least 4-5 cans of 0.5-1.5 liters each. Three-liter jars in the microwave, of course, will not fit in, and the only option to decontaminate them is to put them in the oven. Method of sterilizing containers in the microwave:

1. Clean jars with dishwashing detergent cleanly.
2. Pour a tablespoon of water into the container.
3. Microwave for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the cans with a dry cloth or potholder, place on a clean, dry stand and cover immediately.

In addition to sterilizing containers for seals, this device helps to bake vegetables, for example, for caviar, lecho.

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Double boiler

Our grandmothers also decontaminated the container for blanks by placing them above the steam from a pot or kettle. Today a double boiler perfectly copes with this task. The processing of glass products in this device is very convenient, it will help save time, effort. It is important that the double boiler is rather large in volume, otherwise not a single can will fit into it.

The technique for sterilizing cans in a double boiler looks like this:

1. Inspect the product for chips, cracks, defective remove.
2. Wash containers with soda or dishwashing liquid.
3. Rinse thoroughly so that the walls do not find its smell.
4. Rinse the covers with soda as well.
5. Fill a double boiler with water.
6. Place the cans with the neck down, close the lids.
7. Turn on cooking mode for 15 minutes.
8. Remove cans with a dry towel, place on stand, cover with lids.

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Cooking

Modern kitchen appliances allow not only chopping, but also without much difficulty to cook vegetables, fruits for seaming. Procurement of products for the winter with such devices will become convenient and uncomplicated.

Slow cooker

This multi-functional household kitchen appliance has built-in program control for several programs. The slow cooker can fry, cook in the usual way and steamed, stew, bake, etc. In order not to worry about spatter from the pan or overcooked jam, you just need to put all the products in the slow cooker and turn on the appropriate mode. In expensive models do not even need to interfere. It is also not necessary to calculate the cooking time: the appliance itself will turn off in a strictly set time. Also in the slow cooker you can easily cook caviar, lecho, any other salad for rolling. When choosing a device, you need to pay attention to such criteria:

• bowl volume (the larger the better);
• coating (you must choose non-stick or ceramic);
• power (it is better to buy equipment with power from 800–900 W).

By the way, in most multicookers there is a bowl for steaming, which means that you can successfully sterilize cans in it. If the device has a pressure cooker mode, you can cook all salads and jams much faster.

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Slow Juicers

Natural juices are a great alternative to compotes, they are more tasty and healthy, and it’s even easier to cook them with a juicer. The shops have mechanical and automatic juicers, but for workpieces it is better to choose the second option. Screw devices allow you to squeeze juice from any vegetables and fruits, so they are considered universal, and also the most convenient to use. They squeeze juice at low speeds, are suitable for frozen foods and are able to make even nut milk. High-quality juicers have the ability to control the ratio of pulp and juice, make smoothies and sorbets. The greater the power of the juicer, the faster the work of preparing the juice will go.

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Dryers for fruits and vegetables

The dryer is ideal for those who have a large crop of herbs, roots, fruits and vegetables, and who do not know how to use it. In the dryer, sliced ​​products will dry out and will not mold during storage. This "multi-story colander" with heating and a fan allows you to immediately place a large amount of products for drying, which after 3-24 hours you just need to pour in a paper or cotton bag.

In appearance, the dryer is a rather large device, and it is worth buying only for those who plan to regularly process vegetable food. Using the device, you can cook vegetable chips, dried fruits for compote, dried mushrooms and much more.

Instrument modes can be changed manually or set automatic programs. All elements of the dryer may be washed in a dishwasher. Devices with an infrared heater and convection are considered more modern than with a conventional heating element.

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Storage

Storage of blanks in the cellar is not always possible, and not everyone has it. Fortunately, kitchen appliances come to the aid of the housewife here, allowing you to organize a comfortable storage of blanks.

Vacuum

The vacuum packer is a new appliance in the kitchen. It allows you to keep summer vegetables and fruits, as well as any other food for a long time without spoilage, in a fresh state. Vacuum pumps make it possible to choose the air humidity (dry or wet), as well as the intensity of its pumping (normal, weak or turbo). As a result, the grocery bag becomes flat, small in size and does not take up extra space in the refrigerator or freezer. Features and advantages of the vacuum cleaner:

• preservation of all vitamins and minerals;
• the exclusion of loss of juice from plant foods;
• the ability to store dried foods;
• lack of airing and loss of aroma;
• prevention of odor mixing in the freezer and refrigerator;
• suitability for storing tea, herbs, coffee;
• indispensable for trips, trips.

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Freezer

Storing blanks in the freezer is the most convenient way of processing and the ability to consume the results of your garden work year-round. In addition to excellent food safety for a year or more, the freezer seriously saves time and money, allows you to diversify the diet in winter. The most popular freezer blank options:

1. Fries. How to save excess onions, carrots, beets? You can peel vegetables, pass through a combine or vegetable cutter, and then fry and pack them in bags and containers. Such blanks are used for soups, stews, meat, side dishes. For borsch, all vegetables can be mixed with each other and immediately introduce homemade tomato paste into them. By the way, vegetables are allowed and not fry, so soups will turn out dietary.
2. Diced vegetables. Zucchini, pumpkin, eggplant, tomatoes are perfectly frozen and stored. After defrosting, they are ideal for preparing main dishes in the oven, steamed, stove. Also, a vegetable side dish is convenient to make from plates or rings. If space permits, even baking boats can be made from zucchini.
3. Berries - whole or mashed. After thawing, the berries retain their taste and aroma, except that they become slightly more acidic. They are suitable for adding to cereals, desserts, pies and other dishes, ideal for healthy and baby food.

It is better to pack the products in the form of thin briquettes in the freezer - space will be saved. Convenient are zip packs that can be quickly opened and broken off the desired piece from the general reservoir. Also, with the help of the freezer, sauces, chopped greens and various semi-finished products are prepared. Preference should be given to roomy devices of ergonomic shape.

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Refrigerator

An ordinary refrigerator, even the most inexpensive, still has inside the zone with different temperatures. For storage of vegetables and fruits, boxes at the bottom of the chamber are intended, although such products can also be located in other places. Expensive devices allow you to adjust the temperature and humidity on individual shelves, which reduces the risk of food spoilage. In a quality refrigerator, a ventilation system is provided: without its presence, the products will simply wind up or rot from excess moisture. When choosing a refrigerator for workpieces, you should pay attention to such parameters:

• dimensions - the device should be conveniently located in the apartment and not interfere with movement;
• volume - it is worth comparing the needs of the family and the size of the refrigerator in advance so as not to make a mistake;
• material of shelves and case - it is desirable that the device is made only of stainless steel, durable glass and high-quality plastic;
• additional functions - in modern refrigerators, there are often such modes as “vitamin plus”, “energy saving”, “autonomous cold preservation”, “supercooling”, “antibacterial filter”, etc.

The presence of a variety of kitchen appliances has long ceased to be the luxury and whim of the hostess.The technique reduces cooking time and allows you to make food more tasty, aesthetic and healthy, so you can and should use it.