Small Kitchen Appliances

What makes a great cup of joe? Smoothness and complexity with no off-flavors. For discerning drinkers, especially those who like their coffee black, only a very good cup will do. Milk, sugar, and flavorings can only do so much to camouflage the defects of a so-so cup. Here's a guide to the best.

More blenders are adding chopping, juicing, food-processing, and even soup-making to their usual menu of margaritas and smoothies. You'll even find hand-held blenders you can put right in a drink or a pot. But our tests show that not all of these multitaskers are winners.

After sweeping Europe, single-serve coffeemakers are gaining popularity in North America. These "pod" machines offer convenience, but they tend to cost more than automatic drip coffeemakers and they rarely match the flavor and brew performance. Smaller drip coffeemakers are another way to "joe."

Plugs by celebrity chefs have helped to make food processors the fastest-growing small kitchen appliance. But celebrity cachet doesn't guarantee a meal ticket to the top of our tests. Nor is more power or higher price a sure bet. Some fancy models we tested actually made more work than they saved.

Citrus juicers and juice extractors are especially appealing if you like the idea of making your own juice from fresh fruits and vegetables. Use this juice maker guide to select one, whether for a glass of fresh-squeezed juice in the morning or a more robust mixture later in the day.