If you’re still looking for a Valentine’s Day gift for your special someone, how about a kitchen gadget? Consumer Reports rated hundreds of small appliances and has some recommendations.
The $60 Ninja Master Prep Professional, a food and drink maker, gives you a lot for the money.
"It's a full system that comes with a blender and chopper, so it's great for somebody who's just starting out in a new home, " says Dan DiClerio from Consumer Reports.
The $185 Cuisinart Perfect Temp Coffee Maker also got top ratings. It’s one of the few coffee makers that can brew a full 14 cups. And Consumer Reports tests found it reaches the ideal temperature to brew that perfect cup of coffee.
If you want to splurge, check out Wolf’s suite of small appliances. They come equipped with those signature red knobs and stainless steel finish. The $400 four-slice toaster earned top ratings.
"$400 is pretty steep for a toaster but it's nowhere near as pricey as the $5,000 you can spend on Wolf's range," says DiClerio.
The $570 Breville Food Processor beat out Cuisinart to earn the top spot. It excels at chopping, slicing, shredding and grating and does it all relatively quietly.
Another handy small appliance - an immersion blender. The Breville Immersion Blender for about 100 dollars is the only immersion blender to get a Consumer Reports recommendation. Testers said it excelled at blending frozen fruit for smoothies and was very good at pureeing soups.
