Who else daydreams about home renos?! I often walk through my teeny tiny condo and make mental notes of things I want to improve — nowhere else does this happen more than in my kitchen. Oh the kitchen… Where I spend 90% of my time doing the three C’s: chopping, cooking and cleaning. I’m a self-professed glutton and recently gave birth to a little boy who has a ferocious appetite so I could technically camp out in the kitchen full time given the hours I spend in there. Just one thing: I HATE MY KITCHEN. Baah the appliances are outdated, white and desperately need to be replaced. They actually make me cringe every time I use them. I threw in the towel a looong time ago and decided to upgrade everything, but I ran into one big problem: finding condo-sized appliances is nearly impossible. I said nearly. Hope was recently restored when I discovered the Bosch Urban Collection on the Best Buy website. Naturally, I scoured the site and bookmarked everything I want in my dream kitchen (I included a few small appliances too). Then I went through and cut the list in half — because: small space. Here are the best appliances for condos in my humble opinion…
The 24″ Fridge
Did you know that 20% of Best Buy customers buy refrigerators that don’t fit in their home?! Yup, I could totally see myself doing that — I mean, I would obviously measure the spot I want to slide the fridge into, but didn’t even think of considering the delivery path and fridge door clearance prior to reading their refrigerator measuring tips. After checking out the helpful tips, I found the perfect fridge designed for small spaces: Bosch 24″ 10 Cu. Ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator. Features I love: it installs flush, has hidden hinges, wine rack, LED lighting (uses less electricity), multi airflow (minimizes temp fluctuations) and an airfreshFilter that neutralizes odours and filters out bacteria in the fridge. Did I mention that IT FITS IN MY CONDO KITCHEN?!! Hooray.
The 24″ Stove
I can’t wait to ditch our traditional stove and replace it with a wall convection oven and a modern cooktop instead. Thankfully, the Bosch Urban Collection allows me to do exactly that. In my dream kitchen I’d install the Bosch 24″ 2.8 Cu. Ft. Easy Clean Wall Convection Oven (it’s sleek and has an Advanced Circulation System which ensures food is cooked more evenly and 30% faster) and the Bosch 24″ Electric Smooth Top Cooktop (I love the elegant black glass and the child lock is essential with Little L around).
The 24″ Microwave
Guys, I need a stainless steel microwave in my life. One that doesn’t stain from all the food splashing up from below! I have my eye on the 800 Series 24″ Drawer Microwave. Features I love: you can install it under the counter/wall oven, clean-up is easy because of the stainless steel and it has a sensor that automatically turns off the microwave when food is done cooking — yeay for smart appliances!
The 24″ Dishwasher
Confession: I used to wash all of my dishes by hand. True story. But gone are those days with a baby in the house — I barely have time for a shower! I’ve never valued a dishwasher this much in my life, but finding one that fits in a condo is quite a challenge so I’m super stoked I found this one: Bosch 300 Series 24″ 44dB Built-In Dishwasher. I love that it has adjustable racks AND a flexible 3rd rack! More importantly: it’s virtually silent — yup, so quiet that they had to install a little light that projects on the floor so you don’t accidentally open it mid-cycle!!
The Mixer
If you do a lot of baking like I do, put this KitchenAid Custom Stand Mixer on your list. It can make enough dough for six dozen cookies in one batch — woot! I really love how durable and stable KitchenAid mixers are. This one also has ten speeds so you can do everything from stirring wet and dry ingredients together to kneading dough and whipping cream (it comes with a flat beater, dough hook and wire whip). Beyond all the technical details, it’s pretty — really pretty in metallic chrome — which is important in tiny kitchens where everything on the counter draws attention.
Photo c/o Ryan Emberley
The Espresso Machine
Speaking of pretty, my fave small appliance is my Nespresso machine. I’m a huge fan of the brand (fell in love with them years ago in Switzerland) so in my dream kitchen I’d upgrade to this beaut: Nespresso Citiz & Milk Espresso Machine. Allowing me to embrace my inner barista, I love the fitted Aeroccino milk frother (optimizes space), retro-modern design and fast heat-up system (java in 25 seconds).
The Blender
One appliance I don’t currently have in my kitchen is a blender (I know, I know: how do I live without one?!) I’ve been asking around for recos and it seems like everyone who owns a Vitamix really loves theirs so I’m putting this bad boy on my dream list: Vitamix A2500 1.89L 1500-Watt Stand Blender.
The Toaster Oven
In terms of usage, I think I use my toaster oven more than any other appliance in my kitchen so this item is a must in my dream kitchen. Gone are the days when they were just used to toast bread: most modern toaster ovens are multi-purpose now (they can do everything from broiling and baking to steaming and poaching). In fact, many condo dwellers are actually replacing their conventional ovens with toaster ovens like this one to save space: Breville Smart Oven Pro Convection Toaster Oven.
There you have it: the best appliances for condos in my opinion. Would love to hear your recos on how to build a fabulous kitchen in a tiny space. Having recently attended a Best Buy dinner with the famed Chef David Rocco, I’m sooooo inspired to start building my dream kitchen!
A huge thanks to Best Buy Canada for hosting me at their event and sponsoring this post. As always, reviews and opinions are my own.
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