Transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle opens up a world of delicious, nutritious possibilities. However, the key to making this culinary adventure enjoyable and manageable lies in having the right tools at your disposal.

Small appliances can significantly streamline meal preparation, enhance flavours, and make healthy cooking a breeze.

For me, I can’t live without them in my kitchen; I use the following seven small appliances almost every day. They have become indispensable allies in creating plant-based meals that nourish and satisfy my taste buds.

Here’s how these tools help simplify cooking and enhance the plant-based experience:

Pressure Cooker

The pressure cooker is undoubtedly one of the essentials in a plant-based kitchen. Its ability to cook meals quickly while preserving nutrients and flavours makes it a must-have for busy home cooks. With just a touch of a button, you can prepare an endless array of delicious dishes—from hearty soups and comforting casseroles to fluffy rice and perfectly steamed vegetables.

What I love most about my pressure cooker is how it transforms dried beans and lentils into tender, flavorful ingredients in a fraction of the time it would take on the stove. This not only saves me time but also makes plant-based cooking more economical. I can throw in a variety of vegetables, grains, and spices, set the timer, and walk away, knowing that I’ll return to a wholesome, ready-to-eat meal.

Whether I’m whipping up a creamy vegan chilli, a vibrant vegetable stew, or even cooking up quinoa to serve as a base for Buddha bowls, my pressure cooker is my secret weapon in the kitchen. It opens up a world of culinary possibilities, allowing me to experiment with different flavours and textures while keeping my meal prep efficient and enjoyable.

Air Fryer

Missing those crispy potato wedges since dropping oil? Well, air fryers are the whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) saviour for delightful crispy meals! These innovative appliances make it quick and easy to prepare your favourite dishes while producing a satisfying crunch every time—without a drop of oil in sight.

You can enjoy guilt-free versions of classic comfort foods with an air fryer. Simply season your potatoes, toss them into the basket, and let the air fryer do its magic. Within minutes, you’ll be savouring perfectly crispy potato wedges, sweet potato fries, or even crunchy chickpeas. The circulating hot air ensures an even cook, achieving that irresistible texture we all crave.

Not only does the air fryer make meal prep a breeze, but it also encourages creativity in the kitchen. My Overloaded Wedges were created in the air fryer. From crispy vegetable chips to roasted Brussels sprouts, it’s the perfect tool to experiment with different flavours and textures while maintaining your healthy eating goals. Say goodbye to grease and hello to deliciously crispy meals!

High-Speed Blender

A high-speed blender is an essential piece of equipment in any plant-based kitchen. Whether you’re making homemade plant milk, creamy dressings, flavorful sauces, or nutrient-packed green smoothies, this versatile tool conquers it all in no time.

What makes a high-speed blender a must-have is its ability to effortlessly blend tough ingredients into smooth perfection. Need to whip up almond milk? Just soak your nuts, add water, and let the blender do the rest. Want a silky vegan pesto or a rich avocado dressing? A high-speed blender can transform whole ingredients into a velvety consistency in just seconds.

Moreover, it’s perfect for preparing nutrient-dense smoothies packed with fruits, vegetables, and superfoods, ensuring you get a delicious serving of health in a single glass. Its powerful motor and sharp blades unleash a whirlwind of energy that breaks down even the toughest greens.

Incorporating a high-speed blender into your kitchen routine will save you time and fuel your creativity. It allows you to explore endless possibilities in plant-based cooking, from soups to desserts. This appliance is a true powerhouse.

Food processor

Unlike a blender, a food processor is much more adept at mixing, chopping, slicing, and shredding, making it a critical tool for any plant-based cook. While blenders excel in creating smooth liquids and purées, food processors shine when it comes to handling solid ingredients with precision.

Whether you’re preparing a batch of homemade hummus, grating fresh vegetables for coleslaw, or mixing dough for vegan baked goods, a food processor can easily tackle it all. Its various attachments and blades make it incredibly versatile, allowing you to quickly switch between tasks without the need for multiple devices.

For instance, if you’re making veggie burgers, you can pulse chickpeas, grains, and spices to achieve the perfect texture, ensuring that each patty holds together beautifully. Need to whip up a fresh salsa or a vibrant pesto? Just toss in your ingredients, and the food processor will chop them to your desired consistency in seconds.

This appliance saves you time in food preparation and encourages creativity in the kitchen. You can experiment with different textures and flavours, whether you’re creating dips, dressings, or quick salads. With its ability to handle small and large tasks efficiently, a food processor is an indispensable tool for anyone embracing a plant-based lifestyle.

Stick blender

A stick blender, also known as an immersion blender, is an inexpensive lifesaver in the plant-based kitchen. It’s ideal when you’ve created your perfect soup in the pressure cooker and must blend all (or part) the ingredients into a smooth, velvety texture.

Instead of batch processing the mixture in a food processor—which can be messy and time-consuming—a stick blender allows you to blend directly in the pot. This means less fuss and cleanup, allowing you to savour your culinary creations sooner. Just insert the stick blender into the soup, turn it on, and watch as it transforms your chunky ingredients into a creamy delight in no time.

Beyond soups, a stick blender is versatile enough to tackle a variety of tasks. From puréeing sauces to whipping up smoothies right in your glass, it’s a convenient tool for quickly achieving that desired texture without transferring hot liquids or prepped ingredients into another vessel.

With its compact design and easy storage, a stick blender is an excellent addition to any plant-based kitchen, making cooking more efficient while still delivering fantastic results. Embrace this handy gadget, and your cooking process will be smoother and more enjoyable!

TIP: Purchase a stick blender where the blade disconnects from the motor. They are much easier to clean.

Sandwich Press

The versatility of a sandwich press knows no limits! While you can certainly whip up a delicious sourdough panini filled with fresh greens and vibrant vegetables, this handy appliance offers so much more than just toasted sandwiches.

Imagine transforming quick slices of sweet potato into crispy, healthy snack bites or warming your favourite marinated mushrooms to perfection, ready to stack on a savoury burger. The sandwich press makes it easy to experiment with a variety of ingredients, creating delicious meals or snacks in just minutes.

From grilled vegetable stacks to quesadillas, a sandwich press can be the ultimate tool for crafting satisfying dishes that highlight the flavours of plant-based ingredients. You can even use it to heat up flatbreads and wraps, making it a versatile addition to any kitchen.

Tip: When selecting a sandwich press, be sure to purchase one with an adjustable lid. This feature allows you to control the pressure of the press on more delicate foods, ensuring you achieve the perfect texture without squishing your ingredients.

Rotary grater

Last but not least in our essential small appliance list for a plant-based eater is the rotary grater. This handy tool is a game-changer when it comes to food prep and is incredibly easy to set up and use. With just a few turns of the handle, you can quickly produce all the grated ingredients you need for a healthy salad or other dishes.

Whether you’re shredding carrots, grating zucchini, or sliced potato for the perfect healthy chip, a rotary grater simplifies the process and saves you valuable time in the kitchen. Its compact design also makes it easy to store, ensuring you have it on hand whenever you need to add a crunchy, flavourful element to your meals.

In addition to salads, a rotary grater can be used for a variety of tasks, including grating spices and even chocolate for toppings or desserts. This tool encourages creativity and experimentation with fresh, wholesome ingredients by making food preparation faster and more efficient.

These seven small appliances have become essential partners in my journey towards a plant-based lifestyle. They save me time and effort and inspire creativity in the kitchen, allowing me to explore the fantastic flavours and textures a plant-based diet offers.

If you’re looking to enhance your culinary adventures, consider adding some of these tools to your kitchen arsenal.