Make the festive season run more smoothly with the help of cool gadgets and handy countertop appliances.
Cuisine Companion, Tefal
The ultimate kitchen helper this Christmas is Tefal’s Cuisine Companion, which can chop, emulsify, whip, crush, melt, beat, knead, mix, steam, slow cook and even prove dough at the touch of a button. Thanks to its five detachable accessories, it can essentially replace up to 10 traditional kitchen appliances, leaving you with enough space to serve up all of your Christmas meals. Every Cuisine Companion comes with a ‘1 Million Menus’ recipe book, providing inspiration for every course.
Tefal Cuisine Companion, £699.95 from John Lewis
Thermapen 4 Thermometer, Sous Chef
The perfect stocking filler for keen cooks is an instant-read thermometer that provides an accurate temperature reading in seconds. How instant? Well, speed varies between models, but with the Thermapen 4 you wait less than four seconds for the reading to appear on the auto-rotating digital display (meaning whichever way you use it, the readout is the right way up). A clever new motion sensor puts the Thermapen 4 to sleep when you put it down, and only turns it on again when you pick it up, which saves battery power. Furthermore, the backlight automatically adjusts depending on the brightness of the room.
Cuisinart Soup Maker Plus
Bored of turkey by Boxing Day? Rustle up a Christmas curry using leftovers with the Cuisinart Soup Maker Plus. Don’t let the name fool you. From chunky or smooth soups to sauces for pasta, risottos or curries, you can sauté, cook, stir, simmer and blend using your Soup Maker Plus, without the need for extra pots and pans. Features include a slow-stir function that moves the internal blades at a speed that doesn’t blend, but keeps the ingredients moving in the jar, retaining the texture of even the most delicate of foods, such as noodles and prawns. Also, its non-stick coating makes it easier to produce preserves and condiments, which previously needed an attentive eye and constant stirring at the stove.
Cuisinart Soup Maker Plus, from £140
Retro SF37010 Electric Oven, Swan
Are you tight on space or in need of extra cooking capacity over the Christmas season? This stylish mini oven with rotisserie capability from Swan is the ideal solution. It features a 23-litre capacity, 100-230°C temperature control and 60-minute timer. It also benefits from five cooking settings that use different techniques, including top heat and bottom heat, convection and a rotisserie programme, which can easily roast a 4kg chicken as well as other joints of meats. The Swan Retro SF37010 Electric Oven comes with a non-stick baking tray and crumb tray for easier cleaning and rotisserie fork and handle.
Retro SF37010 Electric Oven, £89.99 at Swan
Cuisine Système 5200XL, Magimix
Take the stress out of being the Christmas host with the Cuisine Système 5200XL from Magimix, which leaves you more time to spend with family and friends. Whether you’re slicing veg for roasting, whipping cream for a pudding, blending soups to keep out the winter chill or even mixing your Christmas cake, the multifunctional 5200XL food processor promises to provide a helping hand. Available in a choice of cream, black, white, red and satin.
Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre
By all means, eat, drink and be merry this festive season, but also look after yourself. Avoid falling victim to coughs and colds by making sure you include plenty of fruit and vegetables in your diet. Start the day right with a fresh smoothie, made using the Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre. Whip up a lighter Boxing Day lunch using the two-litre wet blade container to puree vegetable soup for as many as six people. But on the big day itself, use your Vitamin Total Nutrition Centre to create a round of Christmas cocktails. Cheers!
Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre, £459
Chef Titanium, Kenwood
Able to knead, whisk or mix with the help of its three trusty attachments, the Kenwood Chef Titanium is an integral part of a busy Christmas kitchen. Boasting a brand new in-bowl illumination feature, which allows you to see the colour and consistency of your mix, it also features a load sensing control, which allows the Chef Titanium to adapt to each recipe, guaranteeing a very happy Christmas for one and all.
Chef Titanium, £499.99 at Kenwood
Ninja Coffee Bar
Already a big hit across the pond, the Ninja Coffee Bar is the ultimate kitchen gadget for those who want to serve the perfect post-Christmas dinner coffees. So what makes it so special? Ninja Coffee Bar is designed to take the guesswork out of making coffee. Using your favourite blend, choose the size of brew (mug, travel mug, half and full carafes), your preferred strength and desired style of coffee, then press one button and let the combination of Smooth Brew and Auto iQ technologies do the hard work for you. Ninja Coffee Bar comes complete with a recipe book detailing 40 recipes.
Ninja Coffee Bar is £169.99 at Argos
Ikea Tillreda Portable Induction Hob
Designed by Klara Petersén for Ikea, the award-winning Tillreda portable induction hob is perfect for anyone living in smaller spaces, or simply looking for extra cooking flexibility. “We observed that the living room is merging with the kitchen and that surfaces are changing. Tillreda can be used where you need it. Just plug it in and start cooking,” says Klara of the design.
Ikea Tillreda Portable Induction Hob, £35