In The Design Studio: Help Host the Holidays

This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

The holidays are a time where we somehow find the time to do our regular schedules, additional shopping outings, parties and gatherings of family and friends.

During times like this, having some extra multitasking appliances in the kitchen can allow you the time to sit and enjoy your guests or buy that last-minute gift. Below are the appliances we recommend for the next holiday party you host:

Built-in Refrigeration: Having extra refrigeration without taking up too much space during the holidays is a must. The CoolDrawer is a cooling drawer that handles frozen food, fresh food and wine — you can choose your option so you can keep extra ice or chill a bottle of wine for the party, or keep the extra groceries until you are ready to cook

Power Blender/Food Processor: Food prep can take the most time when preparing for a party, but with a little Ninja power, it can be a breeze. A Ninja comes in several different sizes and models. You can buy an individual food processor from Ninja or a complete set that includes a blender, single-serve cup, food processor and spiralizer. With a Ninja, it is easy to chop,  blend food, crush ice, make smoothies or pesto.

Crock-Pot: Crock-Pots are a kitchen’s best small appliances. With a Crock-Pot, you can set and “forget” meal, keep things warm during a party in them. They are great to feed your family or friends a healthy meal, and because you can get them in multiple sizes, you can create a big meal or a small side in them. Another great benefit of a Crock-Pot is if you are not the host of the party, you can purchase a Crock-Pot holder to take your meal on the go.

Steam Ovens: Like having extra refrigeration, having an extra oven that doesn’t take up the same amount of room as your regular oven while having the industry strength will save cook time when getting ready for your next family gathering. The Miele Combi-Steam oven is a small 24-by-24 oven that is big on function. A Combi-Steam oven harnesses the power of a convection oven with steam cooking and speed.

Hand Blenders: To quickly whip something up without the mess of taking out your blender or food processor, a hand blender like the Cuisinart SmartStick is a kitchen must. The Cuisinart SmartStick comes in six different models. The basic model, called the quick prep, is a one-speed hand blender. With the more advanced models, you can whip, chop, mash, blend and store it all in the drawer.

What are some of your favorite holiday kitchen must-haves?