I have a few regrets about my kitchen’s design. One of the biggest is not having a proper appliance garage. I learned about this concept much later, after the kitchen was already designed and built. While I’m very happy with my (mostly Ikea) kitchen modules, I’m not sure a better solution would’ve been possible given the current layout of the apartment.
We have an open-plan design, which I absolutely love, but I do miss having more storage space. The kitchen itself isn’t very big, and large appliances take up valuable storage space.
The washing machine, for example, had to be placed in the kitchen, which was a necessity, not a happy choice. I did manage to hide it behind two doors so it’s not obvious it’s there, but the space it occupies could have been a small appliance garage. I suppose you could say it is an appliance garage, just not the one I wanted!
There’s only one tall cabinet in our kitchen. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had enough counter space, and even now, it’s quite limited. This tall cabinet looks like a standard 60-centimeter-deep module, but it’s not. In the back of it, there are some vents for the apartment below us that we can’t remove. We were barely able to add three drawers for utensils and some kitchen tools, and we use this slightly awkward space as a pantry, since we don’t have one and can’t build one.
My plan for this tall cabinet is to create a small appliance garage on the bottom level(s), where I can keep gadgets I still need to purchase. I really want a standing mixer, a meat grinder, and a new electric slicer/shredder. I’ve had these tools before and use them almost regularly. For example, while I could live without a meat grinder, we’ve noticed that minced meat in stores now contains all sorts of additives for a prolonged shelf life. To avoid these, if the store doesn’t have a mincer, I need a solution to mince meat at home, free of additives and other questionable ingredients.
I have to be very mindful about what appliances I will end up getting. It´s one thing to WANT a Kitchenaid Standing mixer, and another thing is the reality of life where I for example do not make doughs. I making dough once a year does not really warrant a full blown kitchenaid appliace is it??
I will have a long “talks with myself” where I’ll try to answer my own question about what appliances I really need, because my storage space for them is going to be very limited. I already know that I might be able to get away with just one appliance and use attachments. Specifically, I am considering the standing mixer from KitchenAid and its attachments to handle the jobs of a meat grinder and an electric shredder/slicer.
However, considering what I’ll use these tools for and how often, the dilemma is far from over. Is it worth getting the better quality, reliable equipment like the KitchenAid (this blue is absolutely faboulous and my favorite!), even though it’s quite expensive, or should I go with something like the Bosch MUM54251, which will also become quite pricey if I get all the attachments? I don’t need all the attachments, such as the juicer or the other one. I don’t use those tools.
