toaster
Here are some breakfast essentials that your countertop could be missing. Image Credit: Shutterstock

When preparing breakfast starts to feel like a chore, it gets easier to put the meal on the back burner and skip it. After all, getting five different pots and pans to go on the stovetop isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially right out of bed. But with the right combination of small kitchen appliances and gadgets, you’ll be energised and set to take on the day in no time because these helpers save so much time and effort. We thought of juicers for a nutritious early morning drink, space-saving coffee machines, your very own bread maker and more in our list of breakfast essentials.

Editor's tip
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Remember to sign up for an Amazon Prime membership to avail yourself of free, next-day delivery on these items, and enjoy discounts during Appliance Carnival.

1. Best Centrifugal Juicer: Philips 1200W Avance Collection Juicer

Pros

  • Two speed settings for clear or fibrous juice
  • Space-saving juicer
  • Easy to clean
  • Wide 80mm feeding chute
  • Powerful 1200W motor

Cons

  • Has plastic parts that can stain over time

Down a glass of fresh juice post-morning workout, using Philips Avance Collection Juicer. This centrifugal machine works faster than a masticator and crushes most fruit and vegetables without any pre-cutting, thanks to the 80mm-wide chute. Its best feature is the control knob that easily lets you pick from one-litre of clear, pulp-free juice or a fibrous textured drink, depending on what the family likes. Cleaning out juicers can be quite the task, but reviewers mention how all they have to do is run the sieve under the water. You could also pour in water through the chute for a quick rinse between juices. It operates on a quiet, yet powerful 1200-watt motor and is super compact compared to most juicers. See more options here, including slow, cold-press machines.

Warranty: The manufacturer offers a two-year warranty. Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh40 and a two-year extended warranty for Dh57.

2. Best Bread Maker: Cuisinart Bread Maker

Pros

  • Bakes 900g loaves
  • Makes anything, from white to artisan bread; comes with a recipe book
  • Prepares jam from scratch
  • Different crust options – light, medium and dark
  • 13-hour delay start function

Cons

  • Doesn’t deliver with Prime
  • Can take up to four hours to finish a batch

Spoil yourself with homemade bread for breakfast – and, don’t worry, there’s no oven involved. Kick back and let Cuisinart’s automatic bread maker do all the kneading and baking for you. You just need water, butter, all-purpose flour and a dash of active yeast, all of which go into the vertical bread pan fitted with a kneading paddle. Then close the lid and select your preferred crust colour and loaf size, as well as a programme for the bread type from the 12 menu options. Besides plain white bread, you get to trial different loaves from the recipe book, like gluten-free sandwich bread, sweet brioche bread, pizza dough, sourdough and many more. This versatile machine even whips up jam from scratch! Do note that the appliance can take hours to prepare a fresh two-pound (900 grams approximately) loaf for you. A time-saving hack for this is to set the delay start function a couple of hours before your morning alarm. See other top bread makers.

Warranty: The manufacturer offers a three-year limited warranty.

3. Best Toaster: Braun Breakfast Toaster HT 1010 WH

Pros

  • Bun warmer and toaster in one
  • Eight browning settings
  • Comes with a cancel button
  • Catches crumbs in a tray

Cons

  • Has two slots only

Slice your hot loaf and drop it into our toaster pick by Braun. In this all-white appliance, bread slices can be toasted across eight different browning settings. Helpful icons around the dial tell you which setting is the best for reheating and defrosting the slices and warming buns. A removable bun warmer attachment sits on top of the toaster that can hold up to two pieces at the same time, and works well with warming up pastries and bread rolls, too. Check out other toasters.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and a two-year extended warranty for Dh17.

4. Best Automatic Citrus Press: Fridja f900 Automatic Citrus Juicer

Pros

  • Automatic operation – no handle lever involved
  • 400ml of freshly squeezed juice
  • Easy-to-rinse parts

Cons

  • Plastic parts are not dishwasher-safe

If you prefer a tangy citrus drink in the mornings, here’s a no-effort presser for you. It only takes a single button to get this machine going, without any of the strenuous manual squeezing and mess that comes with levers. With the Fridja automatic citrus juicer, you would just have to place your half-cut grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime on the cone, shut its lid and press the start button. As the machine works, the juice collects into the 400ml container, filtering out the seeds and pips. Though the parts are not dishwasher-safe, the cleaning process only takes a couple of minutes, say reviewers. Check out other juicers.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh23 and a two-year extended warranty for Dh33.

5. Best Waffle Maker: Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker

Pros

  • Non-stick grid
  • Makes both sweet and savoury stuffed waffles
  • 180-degree rotating hinge for easy flips
  • Comes with tongs and a recipe book

Cons

  • Doesn’t have a timer feature

Stuffed waffles are a great way to add variety to the breakfast spread. The Presto waffle maker is the tool you should be looking into to prepare Belgian-style waffles generously filled with fresh fruit, cheese and jam. Reviews note how popular this small gadget is with children, who are equally thrilled to dig into savoury versions – stuffed with sausages and eggs. One batch is ready in under eight minutes, even if you add in a handful of frozen strawberries. The waffle maker has a 180-degree hinge, so you can flip the tool in one go to spread the batter evenly. Once done, use the built-in tongs to lift and serve.

6. Best Coffee Pod Machine: Nescafe Dolce Gusto Infinissima Coffee Machine + Starbucks Capsules Bundle Pack

Pros

  • Includes three Starbucks capsule boxes
  • Hot or cold coffee
  • Brews different beverage sizes
  • Large water capacity
  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Expensive

Let’s not forget a hot cup of joe to chase away the drowsiness. Decent capsule coffee machines are abundant in the market, but not many arrive with pod bundles on the doorstep. For this exact reason, we picked the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Infinissima bundle that includes three boxes of Starbucks capsules. The machine itself boasts a sleek all-white design, sporting a 1.2-litre water container. It uses a 15-bar pump pressure to make your favourite barista-quality coffee – all thick, velvety and flavourful. If you want to upsize the beverage, simply slide your finger on the LED touchscreen to match your cup. It even prepares cold coffee with a push of the head lever. But if you're looking for cold brews, have a look at our picks here.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh35 and a two-year extended warranty for Dh49.

7. Best Drip Coffee Machine: Russell Hobbs Buckingham Coffee Maker

Pros

  • Prepare coffee up to 24 hours in advance
  • Large 1.25 litres of capacity
  • Permanent filter with the option of paper, as well
  • Includes a coffee scoop

Cons

  • Makes fewer than the indicated 10 cups of coffee, note reviewers

Not a fan of capsule coffee? We’ve got you covered. This budget-friendly drip coffee maker by Russell Hobbs can brew and store about 1.25 litres of coffee for refills throughout the day. The Buckingham Coffee Maker even lets you pick the number of cups to avoid wastage. The coffee powder is filtered through a permanent filter, which saves you the trouble of replacing paper filters every time. And the best part is its 24-hour timer, meaning a hot brew is always ready for you before you head out for work. Check out other drip coffee machines.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and a two-year extended warranty for Dh17.

Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.