5 Kitchen Countertop Items Under $100 It’s summertime and that means weekend gatherings with friends and family. Here are five kitchen items that will help make your hosting a whole lot tastier. BY STEVE COOPER
BrewStation Deluxe Coffeemaker
Hamilton Beach www.hamiltonbeach.com
Nothing says “good morning” like a nice cup of Joe. The BrewStation Deluxe Coffeemaker from Hamilton Beach is a quick and convenient system that has eliminated the carafe. For your morning mud, push your coffee cup under the dispenser like a soda fountain and… viola! The BrewStation can hold up to 12 servings on tap and offers multiple brew options. If you want relief from the summer heat, the BrewStation will even brew iced coffee. $99
2 Slice Toaster
KitchenAid www.kitchenaid.com
While KitchenAid has built their legacy on the stand mixer, they haven’t rested. Recently, KitchenAid introduced their first toaster. You may think that a toaster is just a toaster, but it’s the details that make the difference, and this one has lots of them. For instance, it has a removable crumb tray for easy clean-up (not to mention safety), self-centering bread racks for even toasting and an option for the perfect toasted bagel. $89.99
SmartStick Hand Blender
Cusinart www.cuisinart.com
You want to smooth out the lumps in your soup. No problem. The Cuisinart SmartStick Hand Blender delivers 200 watts of stainless steel fun. It has a simple on/off, push-button control, which makes pulsating simple enough, plus it includes two additional attachments—a whisk and a chopper. The attachments pop off with the push of a button and they’re dishwasher safe. $79
4-in-1 Multipurpose Grill
Black & Decker www.blackanddecker.com
Who doesn’t like a multi-tasker? Well, you know the people at Black & Decker do, and they’ve given a nice accoutrement to pad our lineup of kitchen gadgets. As you may have guessed, the 4-in-1 multipurpose grill offers four cooking plates: a griddle plate, a waffle plate, a grill plate and sandwich plate. From eggs for breakfast to a steak for dinner, this quad-purpose machine is ready. Users can close the grill on their food or open it all the way (180 degrees) to use the bottom and the lid at the same time. $35
Crock Pot BBQ Pit
Rival www.crockpot.com
While you’re flipping burgers outside on your grill, let Rival’s Crock-Pot BBQ Pit cook your ribs until they're fall-off-the-bone good. The BBQ Pit includes oven and dishwasher safe stoneware. Users can place their meat on two different rack settings and decide on either a low or high heat habitat. This is a great addition for those who love their standard Crock-Pot, but wish for a larger capacity. Make room on your countertop though, because this pit has a footprint of 20 in. x 16 in. $99