Moving to your new BTO flat? Upgrading your home? Looking for new household appliances?
The idea of leveling up your space is exciting and daunting at the same time. Although it is fun to furnish your flat with stylish items and appliances, you must be mindful when purchasing them. Some items are aesthetically pleasing, but they just end up being in your storage room because they take much more space than they give you benefits.
Having the essential appliances for your flat will surely make your home living easy and more comfortable. You do not have to buy extravagant furniture and appliances to enjoy the comfort of your home, but you do need the essentials. Your kitchen, for example, is a very busy place where you prepare meals and experiment with new recipes. Food preparation is fun, but because of how fast-paced our lifestyle became, food is now more challenging. Due to our busy day-to-day schedules and deadlines, modern multi-purpose appliances are now your ultimate alleys to ensure efficiency and ease of usage.
Defining Essential
What is essential for others might not be as vital for you and vice versa. It is important to check your lifestyle to know whether an appliance will benefit you or will just be another fancy display in your flat. To help you make your essential checklist, we will take you to the basic home and kitchen appliances that you need to leverage the comfort of your HDB or BTO. Also, we listed some product suggestions for you to get the actual specifications that your home needs.
Essential List of Basic Kitchen Appliances
Stay Comfortable: Innovative Home Cooling Appliances
Warm temperature and high humidity is the usual scenario here in Singapore. Indoor air quality is not much better either. Add smoke, dust, bacteria, viruses, and allergens to the discomfort. Thankfully, multiple cooling and air cleaning systems are on the rise today, making it easier for us to personalise our comfort. For scorching and dry climates, air cooling systems are the most effective and economical ways to beat the heat. Upgrade your indoor ventilation with inverter air conditioners, portable air conditioners, fans, air purifiers, and dehumidifiers available in Singapore.
Air Conditioner
As a tropical country, the sweltering heat here in Singapore is not new for most of us. But when the heat gets scorching, our comfort and activities are affected. Having an air conditioner in your home is not a luxury anymore but is now considered an essential appliance. An air conditioner indeed comes with potentially towering expenses if you choose the wrong unit. If you select a suitable unit with proven energy efficiency, you will surely enjoy its benefits without hurting your budget.
With the wide range of air conditioner units available in the market, it is confusing to distinguish which one is the best for your flat. Determining the ideal unit for your home requires some technical considerations. To help you make a wise air conditioner purchasing decision, visit our ultimate guide to buying an air conditioner.
Daikin System 4 Aircon Wifi MKS80TVMG-3XCTKS25TVMG-1XCTKS50TVMG
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Midea System 4 Aircon MS50D-30-3X SEID-09-1X SEID-18
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Mitsubishi System 3 Aircon MXY3G28VA2-3XMSXYFN10VE
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Portable Air Conditioner
If you want to upgrade your flat's ventilation without the complicated installation process, a portable air conditioner is the best for you.
A portable air conditioner is a simple, versatile cooling unit with an exhaust hose installed to a window to vent the warm air it absorbs while replacing it with cooler air. This unit is designed to cool a single space. If you opt to cool a standard room, you can use a portable unit with 9,000 BTU. Portable air conditioners with higher BTUs are also available for bigger spaces.
As its name implies, a portable air conditioner can be placed in a convenient space in your flat without the need for major wall hackings and complex installations. Setting a portable air conditioner near the window is the easiest way to enjoy it with ease. For easy setup and movement, a compact portable air conditioner is built with casters attached to it.
The downside of a portable aircon unit is its more bulky feel than an actual wall-installed AC. Portable ACs are also relatively noisier than split-type units. To make sure that you get a quieter unit to make your home more conducive, always check the dB or dBA of the unit.
EuropAce 3-in-1 Portable Aircon EPAC 12W3
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EuropAce Portable Air Conditioner EPAC 20S
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Electric Fan
A fan is a simple yet effective home ventilation solution. This timeless appliance helps improve the quality of your indoor air without the burdensome electricity bills. This charming piece is not limited to its efficiency and operation. It also provides an additional aesthetic appeal to your flat.
Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans are your economic supplement for air cooling during the summer and heating during colder seasons. In summer, the fan blades circulate the air within your space to create a breeze that helps cool down the human body. A ceiling fan also circulates warm air from the top to the lower part of your room during colder seasons to maintain the cool yet cosy temperature.
Some ceiling fans come with light fixtures for additional aesthetic appeal and space-saving. Some are designed to provide an open industrial feel to your flat with their sleek colour and blade style.
Acorn Veloce Fan DC-160 LED – WH (44″/54″)
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Bestar Vino Ceiling Fan with Light - Matt Black (38”/48”/54”)
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Corner Fan
Get rid of dead unventilated corners on your home with a corner fan. Corner fans push the air horizontally to your target space, which your regular fan may not reach.
Acorn Corner Fan DC-360 – SG (16″)
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Jet Turbine Fan
A wind turbine fan is designed to capture and circulate high-velocity or fast-moving wind for energy efficiency. Jet turbine fans have a compact built and clean design.
EuropAce Jet Turbine Fan 9 Inches (Digital) EJF 598S
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Air Purifier
You may not believe it, but the air inside your home is more contaminated than outdoor air since indoor air does not circulate properly as much as the air outside. This means that air contaminants, bacteria, viruses, and allergens stay longer inside your home. These harmful particles provide not only short-term inconveniences but also cause long-term health risks like asthma and other respiratory diseases.
An air purifier is an excellent solution to help filter and refresh the air, reducing the risk of pollutant, allergen, and particulate matter (PM) exposure inside your home. It also neutralises unpleasant odours that cannot be easily expelled in your home. Because of the benefits an air purifier provides, your home becomes more conducive for everyday living.
Other benefits of having an air purifier in your home:
- An air purifier helps eliminate harmful chemicals like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide inside your home.
- The use of an air purifier reduces the chances of getting asthma attacks, allergies, colds, and other airborne diseases.
- An air purifier helps improve sleep quality.
- Innovative air purifiers contain HEPA filters that help eliminate the smaller and more harmful particles in the air.
Dehumidifier
Have you ever experienced that hot, sticky feeling once the temperature rises? That uncomfortable feeling is caused by humidity. To get rid of this sticky feeling, you need an item that helps you bring the humidity down in your home. A dehumidifier helps eliminate excess moisture in the air, causing humidity.
EuropAce Rose Gold Dehumidifier EDH 6251S (25L)
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Cook with Ease: Ergonomic Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances make cooking more fun and simple. If you want to cook delicious and more complex recipes, innovative appliances can help you achieve them in less time.
To cook tasty meals with ease, it is essential to invest in kitchen appliances that will surely take half of your work. Refine your cooking techniques with these absolute kitchen must-haves.
Refrigerators
A refrigerator is one of the major home appliances that you cannot miss for your HDB. It is one of the essential appliances that you need to keep your food fresh and safe.
A refrigerator is your absolute must-have to keep and prolong the shelf-life of your food. Refrigerators keep the food cool, preserving and maintaining the quality for a longer period. Refrigeration slows down bacterial activities that cause food to spoil, making food safe to consume after hours and even days of storage.
Buying a refrigerator for your flat is not as easy as buying smaller appliances because of the considerations and expenses attached to it. Before buying a refrigerator for your kitchen, you shall consider the size first, if it will fit your space. To keep your refrigerator adequately ventilated, you need to leave a 1-inch space between your wall or countertop and your refrigerator. This is to prevent potential overheating and breakdown. Also, allot some space where you can easily open the refrigerator door without constraints.
Types of Refrigerator
Top Freezer Refrigerator
The classic and most common refrigerator in Singapore is the top freezer or top mount refrigerator. This classic fridge design where the freezer is above the fridge compartment is perfect for those who prefer fewer configurations and bigger spaces to store food items.
Newer top freezer refrigerator varieties are more energy efficient. If you get one for your home, you will surely enjoy its ergonomics and ease of access because of its wide door clearance. However, one thing that makes a top freezer refrigerator's configuration a disadvantage is that it takes up a lot of space when you open its door. If you plan to purchase a top freezer refrigerator, you shall consider your available kitchen space surrounding the unit.
Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
A bottom freezer refrigerator or a bottom mount refrigerator is the reverse of a top-mount fridge. This refrigerator style allows you to access fresh food easier because it is located in the upper part of the fridge. This style maintains the classic fridge look while providing you easier access to the food you most likely take out of the refrigerator more often.
Side by Side Refrigerator
A side by side refrigerator is ideal for space-saving. It presents a two-door configuration opened from the centre. One side of the refrigerator contains the freezer, while the other is used for fresh items. Its vertical storage configuration helps organise fresh and frozen items at eye level. Side-by-side refrigerators come with less internal capacity but offer more features to help you preserve and organise your food from important to less used items.
French Door Refrigerator
If you are looking for a more high-end and spacious refrigerator, a French door refrigerator is for you. This pantry-style refrigerator presents a bigger compartment for fresh foods than its freezer, adjustable compartments, and other helpful features. Like a side-by-side refrigerator, a French Door style has two doors that open from the center outwards, but it features extra pull-out compartments for extra storage.
Here are some innovative refrigerators that you can check out:
Europace 400L Deluxe Top Mount Fridge ER 5371W
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Toshiba 503L Top French Door 2 GR-RF532WE
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Midea Side-by-Side Refrigerator MRM584S
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Smeg FAB28 Single-Door Refrigerator (Union Jack)
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Midea Chest Freezer MDRC280FZG01-SG
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Hobs
The most important thing you should one hundred percent have in your kitchen is a hob or a cooking range as it is the primary appliance used for cooking.
When choosing a hob for your kitchen, you shall not just choose the cheapest or most aesthetically pleasing unit. You shall also consider your cooking style, location, ease of access, easy cleaning, and child safety. Since hobs are regarded as a "big purchase" for your home, we highly recommend weighing your choices properly, including your future use and expenses.
Gas Hob
A gas hob is highly accessible and easy to use if you want a fast heating hob. Heat levels can easily be managed through knobs with different levels. Its built-in design blends perfectly with any kitchen theme. It also makes it faster to load and unload your cookware because of its uncomplicated configuration. A gas hob is more affordable when you already have a gas line running in your kitchen.
A gas hob, however, is at risk of gas leakage or accidental burning. If you have kids in your flat, consider extra precautions when using your gas hob. You also have to consider proper ventilation and proper distance between your gas hob and other items in your kitchen.
Electric Hob
A safer, less complicated cooking solution is an electric hob. However, electric hobs need more time to heat than a traditional gas hob. It also provides less heat control, thus, requires more effort while cooking. In this case, an electric hob is less recommended if you are an avid fan of cooking or always in a hurry. As per the aesthetics, an electric hob offers a smart and seamless look on your kitchen countertop.
Induction Hob
An induction hob is are highly efficient because of its safe, fast heating function and easy to clean configuration. The induction hob uses electromagnetic technology to directly heat a cast iron or stainless pan and other cookware with magnetic components. This direct heating process lessens the risk of getting accidental burns while cooking. This technology also helps in energy-saving because the hob surface outside the cookware will not be heated. Its smooth and flat surface makes an induction hob easy to clean.
If you want to invest in a high-quality hob for your home, an induction hob will surely give you that value for your money. To test if your cookware is compatible with an induction hob, try sticking a magnet to the base of your cookware.
Cooker Hood or Range Hood
A cooker hood is used to remove smoke, odours, toxic gas, and more harmful particles that can contaminate your close kitchen space.
Advantages of having a hood in your kitchen:
A cooker hood adds up to the visual appeal of your kitchen
A hood can serve as a grand centrepiece in a smart-looking kitchen space. There are modern, contemporary, industrial, and other available styles that can blend into the overall appeal of your space.
A cooker hood provides better air quality in your kitchen space
Food preparation and cooking cause unnecessary odours, fumes, and pollution inside your kitchen, especially if you have a smaller space. For an open-plan kitchen attached to other rooms in your home, greasy odours and smoke will cause a big inconvenience and discomfort. Having a cooker hood in your kitchen helps expel or filter the air inside the kitchen with its high-quality filtration system.
A cooker hood reduces the discomfort caused by the heat while cooking
If you have a small kitchen space with limited ventilation, you will most likely experience sticky heat while cooking. This makes your cooking experience less enjoyable and uncomfortable. A cooker hood can provide an outlet to reduce the heat while giving your space adequate ventilation.
A cooker hood helps to clean up the space easier
A normal cooking scenario includes stains, smoke, and grease spread all over your countertops. Grease from cooking settles on the surfaces of your kitchen, which later on becomes hard to remove. Having a cooker hood in your kitchen helps you minimise the grease that splatters around your area while cooking. Because of this feature, you can now cook a wider variety of dishes without dealing with too much inconvenience caused by smoke and grease.
Types of Cooker Hoods
Wall Mounted or Chimney Hood
A chimney hood is one of the most common types of cooker hoods. It offers a smart yet traditional feel to your kitchen space. Its smooth, polished stainless steel build makes it suitable for any kitchen design. The most common types of chimney hoods are pyramid chimneys and tapered style hoods.
Telescopic Cooker Hood
A telescopic hood is perfect for smaller kitchen spaces with built-in cabinetry because it can be easily installed under cabinets placed above the stove or hob. A telescopic hood can work in two ways: recirculation and extraction. Recirculation works using charcoal filters to absorb unpleasant odours and other particles. Extraction, on the other hand, works when the hood extracts the smoke, odour, and other particles through a chimney.
Island Hood
If you have a kitchen island where you do most of the cooking, an island hood is the best solution to keep your cooking area well ventilated and maintained. An island hood acts as a kitchen centrepiece directly mounted to your kitchen ceiling without any wall obstruction. Before you purchase an island hood, make sure that you have a proper clearance in your kitchen to accommodate the size of your hood.
Ovens
For baking, roasting, heating, and many more, an oven offers multiple benefits when it comes to cooking. It is no wonder Singaporeans love to have an oven in their kitchens. An oven makes cooking a lot easier. If you are a home chef who likes experimenting with new recipes, having an oven that goes well with your cooking needs and preferences is vital. Other functions like heating and defrosting can help you save time while helping you create your favourite dish.
To know what type of oven is the best for you, you should consider your space, cooking needs, and lifestyle. If you are an avid fan of backing and cooking, we suggest looking for more heavy-duty ovens. To bake a larger amount of pastries, you will need a more sizable oven. For roasting meat, an oven with a rotisserie function is essential. A compact microwave oven will benefit you if you have limited kitchen space and mostly use an oven to reheat your food.
An oven is stylish and very smart-looking. They add value to your kitchen space with their appeal and notable functions. Some variants are mindfully detailed to add to the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen. The brush steel build, well-detailed knobs, and internal lights significantly upgrade the beauty of your kitchen. For a more streamlined look, new BTO owners venture into built-in ovens.
Built-in Oven
A built-in oven is specifically designed to work with ergonomics in mind. It provides easier access with its strategic eye-level placement. This offers lower lumbar relief. It is easy to clean because of its ease of access. Because of technological advancement, a built-in oven now offers more features and comfort while cooking.
A built-in oven works on high-frequency radio waves that vibrate liquid to generate a large amount of heat to bake, cook or grill food in minutes.
Rotisserie Oven
A rotisserie oven is perfect if you love to prepare tasty roasted meals regularly. It involves one or two rotating spits to roast chicken and other meat products. By rotating the spits, a rotisserie oven coats the meat with its own oil or dripping, resulting in a crunchy yet juicy taste.
Toaster Oven
For smaller food servings, a toaster oven is a fantastic solution for your home. This compact countertop oven features multiple functions. It is used to reheat, defrost, toast, or brown a limited amount of food. It uses easy controls and can be mechanically or digitally operated. Because of its small body, a toaster oven heats faster and cooks the food in a shorter period. This is because its surfaces are closer to each other than a bigger oven that consumes more time to heat and rotate the heat.
The Best Presents for Foodies- Medium Sized Kitchen Appliances
The tasty dishes on your table come with a long food prep and cooking process. More complicated recipes require more time to finish. Add the hassle of having limited kitchen resources. To prevent the exhausting and frustrating cooking experience, having the basic and essential appliances can help you make the process easier.
To avoid a cluttered cupboard filled with unused or seasonal appliances, you should consider getting appliances with multiple or absolute functions that will give you a guaranteed benefit.
Blender
A blender is one of the most popular medium-sized kitchen appliances in the market. It is because of its handy build and multiple functions. Although a blender is not part of the kitchen requirements, it offers various functions and benefits that other appliances may not provide. As manufacturers experiment with various appliance features, a blender progressively evolves through time. More diverse functions are introduced, including those that specifically target a cooking task. These functions depend on the type of jars, attachment, and blades used.
The Most Common Types of Blenders
Countertop Blender
Countertop blender is one of the most common blender varieties available in the market in Singapore. This blender offers a spacious capacity and a high-power motor to crush ice cubes and blend fruit cuts easily.
Commercial Blender
A commercial blender features more powerful functions than a regular countertop blender. It is a handy asset for your home and even for more complicated food and beverage formulas.
There are different types of commercial blenders that work differently to produce the right food texture and consistency:
High Rotation Commercial Blender
Ideal for liquid recipes, a high rotation commercial blender works at a higher speed rotation using less force.
Low Rotation Commercial Blender
Perfect for soups and sauces, a low rotation commercial blender exerts greater strength than a high rotation blender at a lower speed.
Handheld or Immersion Blender
This versatile and handy blender offers multiple daily kitchen functions. It is compact, easy to clean, and store. A handheld or immersion blender is used to blend or mix ingredients in a container. This saves you time blending or mixing large amounts of liquids without the hassle of transferring the ingredients to and from the blender cup by batches.
A handheld blender also has enough power to crush ice. It can be used to beat eggs, mix batters or create whip cream if you do not have a stand mixer.
Juicer
Juicing has been on the rise for the past years. As the eyes of health enthusiasts are in the process of juicing, many high-quality and versatile juicers enter the market to make the process of juicing easier.
A juicer extracts liquid from fruits, separating the skin, seeds, and pulps while providing more refreshing and easy to consume and flavourful drinks without the unnecessary solid chunks. This handy kitchen appliance helps in promoting nutrition and healthy living with its effortless function. Juicing helps in weight loss and maintaining good health as a whole.
Benefits of Juicing Fruits and Vegetables
- Freshly made juices from real produce are better than store-bought manufactured juices, especially their health benefits.
- Juicing helps you absorb food nutrients better.
- Juicing helps flush toxins and aids digestion.
- Juicing can help reduce the risk of cancer and other health issues caused by obesity. This is because fruits and vegetables used in juicing are naturally high in fibre, which helps control weight.
- Juicing helps you consume fruits and vegetables that you do not enjoy eating whole.
Many diet plans include naturally juiced fruits and vegetables, which are easier to consume and absorbed by the body. Athletes consume freshly juiced drinks to hydrate and freshen their bodies and replenish the lost nutrients during their routine. If you plan to use a juicer for your fruits, make sure to consider your sugar intake as fruits have natural sugar in them. Plan your fruit and vegetable mixtures and check their benefits to ensure that you get the most out of the juice you intake.
It is good to familiarise yourself with the health benefits of various fruits and vegetables to get the perfect combinations that you can create using the juicing method to target specific health goals. You can make a breakfast juice, an alternative for your snack, or a power drink after a long tiring day. To create a well-balanced juice, try mixing fruits and vegetables. Vegetables have lower sugar levels and calories than fruits, but they are high in fibre and nutrients.
When should you buy an automatic juicer or citrus juicer instead of a manual juicer?
A manual juicer can be used if you make juices occasionally or in small amounts. Others use squeezers for minimum amounts of juice, like those that are used for food recipes. These hand-held tools are efficient for small quantities and can save space. However, they come with limitations in terms of capacity and can create a lot of mess during the process. If juices are part of your daily diet and you want a hassle-free juicing process, getting a compact automatic juicer is advisable.
Coffee Machines
Some of us cannot survive a day without coffee. Others include the intake of freshly brewed coffee in their morning routine. Yes, coffee shops provide many coffee choices but imagine having your own brewed coffee at home with your choice of beans and your own flavour. If you are an avid coffee lover and you want to get away from your daily coffee shop lines and expenses just to get a single cup, which may not be enough, you might want to consider having a coffee machine for your home.
The right coffee machine for you depends on your budget, available space, and flavour preference since some coffee machines are built with special functions.
The basic concept of a coffee maker is that heated water gets in contact with ground coffee, extracting the natural flavour of the coffee. The filter will then drain the smooth coffee extract into your cup. Although almost the same process happens, different coffee makers produce different results and flavour intensities. This is due to the difference in temperature and water contact. An espresso machine, for example, offers a different flavour compared to other coffee machines.
There are various types of coffee machines available in the market in Singapore, and they all have different functions to offer that can satisfy every taste. If you are to purchase a coffee maker, make sure to consider your preference, budget, space and convenience.
Coffee Machine Buying Checklist:
- Do you prefer an automatic coffee machine?
- Do you prefer a more affordable coffee machine but consumes a little more time than automatic coffee machines?
- Do you prefer the cheapest manually maneuvered coffee machine?
An automatic or programmable coffee machine needs less effort and attention to function. A more affordable automatic variant requires more attention but is still easy to use because it operates by pressing buttons. A manually operated coffee machine is affordable, but it needs thorough attention while operating.
- What type of coffee do you usually make or buy?
- How much coffee do you make? How many people will consume the coffee?
- What is the size of your kitchen counter?
The type of coffee machine that you should buy depends on your personal taste. A regular coffee machine, for example, is different from an espresso coffee machine. For a more versatile option, choose a hybrid machine that can cater to different coffee varieties. You should also consider the capacity of the coffee machine to make sure that you get just the right amount that you need without adding much to the clutter of your space.
Mixer
One of the most time-consuming processes, whether cooking or baking, is mixing the ingredients until you reach a certain consistency. Let us take baking, for example. Mixing wet and dry ingredients takes ages to finish, but your work will be less if you have an efficient mixing tool. Here comes a handy and innovative mixer. Depending on your needs, you can opt for an easy-to-store hand mixer or a heavy-duty stand mixer. If you think that you can only use your mixer during big occasions, you are wrong. Your mixer is not just your seasonal best friend. It can be used for everyday recipes and discovering new dishes that require more complicated food prep.
Types of Mixers:
Stand Mixer
Hand Mixer
Why is a Mixer Your Everyday Bestfriend?
Aside from the usual baking process, your mixer can help you make various dishes that you may not easily achieve if you do them manually. With the help of a mixer, you can make whip creams for homemade ice creams and other desserts. You can prepare homemade meatballs and sausages, pizza, and perfectly mixed salad dressing. You can make the process of shredding chicken easier, can make the perfect mashed potatoes and other exciting dishes that you can experiment with at home. If you love cooking but do not have much time to prepare, a mixer will help you do half of the complex tasks.
Microwave Oven
A highly popular kitchen appliance among homeowners in Singapore, a microwave oven offers multiple functions to your kitchen. An oven is not limited to reheating food only. It is also used for defrosting meat or vegetables while retaining the foods' nutrients, roasting cuts of meat and other spices, boiling and steaming, popping popcorns, and baking basic pastries. If you find a suitable unit for you, this versatile kitchen appliance has so much more to offer.
Microwave ovens range from compact solo configurations to more complex varieties with convection or grill functions. If you are in the market for a new microwave oven, we will help you familiarize yourself with the types of ovens you can consider for your lovely kitchen.
Countertop Microwave Oven
A countertop microwave oven is one of the most common varieties used by most homeowners in Singapore. A countertop microwave oven is highly portable. You can place it at any convenient place anytime. It is more affordable than built-in types, and it offers multiple functions for your kitchen.
If you opt to buy a countertop microwave oven, make sure to measure your countertop space or find a location where you can efficiently place your oven without sacrificing too much space in your kitchen. Some ovens can be placed above the range, below the cabinet, or any applicable area within the eye level.
Solo Microwave Oven
If you are up for a simple and compact piece for your kitchen, a solo microwave oven can be the right piece for you. This variety offers efficient reheating, cooking, and defrosting. However, this solo unit is not as efficient as the more complex ones in grilling and baking. A solo microwave oven is more affordable than other varieties.
Convection Microwave Oven
A convection microwave oven is perfect for people who are always on the go. This type of oven cooks 25% faster than a regular oven by spreading the heat around the food while using the vent-in and vent-out airflow action. If you want an oven that can take your cooking experience by a notch, a convection microwave oven is for you!
Built-in Microwave Oven
A more seamless piece for your home, a stylish built-in microwave oven will definitely add to the appeal of your kitchen space. A built-in microwave does not take up any space in your countertop, and it beautifies the designated space it was installed in.
Aside from the type of oven that you want to purchase, you shall also consider the following when buying a microwave oven for your kitchen:
Power consumption
Most of the electric appliances come with towering electric bills and utility costs. When buying an appliance that you will use daily, it is essential to calculate and make sure that you make the most out of your electricity consumption. When buying a microwave oven, consider the amount of food that you cook or consume daily. If you cook or reheat fewer foods, you can go with a microwave oven with lower voltage. If you often reheat food in bulk quantities, opt for a more powerful unit.
Child lock
This function is highly important if you have small children at home. A child lock works to prevent kids from putting their hands in the oven or other related accidents.
Timer
A timer setting comes in handy when you are too busy to watch over your oven while doing other stuff. Some microwave ovens offer a 5-minute to 30-minute timer.
Toaster
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you have a good toast, a cup of coffee with some healthy breakfast combos, your day will surely be set right. If you love your toasts every morning, consider having a handy toaster in your kitchen.
Aside from the regular bread toasts that you consume every morning, a toaster can help you create a variety of fun recipes that you can do at home, like homemade burgers, grilled cheese, and egg sandwiches, and so much more.
A toaster is a highly compact piece that does not take much of your counter space. A toaster can brown, melt cheese and butter, and even cook in small quantities. A toaster is very easy to use, is affordable, and easy to clean. Here are some types of toaster that you may consider for your lovely kitchen:
Pop-up Toaster
This cute, compact piece offers its easy function and simple configuration. Because of its simple design and small build, a pop-up toaster can fit any kitchen style. Pop-up toasters can brown two or more bread slices at the same time, depending on their size.
Oven Toaster
An oven toaster is compact and versatile. It does not limit its function to toasting, but it can cook meals in small amounts. If you have limited kitchen space and do not need a high-end oven for your home, an oven toaster can give you the fantastic benefit with its compact build. You can create a 4-slice toast using a compact oven toaster. A larger unit can fit six up to nine slices. Because it offers multiple functions, an oven toaster costs more than a pop-up toaster.
Aside from browning your favourite bread slices, you can also use your oven toaster to make your homemade pizza and cookies.
Pizza Oven
Speaking of pizza, if you are looking for a bigger oven that can cater to bigger recipes like homemade pizza, this type of oven is for you. A pizza oven offers an expansive gross capacity than a regular microwave oven.
When buying a toaster, consider its purpose, how often you use it, your counter space, and your budget. If you want to focus on simple bread toasts and cut off your prep time in the morning, a pop-up bread toast will help you a lot. If you want to do more than a toast but do not have much space for a countertop oven, a more compact oven toaster will work.
Kettles
A kettle is a staple for your kitchen space because of its absolute versatility and affordability. This kitchen utensil works with a range to boil your water. However, if you use a typical kettle to heat your water, you are more at risk of getting burnt. If you are not alert enough, you might just come back with an empty kettle if you leave it unattended. Also, a regular kettle does not give you the luxury to keep your water heated for a more extended period.
Electric Kettle
Unlike a regular kettle that requires manual heating over a range, an electric kettle requires less attention and does the work faster. It is built with a safety handle and lid to prevent accidental spilling or burns. A compact electric kettle can fit any small and secured area in your kitchen.
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Making hot beverages like milk, chocolate, tea, or instant coffee
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Making instant meals that require hot water like instant noodles, oatmeals, or soup mixes
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Defrosting frozen goods if you do not have an oven
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Heating water that can be used for steaming
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Heating water to clean baby bottles or other utensils that require deep cleaning
- Providing a warm bath if you do not have a heater
An electric kettle offers more innovative features for guaranteed efficiency and security. Some features include a powerful thermostat control to heat and maintain your desired temperature and auto-power off function to prevent dry boiling. Some electric kettles offer a larger water capacity than a regular kettle.
Steamboat and Barbecue Grill
Who doesn't love a hotpot filled with simmering broth and tasty ingredients, tender meat, and fresh vegetables? We do love a night when we gather together and enjoy this savory meal. Nothing is better than serving all these tasty food combinations in a high-quality steamboat.
A steamboat or hot pot is a circular pot, as its name implies, used to cook a savory mixture of broth, meat or seafood, and vegetables. If you want to enjoy a hotpot meal without paying much for a restaurant reservation, you can create your version in the comforts of your home.
An innovative steamboat presents a notable temperature control to keep your food heated but not too hot for you to consume. Here is a guide to help you choose the right steamboat for your family.
Types of Steamboats and Materials Used
There are two major types of steamboats to choose from: an electrical steamboat and a gas-operated steamboat. An electrical steamboat promotes easy cooking and well-balanced heat throughout the process. It is not as portable as a gas-operated one as it needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet while in use but is considered safer. In comparison, a gas-operated steamboat can be used wherever, whenever, as long as you have an available portable gas stove. This is mainly used for family gatherings held outside the home. If you opt to buy a gas steamboat, you have to consider the regular replacement of your gas canister.
Stainless Steel vs. Non-stick Steamboat
A stainless steel steamboat is a more affordable variant with guaranteed durability due to its ability to resist corrosion. It is lightweight and aesthetically beautiful as it retains its quality without looking burned even after some years if you properly take care of it. However, in contrast to its name, a stainless steel hotpot is more prone to scratches. When cleaning a stainless steel pot, be careful not to scrub it too much, or it will lead to permanent scratches.
A non-stick steamboat also offers numerous advantages. First, as its name describes, a non-stick steamboat does not let your ingredients stick to its surface, making it easier to clean. Because of its non-stick nature, you will more likely be less at risk of burning your food. It is advisable not to use a metal utensil for a non-stick steamboat because it may nick out the non-stick coating, which can harm your health.
Other steamboat variants come with barbecue grills to complete the weekend family gathering experience. If you want to enjoy your favourite hotpot with savory grilled meat, consider having a 2-in-1 steamboat with a grill.
Rice Cooker
We used to cook rice in compact pots over the gas range, which took so much time and effort since we had to adjust the heat and wait until it cooks manually, or we'll have to consume burned rice. But now, because of constant innovation for kitchen appliances, this time-consuming task has become easier and done faster. Modern rice cookers provide multiple functions and more automated technology to ensure that you cook your rice perfectly and cook it with ease.
A rice cooker proves its efficiency with its automated cooking and warming function, ensuring that you only consume fresh rice without the need to cook a new batch every meal. A rice cooker can also be used to make a variety of recipes because of its reliable heating capacity. You can use a rice cooker to prepare your favourite soup or steamed meals. Compared to the traditional pot used to cook rice, a rice cooker is easier to clean and maintain. Because of its automatic feature, a rice cooker guarantees that your rice is cooked evenly.
Types of Rice Cookers
Conventional Rice Cooker
A conventional rice cooker is used for cooking rice and keeping it warm afterwards. The technology allows the rice cooker to detect if the rice is cooked already and switch to warm mode. This rice cooker variety is affordable and very easy to use.
Enhanced Rice Cooker
An enhanced rice cooker comes with a timer-settings to help you prepare your rice and other grains at ease. Usually, an enhanced rice cooker offers a different setting for brown rice.
Digital Rice Cooker
If you want more control over your cooking process, a digital rice cooker can give you the advanced settings that you need.
Low Carb Rice Cookers
This rice cooker variety helps reduce the sugar content from white rice by removing the unhealthy starch from the grains.
Induction Rice Cooker
This multi-functional variety can also be used to cook other dishes like soups and porridge. An induction rice cooker is very responsive to temperature changes to cooking your rice and other applicable dishes evenly and precisely. An induction rice cooker is considered the most advanced variety in the market.
Portable Rice Cooker
This compact variety can be taken anywhere without a hassle. If you love to go out with your family or take some homemade lunch outdoors, a portable rice cooker will give you lots of benefits.
Handy Kitchen Tools and Utensils
In recent years, most of us have mastered the art of preparing our own meals at home. But it is not always easy. Cooking at home every day is often time-consuming, especially if you do some food prep manually. This is why we need handy kitchen utensils.
Kitchen utensils are small tools used to make food preparation easier. Most famous kitchen utensils include your kitchen knives, spatulas, peelers, bowls, colanders, and many more.
Kitchen utensils undoubtedly cost less than medium size to larger home appliances. But this does not mean that utensils are not part of your major purchase. Small kitchen tools are usually uncostly and easy to store, so it is easier to buy utensils, even those less needed. These unneeded utensils end up on your counter, adding to the clutter. Remember, not all beautiful and affordable things in the market are worth purchasing.
Instead of splurging on items that might just end up on your storage cabinet, try listing down the items that will benefit you based on your lifestyle. To ensure that you get what you only need, we listed the essential kitchen utensils that you can add to your shopping list.
Kitchen Knives and Cutting Board
Your knives and cutting board are the essential items in your kitchen that help you do most of your food preparation. It is not surprising that every kitchen has a set of knives.
Most food preparation processes involve cutting ingredients. An ideal knife set helps you do the cutting work more manageably and precisely. Each blade in a kitchen set is designed to perform a specific task for more ease. However, we suggest shopping for individual knives and making your own set rather than buying a whole set already available in the market. Knowing the types of kitchen knives will help you determine what to and not to include in your personalised set.
The Chef's Knife
The chef's knife is the most popular and most important knife on this list. This versatile knife can do all the tough cutting work in your kitchen, from cutting meat, vegetables to mincing onions. Its configuration is specially designed to ensure its efficiency and stability. Its tapered blade can easily be rocked back and forth, making the cutting process more manageable.
Cleaver Knife
A cleaver knife is a heavy-duty knife with broad blades that can cut through thick meat and bones. This can also be used for cutting bigger fruits and vegetables into halves like watermelon or pumpkins.
Santoku Knife
This knife is slightly smaller and lighter than a chef's knife, used to slice, dice and mince. Unlike a chef's knife, a Santoku knife's blade is flatter, making it unable to rock back and forth while cutting.
Paring Knife
A paring knife is used for cutting smaller items and peeling fruits and vegetables with precision, even if you do not have a peeler in your kitchen.
Utility Knife
If you are cutting spices or smaller ingredients, a utility knife can help you achieve a precise cut without a hassle. This small yet hardworking item can also be used to debone fish if you do not have a boning knife or create a thin fillet slice.
Boning Knife
As its name suggests, a boning knife is used for deboning fish or making thin fillet cuts. It can also peel fruits and vegetables.
Bread Knife
This type of knife smoothly cuts slices of bread, cake, and other pastries. Its narrow blade with teeth allows it to cut clean pieces without sacrificing the look of your pasties.
Cutting Board
If you have a kitchen knife in your home, then you definitely need a cutting board. A cutting board makes sure that your cutting surface is flat and clean enough to cater to your ingredients. To ensure that your food prep surface is safe, make it a habit to sanitize your space and your utensils, especially your cutting board, before preparing your food. Several cutting board materials are available in the market, like wood, bamboo, and plastic cutting boards. To find the best cutting board for you, consider its size, susceptibility to cuts, possible effects on your kitchen knife's performance, and its possible contamination to bacteria.
Food Chopper
Aside from having a knife, a food chopper can help you make your food prep easier. A food chopper can give you the best benefit if you slice herbs, tomatoes, nuts, and other complicated ingredients. This compact gadget is efficient in making salsa, dressing, and garnish. Because of its high-grade capability, a food chopper can also crush cubes of ice.
Although a food chopper's internal design looks complicated, it is dishwasher safe and is easy to clean after using.
Prep Bowl
A prep bowl or mixing bowl is significant to a kitchen. It is one of the most versatile items that you can have for your home. A plastic bowl is used to handle ingredients during food preparation. Its perfect deep configuration also comes in handy when you need to store your food and do not have enough space. Just seal your bowl with foil or a clean wrapper and put it inside your fridge. Plastic bowls are also microwave safe and easy to clean because of their natural non-stick property. You can simply toss them into your automatic dishwasher after use!
Colander
A colander is very useful in food preparation. It is used to strain the water and separate it from your food. Aside from draining the water from your favourite pasta, a colander can also be used in washing fruits and vegetables and draining water from canned goods like mushrooms, peas, and mixed fruits.
Plastic colanders are lightweight and handy, while metal colanders are versatile and can be used in the cooking process as they can resist heat. Some plastic colanders are sturdy enough to avoid deformation when in contact with heat.
Kitchen Organisers
Aside from completing your kitchen essentials, it is also important to keep your kitchen space organised. Keep your cutlery, knife set, and other small kitchen items in a secured place. Before placing your cutlery in your designated storage space, use a cutlery drainer to prevent water from dripping into your cupboard. Use a flatware container to organise your spoons and other flat items inside the cabinet.
The Timeless Pieces: Your Cleaning Appliances and Essentials
Cleaning equipment and appliances never go out of style. This is because we never run out of things to clean in our flats, especially this time when proper sanitation is crucial.
Maintaining a tidy home is indeed a chore that we want to cut off if possible, from regularly sweeping and mopping the floor, washing dishes and clothes. This is where handy cleaning equipment and appliances become in demand.
Cleaning tools and appliances make the work easier and make the outcome better. They simply make your cleaning time and other household chores more manageable.
From efficient, handy tools to innovative cleaning appliances, here are the items that you should consider for your flat.
Broom and Dustpan
Broom is the most basic cleaning tool that you need for your home. It helps remove dirt from dry surfaces, like your floor, tiles, and wooden floor. A dustpan is used to contain the dirt while cleaning without further spreading.
Trash bin
You need a trash bin in different areas of your home to keep a dirt-free and odour-free space. If you buy some trash bins for your home, consider getting ones with lids to prevent unnecessary odour from contaminating your space, especially for the kitchen and bathroom areas. Get a separate bin for food waste and ready the recyclable items before disposing them to the nearest blue bin.
Wash Basin
A washbasin looks like a large bowl mainly made with plastic or stainless steel materials. It presents multiple purposes for your laundry room, bathroom, and even your kitchen.
Having a washbasin in your home may sound too traditional, but this simple item will significantly benefit you. Suppose you need deep cleaning of your clothes using manual handwashing. In that case, a washbasin will help you do the job efficiently while saving water compared to when you hand wash clothes using running tap water. For cleaning hard-to-reach surfaces, use a microfibre cloth and wash bin to wipe the dust and dirt.
Bucket
A humble bucket has so much to offer for your home, whether cleaning, gardening, or saving water. A bucket can be used for storage too! If you have medium-sized to bigger tools but short storage space, placing them in a bucket can help keep your tools in place. Buckets are easy to maintain and they do not take up much space in your home because of their stackable build.
Vacuum Cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is widely known for its ability to remove dirt from floors, carpets, and other surfaces by the process of suction. If your vacuum is hard working enough, your home cleaning process will surely be more manageable.
A simple tool like a vacuum cleaner can do wonders in keeping your home clean, organised, and safe. Here are some amazing benefits of a vacuum cleaner:
A vacuum cleaner removes dirt from surfaces that a manual cleaning tool cannot reach
When you use a broom to clean your area, you will notice that the dust and other dirt just go back and forth with every sweep, spreading particles everywhere. With a vacuum cleaner, the dirt is straightly removed from the floor, and other surfaces through suction and direct storage. Because of its powerful motor, a vacuum cleaner can remove the dirt even on carpets which are really hard to clean.
Use your vacuum to clean your kitchen, where there are lots of big and built-in appliances that leave narrow hard to reach spots to clean.
A vacuum cleaner captures pet hair
Pet hairs can cause allergies and other discomforts. A vacuum cleaner effectively removes loose fur from the floor and other surfaces like your sofa, throw pillows, carpet, and beddings.
A vacuum cleaner helps prevent the spread of indoor bacteria or allergens
Another good news, frequently thorough cleaning of your home helps lessen your family's exposure to bacteria, viruses, and harmful fleas caused by the unnoticeable dirt in your space. Use your vacuum cleaner to freshen up your fabric sofa and other hard-to-clean surfaces, remove dust from your windows and other items that can contaminate the air. Innovative vacuum cleaners come with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Absorbing) filter that removes even the smallest particles that can harm your lungs.
Types of Vacuum Cleaners
Handheld Vacuum
A portable handheld vacuum is ideal for cleaning the narrow and hard to reach areas in your home, like some parts of the kitchen, under your sofa, between your cushions or car interiors. It offers a lightweight configuration, flexible rotation, and easy-to-use function. This portable vacuum comes with lasting battery life to cater to the cleaning needs of your home without any chord restrictions.
Canister Vacuum
This slender appliance provides a strong function and lightweight design. Because the slim nozzle is attached to a separate canister by a hose, a canister vacuum has the power to do heavy-duty cleaning tasks faster than a handheld vacuum. It is highly efficient for floor and carpet cleaning. It can also reach narrow areas due to its slim design. If you opt to purchase a canister vacuum, which is definitely the best buy, we recommend considering a strategic storage space because of its bulky feature.
Upright Vacuum
This vacuum is probably what you always see on televisions. An upright vacuum cleaner is easy to use and is very efficient. However, due to its bulky build, this vacuum is relatively heavier and noisier than other units.
Robotic Vacuum
A robotic vacuum will definitely help you save time in cleaning. Once you set up its sensor and cleaning mode, you can already leave it while it does its job. Because of its smart technology, a robotic vacuum can be controlled by remote control or a smartphone. If it needs charging, it automatically returns to its docking station.
Washers and Dryers
Get rid of the tiring handwashing and save time with a hard-working washer and dryer. With a combination of washers and dryers in your home, you will save hours doing your laundry. Simply put your laundry, water, and detergent inside the washer and set it to wash mode.
Types of Washers
The type of washing machine depends on where you open the washer to load your clothes.
Top Load Washer and Dryer
A top load washer has an upper cover where you load and unload the clothes. This configuration is ideal for those who prefer not to bend over to load and unload the laundry. Top load washers are affordable and easy to maneuver. When purchasing a top load washer, you shall consider the amount of water it may consume and its electricity consumption.
There are energy-efficient top load washers that also use less water. If you love the ease a top load washer gives, you can go for the more energy-efficient varieties.
Front Load Washer and Dryer
For the front load washer, the opening is located in the front of the machine. Unlike the top load washer, a front load washer requires you to bend a little to load your laundry. Front load washers are said to be more energy-efficient than top load machines. This washer type also consumes less time to dry clothes.
Dishwasher
Your kitchen is more prone to bacteria and germs than any of the rooms in your home. It is crucial to keep all the appliances and utensils free from contamination, especially those with direct contact with your food. This is why you thoroughly wash your kitchen wares with detergent and water. However, most of the time, manual dishwashing is not enough.
Save time in washing your dishes with an automatic dishwasher. An automatic dishwasher goes beyond the usual detergent cleaning that manual dishwashing achieves, but it also comes with a steam function for guaranteed sterilisation. You can now procrastinate while getting your dishwashing chore done. No, do not procrastinate.
Instead of using a sponge that spreads the germs, even more, use an efficient dishwasher for your kitchen items. Newly introduced dishwashers are more compact, functional, and energy-efficient, so you do not have to worry about the towering utility bills a unit can cause.
Your Home Appliances Deserve Long Life
When purchasing your home appliances, especially if this is your first time, always look for warranty or extended warranty offers. Aside from the specifications and price, make sure to check if the store provides a clear warranty offer, terms, and conditions before purchasing one. Extended warranties have pros and cons. They may offer you benefits, but at the same time, they may not be worth the price.
Warranties include replacement, repair services, or refund offers applicable for a period. If you extend the warranty attached to an appliance, you also extend these benefits.
Is an extended warranty worth it?
When extending a warranty, you should consider the type of your appliance. Major appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners are worth the warranty extension, but smaller kitchen appliances that are not that prone to wear and tear do not need an extended warranty. Trusted appliance brands offer warranties along with their products.
Usually, major appliances come with long-term warranties:
Appliance |
Warranty Duration |
Air conditioners |
1 to 2 years warranty (extendable) |
Portable Air Conditioner |
6 years |
Fans |
2 years |
Air cooler |
3 years |
Air purifier |
2 years |
Washers |
2 years to 12 years (Terms and Conditions Apply) |
Why should you buy your appliance online?
When buying an appliance, we recommend you search for the best options online to find reliable reviews from the actual customers. There are lots of good and honest reviews online that you can always rely on. When you buy appliances online, you can see the specifications and weigh your choices at your own pace. It is also advisable to refer to HDB approved material list when purchasing appliances for your HDB or BTO to ensure that the products meet safety and compatibility standards set by HDB. It helps avoid potential hazards, ensures the appliance fits properly within the designated space, and prevents voiding warranties or facing penalties for non-compliance.
If you have further questions, you can always call or connect through live chats. As for the price, online stores offer more affordable appliances of the same quality as in-store appliances. This is because online shops have lesser overheads than physical stores, where they have to pay for rent and additional staff members. Due to the tough competition, online stores usually offer discounts and coupons to customers.
Ready to Upgrade Your Flat?
Create a clean, comfortable, and functional space with innovative appliances that you can get online at Megafurniture.
FAQ:
Is there a used refrigerator for sale in Singapore?
Yes, there are used refrigerators for sale in Singapore. Websites like Carousell Singapore and Chutku.sg have listings for used refrigerators. On Carousell, you can find refrigerators starting from approximately S$110, with options ranging from heavily used to like-new condition. Chutku.sg also lists used refrigerators, including models with top freezer-bottom fridge configurations and large refrigerators with water dispensers, with prices and conditions varying.