Broadening My Culinary Aptitude

I guess I'd start by asking what type of food you want to eat and go from there. I have a slow cooker but not an airfryer as I didn't want another device. I use the slow cooker to make curries, stews, cooked ham , lemon chicken, etc. The one I have you turn one dial to the number of hours of cooking time then it decides low, medium or high heat, it counts down and then stays warm until you switch it off. Very easy to clean and you can have a portion and have plenty to freeze for another meal or meals. One of the joys of a slow cooker is you can set it off in the morning, go on about your day and come home to a warm meal in the evening. Chicken dishes are quicker so you can start one at lunch time for an evening meal.

I would recommend a book by Jamie Oliver aimed at people who want to learn to cook or expand the types of dishes they make. It covers salads, pasta, soups, curries, roasts etc.

www.amazon.co.uk/Jamies-Ministry-Food-Anyone-Learn/dp/0718148622/ref=sr_1_17?crid=19MFRYIZB3LYP&keywords=Jamie+oliver&qid=1702802581&sprefix=jamie+oliver+%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-17

This is the latest slow cooker recipe book I'm using,

www.amazon.co.uk/Bored-Lunch-Healthy-Slow-Cooker/dp/1529903548/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1CAP3VP5ZHXTP&keywords=slow+cooker+cookbook&qid=1702803648&sprefix=Slow+cooker+cook%2Caps%2C885&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1


You can also get a rice cooker. Not something I have but
I helped someone cater a charity event and they had a large rice cooker and that thing was impressive.

If you don't mind using the stove/oven, you dont need any of that, honestly.

My favorite "appliance" is my electric kettle. I make iced tea every morning and without the kettle, I probably wouldn't. It is also handy if you are in a hurry to get water boiling for pasta- boil water in the kettle and add to the pot on the stove. Is it necessary? No, but I love it!

Instant Pot- I didnt find it to be a time saver at all. Now I mainly use it for hard cooking eggs and making the potatoes and eggs for potato salad.

Air Fryer- I had one when they first came out and gave it away. During a going out of business sale at Bed Bath and Beyond, I bought a new one with 2 drawers. I really need to get it out of the box soon! Air Fryers do need space around them. They are essentially small, countertop convection ovens.

Tosster Oven- eh. I have had them in the past, but I dont have much cointer space, so I prefer a toaster that I can put in the cabinet. Anything you could reheat/cook in the toaster oven, you can do in the microwave/stove/oven.

Slow cooker- I only use to make things that cant be dried out or boiled to death- dips, cocktail meatballs, kielbasa and kraut upom occasion. Not a fan of using it for other things.

Indoor, smokeless grill- maybe, if you dont have an outdoor grill.

Might I suggest the Ninja 8 in 1? Ninja

It's a toaster, air fryer and can bake a frozen pizza. It also flips up out of the way to gain back counter space. I love it so much I bought a second one for our cabin. Wait for a sale. I think I got mine for $130.

I also use our toaster oven for most of our oven cooking. It uses up a lot less electricity and doesn't heat up the kitchen in the summer like the regular oven does. It is just two of us here now so we don't make a lot at the same time. Mine is big enough to hold casserole dishes so I can make most anything in the toaster oven. We don't toast in it though, we use the toaster for that. I hardly ever use the big oven anymore.
The microwave is used a lot to re-heat stuff. I have a slow cooker. I used to use it all the time, but not as much anymore. I don't have an instapot, air fryer or grill and I don't miss them.

I have the Breville Smart Oven (does not have the air fryer) and use it all the time over my conventional oven, particularly in summer so I don't have to heat up the entire kitchen. It is perfect for one or two but I have made entrees for 4 so it isn't that small on space. Makes wonderful pizza. I use the convection feature most of the time.

You need clearance on the sides but not the back. The middle of the back sticks out a little anyway so it will fit a 12" pizza pan. The top is flat without vents so that is where I store my cutting board. I move the cutting board when using the oven. I use a quarter sheet pan or casseroles to cook in it, nothing special.

It heats up faster than a traditional oven and doesn't heat up the kitchen. Otherwise there isn't anything I cook in the little oven that I could not do in the regular oven. Once in awhile I have both ovens going at once but that is rare.

Just noticed your new profile pic, that's lovely.

Beware of how much counter space all these items will take up.
I ended up not using the toaster oven because it took up all the counter space.

Our kitchen is small. I probably have 6 ft. of counter space if I were able to put it all together. The coffee pot and electric kettle take up all that is available on 1 side of my kitchen.

I use my George Foreman grill and my toaster oven, all the time. 
When I am using them, I pull them forward on the counter so they are away from the other counter items. Then push them back in, when they've cooled.

George Forman grill:
I put a piece of tin foil under it, to help contain the drip-run off (in addition to the little tray that helps catch it). Once the cooking is done, while it's still hot, I use a wet paper towel or two to wipe off the grill. When it's cooled down, roll up the tin foil and toss it. 

Toaster oven:
I put a piece of tin foil on the baking sheet, prior to baking something.
*Note* Some item, need to be move between rack during the cooking time(many toaster ovens have two racks). Like the cinnamon rolls or crescent rolls.  Bottom shelf only, burns the bottom and the top is still doughy. Top shelf only, burns the top and bottom still doughy. I do 5-6 minutes on bottom rack, then move the backing sheet to top rack. 
If I re-heat food-leftovers in it, I use bottom rack only.

Nope.  Don’t even say that.  You are a hero !  💚

There's no shame in that at all. You're doing all that you can to nourish yourself.   If it works for you then do it.