Small appliances—like toasters, blenders, air fryers, and coffee machines—are essential to daily kitchen tasks, but they can also take up a lot of valuable counter space and make even the tidiest kitchen feel cluttered. The solution isn’t getting rid of them—it’s getting smarter about how you store and display them. Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen or just making a few clever changes, these 10 kitchen upgrades will help you hide your small appliances while keeping them easily accessible when you need them.
1. Appliance Garage Cabinets
An appliance garage is one of the most stylish and effective ways to keep small appliances out of sight. It’s a dedicated cabinet—usually on the countertop but with a roll-up or lift-up door—that hides appliances like your toaster, blender, or coffee maker. With a power outlet inside, you can use the appliance without ever pulling it out. It keeps counters clear and maintains the flow of your kitchen design.
2. Lift-Up Mixer Cabinet Shelf
If you’re a baker and own a heavy stand mixer, you know how annoying it can be to lift and store. Enter the lift-up cabinet shelf: a pull-out, spring-loaded platform that brings your mixer to counter height and tucks it away inside a lower cabinet when you’re done. It’s ergonomic, functional, and a huge space-saver.
3. Slide-Out Appliance Tray
A slide-out tray is a brilliant way to store frequently used appliances inside a cabinet but pull them out easily when in use. Simply place your coffee maker or blender on a tray that slides out smoothly. You avoid lifting or unplugging, and the tray protects your cabinets from spills or scratches.
4. Tall Pantry Cabinet with Hidden Zones
Consider upgrading your pantry with designated shelves for small appliances behind tall cabinet doors. Label each shelf for its specific appliance—microwave, toaster, blender—and keep everything organized and hidden until needed. Install outlet strips inside to eliminate constant plugging and unplugging.
5. Custom Toe-Kick Drawers
Don’t underestimate the space under your lower cabinets. Custom toe-kick drawers—those hidden drawers at the bottom edge of your cabinets—can house flat appliances like food processors, hand mixers, or panini presses. It’s a sneaky, space-maximizing trick that adds surprise utility.
6. Roll-Out Base Cabinet Drawers
Instead of digging through the back of a lower cabinet, install roll-out drawers that bring everything to you. These deep drawers are perfect for larger appliances like air fryers, slow cookers, and blenders. Add drawer dividers or custom foam inserts for even more precision.
7. Appliance Nooks with Pull-Down Doors
If you prefer a minimalist aesthetic, appliance nooks with horizontal pull-down doors provide a sleek, built-in look. These compartments can match your cabinetry and blend in seamlessly with your kitchen design, keeping your appliances totally invisible when closed.
8. Hide Inside a Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands often have more storage potential than we realize. Design yours with back-facing or side-facing cabinets to store appliances that don’t need to be out daily. With enough space and outlet access, you can even use appliances in place without moving them.
9. Pull-Out Vertical Pantry Tower
A tall, narrow pull-out pantry with adjustable shelves is a clever upgrade for small kitchens. Slide it out like a drawer and store multiple small appliances vertically. This keeps them organized without eating into your main prep space.
10. Cabinet Door-Mounted Baskets
For the truly compact items—hand blenders, mini choppers, milk frothers—install shallow baskets on the inside of cabinet doors. These keep small gadgets upright, out of drawers, and always easy to find. You’ll free up precious drawer space while decluttering your countertops.
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