Julia Child taught the world that anyone could be an amateur chef in their own kitchen and whip up more than just meat and potatoes, but then technology came along and filled our kitchens with gadgets that turned everything from baking bread to making stews into push-button processes requiring little skill and even less risk.
These wonders of culinary automation can let a single person prepare a feast of a meal with minimal prep and without having to hover over a stove for hours on end. All they ask of us is to slowly take over every last inch of counter space in our kitchens. Sounds like a fair trade. If you know someone suffering from an abundance of countertop space but a lack of kitchen skills, here are nine appliances to give them this holiday season that promise to make the simplest of kitchen tasks even easier—but the toaster is going to have to scooch over and make some room.
