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Many of you will remember the Wallace and Gromit breakfast machine, it may have even been something you dreamt of owning. Well now someone does. A genius inventor named Peter Browne created the machine to deliver perfectly cooked eggs, freshly brewed coffee, toast, and even your morning paper at the push of a button. This took a total of 1,000 hours to build, and he’s now hoping it can be placed in a museum for the public to witness and enjoy. The only downside is of course that this appliance doesn’t put the trousers on like it did for Gromit, but it’s nice to see a kitchen appliance that’s a bit wacky and out of the ordinary. We salute you Peter Browne.

Surely everyone loves a cheese toasty? I can’t imagine living in my house without a toasty maker in the cupboard. Making grilled cheese without a classic Breville toasty maker is not the one! I’ve had the same toasty maker for over 10 years and I couldn’t have it any other way. It perfectly toasts the bread whilst melting the crumbly cheddar cheese in the centre to perfection. The almost lava like cheese filling goes perfect with brown sauce and a pickle and though I only bring it out every other week, it’s got to be my favourite kitchen appliance. You may wonder why I haven’t bought a new one, but the real reason for this is because the technology hasn’t changed. New models do exactly the same thing as a classic sandwich maker, so until mine dies I’ll be sticking with it.

Modernising your kitchen is easy if you opt for the latest appliances, and there are plenty of good options out there. Here are two of our faves:

Boiling water taps

These are a lifesaver. How many times have boiled a kettle to find you still don’t have enough water for that round of tea? With this you’ll have no problems whatsoever, just press the hot tap on and away you go.

Halogen Cookers

These are small ovens that run of electricity. Why are they so cool you ask? Well they don’t just save space; they do everything in one pot that normally takes an entire oven to manage. Need crispy potatoes? No problem. Need a saucy sausage casserole? No problem. This amazing oven can handle anything your main one can and more!

I hadn’t until earlier this week, but I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. It’s an “innovative gadget would make a perfect addition to any kitchen and allows you to cook your kebab shop favourites from the comfort of your own home.”

Just like the ones you’ll find in a chip shop, it works by cooking your food in a rotation, and that means that it’s cooked efficiently and evenly at all times, and it’s perfect if you’re having friends over. It’s a little bit ‘out there’ but it drains away the fat as it cooks the food, leaving you with healthier versions of your food favourites. There’s nothing novelty about that! All you need is some lamb, salad and a few pita breads and you’re away. You have a tasty meal for your family and friends and it doesn’t take long to prepare!

Cleaning out your fridge can be a bit of a pain but it’s a job that needs to be done, after all, you’re storing food in there so it should be a clean and healthy environment. The best way to clean out your fridge is to empty it completely work your way from top to bottom.

You’ll need to use a surface cleaner to spray on each of the shelves, and you should leave it to soak in for five to ten minutes. You can then simply wipe any bacteria away with kitchen paper, whilst drawers can be taken out and washed in a bowl of hot water with washing up liquid. Depending on the material of the door, you may want to spray the outside too, but the trick to making it super sparkly is in the wiping. You’ll need some elbow grease to make sure the surface is completely clean and dry, but when it’s done you’ll be good to go for another few months. The just repeat the task again when it’s needed.

Most people will have heard of the NutriBullet, and it’s known for being incredible compact yet still powerful enough to blend whole nuts into a fine paste. Many people use the NutriBullet blender to make smoothies or soups, but you can also use it to prepare meals like stews and curries, so it’s essentially a high-tech pestle and mortar.

Another advantage of the NutriBullet is that it’s incredibly easy to use, and you simply push down on the container to activate it, whilst it’s designed to stay in position so there is minimal risk of injury. There are similar models on the market at a much cheaper price, but they just don’t have the same build quality as the NutriBullet, which is always going to be seen as the original compact blender with plenty of power. If you need a small bender that’s strong enough to mix some of the toughest ingredients, this could be the item for you, and it’s available from good British supermarkets.

If you get as excited as us about kitchen appliances, then you’ve probably got a few on your list already for the start of the New Year. We’ve been watching the trends closely this Christmas, and here are three quality options for the New Year:

Nutri Ninja – What a blender this is. It’s perfect for smoothies and soups, and it’s a must have for the start of the New Year when you’re thinking about staying fit and healthy.

George Foreman Grill – It’s a classic that keeps on getting better, if you love grilling sandwiches and cooking meats in a healthy manner, this is a must have.

Halo Health Fryer – With this you can cook a whole portion of chips with just a teaspoon of oil. They’ll come out crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, while there’s loads more you can cook in this innovative frying machine.

It’s one of the most popular kitchen gadgets on the market, and when you read through the benefits you’ll understand why. Water purifiers are known for removing adverse and unwanted chemicals, contaminants and dirt from water, making it suitable for drinking. they’re not bulky, and they’re easy to clean, but some people may wonder why it’s really necessary. If you think your tap water looks perfectly clean, and you can’t understand why you’d need a purifier, the best thing to do in this situation is taste the difference! Pure drinking water (which is sterile and healthy) tastes a lot better, and if you chill the water in the fridge, it’s like sipping water straight from a natural spring. Water purifiers aren’t expensive, and they really can make a big difference to your overall health, so make sure you consider one if you’re desperate to get healthier and more nutritious next year!

Even if you have the biggest kitchen in the world, it’s nice to have more space! There are some handy items that can help you save worktop space, and we’re going to talk you through three options.

1. Mug holders – These sit nicely to the wall tiles, and they save you cupboard space. They don’t take up a lot of worktop space either, and they can be put neatly in the corner.
2. Built in appliances – Having a built in oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and washing machine can be really handy, and it’s amazing how many kitchen appliances can be built into units nowadays.
3. Having shelving above your units can be another good option, and it means you get a lot of extra space. You may choose to put mugs or plates above the units, and it’ll mean you use a lot less worktop space!

A question that was asked recently, we thought we would share our answer to you all. Hope it helps.

Turn off the drain valve and remove the hose used for draining down. With a vented system, switch the water supply back on at the feed and expansion tank in the attic to allow water to flow back into the system and begin to fill it up.

With a sealed or unvented system you will need to connect the filling loop – usually a braided hose – which is usually located just beneath the boiler, and open the valves at both ends. Open the filling loop and re pressurise the system to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure – normally around 1 bar.

Go round the radiators, one by one, opening the bleed valve and releasing any air. Do the downstairs radiators first and then the upstairs ones. This will minimise the chance of trapping air in the system. On a sealed system you should then re check the pressure and top up if necessary.