The Countertop Cabinet That Stylishly Stores Your Kitchen Appliances

From over-cluttered countertops littered with tangled cords to small appliances getting lost in the darkest reaches of our cabinet carousels, many of us are in the throes of finding the best way to organize kitchen cabinets without sacrificing accessibility. While we may not reach for the air fryer or food processor every day, tucking these appliances into hard-to-reach spaces is less than ideal. However, one cabinet countertop addition could radically transform this dilemma into a stylish yet functional kitchen feature. Appliance garages are changing the way we store our kitchen gadgets. These countertop fixtures make it easier than ever to keep must-have appliances on hand without losing them to the depths of our cabinets or cluttering our key spaces.

An appliance garage is a custom cabinet solution in which you can stash your favorite kitchen gadgets. It hides the appliances you're not using, which gives your countertops a more stylish, minimalist look. These garages are often easier to access than traditional upper or lower cabinets. The fixtures often feature a door that blends seamlessly with your existing cabinetry. The door could swing open, lift up, swivel, roll back, or drop down, depending on its design. An appliance garage is ideal for small devices like waffle irons, toasters, coffee makers, or blenders. Depending on its size, you could also use it to hide away stand mixers and toaster ovens. If this unique cubby concept sounds like a good fit for your kitchen, there are a few things you'll need to consider before you install one.

Before diving into the different kinds of appliance garages, it can be beneficial to note some of the challenges you may encounter when installing such a fixture in your kitchen. First, appliance garages are not necessarily space-saving. Since an appliance garage is built directly on top of the existing countertop, you may have to sacrifice work and food prep space. However, if you're already keeping your appliances out on the countertop, this may not impact your cooking flow. For those with small kitchens, however, losing crucial prep space could be more of an issue. Another consideration before installing an appliance garage is the cost. While some garages are created using doors and hinges, more complex installations could utilize pocket doors or tambour doors, which could increase your kitchen renovation budget. For some homeowners though, this is a kitchen upgrade that is definitely worth the price.

One challenge you may run into with an appliance garage is overcrowding. The purpose of the garage is to provide a minimal, sleek look by hiding your appliances within an enclosed space. However, it's often easy to stash lots of miscellaneous items in these sorts of places. If you do, your appliance garage will become an instant clutter trap. Try to avoid overloading it with excess equipment, or it will be difficult to access its most important contents.

If you appreciate the seamless look of clean countertops with minimal visual clutter, but you need the convenience of easy-to-access storage, an appliance garage could be a great fit for your home. However, for some, the appliance garage could be just another overrated appliance trend to avoid using in your kitchen. Those who are interested might appreciate the different types of doors and storage methods that the fixture offers. You could opt for a small nook or a full-length countertop appliance garage. Some folks also install outlets inside their garages to make powering their appliances a more streamlined process.

Alternative closed storage cabinets could provide the same function as an appliance garage. Hutches, fine china cabinets, and floor-to-ceiling cabinetry can all effectively function as hidden storage appliance garages. Walk-in pantries can also suffice. A few tweaks, such as adding outlets or creating more accessible shelving, will allow these fixtures to support the functionality of your appliances just as well as an appliance garage would.

While not entirely necessary, appliance garages do provide a practical solution to storing appliances that would normally clutter your countertops. So, if you like the minimalist look they provide, and prefer their design over similar storage solutions, you may want to get one for your kitchen.