Useless kitchen appliances: what the viral list doesn't tell you

The 10 appliances you don't need (and why you buy them anyway)

No list of dispensable appliances should be taken literally, but the one circulating on social media these days has managed to split Spanish households into two camps: those who defend their air fryer as the holy grail and those who see it as a luxury paperweight. Far from settling the debate, it reveals that an appliance's usefulness depends less on its specs than on the size of the home, consumption habits and, above all, the patience to clean it.

Air fryers and dishwashers: the most hotly contested

The air fryer —technically a small convection oven— has fans who use it daily for breaded food and vegetables, and critics who see it as a gadget for people who eat frozen meals every day. A recurring argument is that any mid-range conventional oven already has convection. Its defenders, however, point out that it heats up faster and avoids firing up the big oven for small portions.

The dishwasher, meanwhile, is the appliance that stirs up the most passion. For large families it's almost essential, saving time and water; for single-person households, it becomes a piece of furniture taking up half a metre of kitchen and only switched on once a week. Some claim washing up by hand is therapeutic, while others compare it to the washing machine: a civilisational achievement that should not be questioned.

Sandwich makers, yoghurt makers and others destined for oblivion

The list includes appliances that rarely pass the test of weekly use. The sandwich maker usually ends up in a corner after the first month, though some rescue it by pairing it with waffle plates. The yoghurt maker, the electric toothbrush and the ice cream maker emerge as firm candidates for the cupboard. A curious case is the electric rice cooker: in Spanish households that don't eat rice daily, it's used so sporadically that it barely justifies the space, whereas in Asian households it's a staple.

Minimalism: virtue or economic imposition?

Behind these lists lies a deeper current: the minimalism trend. Some analysts point out that minimalism forced by lack of space or money is different from minimalism by choice. The wealthy tend to be more minimalist about superfluous objects —like those on the list—, while middle-class households tend to accumulate appliances that promise to solve their lack of time. The original video that sparked the debate came from a channel with around 7,000 subscribers, proof that content about material detachment attracts an audience, but doesn't always get its recommendations right.

The kettle and the paradox of durability

A recurring anecdote in the analysis is the kettle: one user recalls their first one lasting twenty years, while today's models break after two or three. This illustrates how planned obsolescence has turned appliances that were once an investment into almost disposable products. Another case is robot vacuums: some have seen one of the early models, laser included, end up broken after a household accident sent it to the Valhalla of Roombas.

The next material-detachment guru will probably include these appliances on their list again, but as long as there are people enjoying a hot sandwich from their sandwich maker or crispy salmon bars from an oil-free air fryer, the list will remain subjective. What is a scam to some is a daily tool to others: the kitchen is the realm of necessity, but also of whim.