Get the best deals on small appliances for the holidays

The big news when it comes to home-related gifts this holiday season: small appliances.

Indeed, sales of small appliances are up or at least staying afloat even as big-ticket items like ranges and refrigerators are off their peak from a few years back. Small wonder, then, that the number of visits to our small-appliances forum keeps percolating upward.

Major retailers like Target, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Sears, Walmart, and Amazon are offering impressive deals on toasters, microwave ovens, blenders, choppers, and slow cookers.

Whether you’re the type who likes to give useful holiday gifts—or just want to save money slow-cooking less-expensive cuts of meat or avoiding stops at overpriced coffee shops—here are some especially good performers from Consumer Reports’ ongoing small-appliance tests. Ratings are available to subscribers, but we’ve also provided links to our free buyer’s guides. The information below should be helpful throughout the holiday-shopping season and beyond.

And remember, you’ll get more timely holiday-shopping advice by reading Tightwad Tod on our Money blog and visiting our Holiday Shopping Guide.

Blenders: The top-rated Blendtec Total Blender excels at a wide range of tasks (such as grinding coffee beans), but both retail regularly for up to $400 each. One lower-cost pick that did well in our tests was the Oster Counterforms BVLBO7-L, $80. See our free buyer's guide to blenders for other choices and their capabilities.

Coffeemakers: Our top-performing Cuisinart DCC-1200, $100, has been sighted selling online for as little as $74. Best Buys like the funkily styled Michael Graves 40304, $40, are also worth your dime. For more shopping and ratings information, see our Holiday Gift Guide: 5 things to know when buying a coffeemaker.

Food processors and choppers: Watch for markdowns on the Magimix Cuisine 5150, a very impressive machine with an equally impressive price of $480.The KitchenAid KFP715[WH], $100, is an excellent choice if you don’t need kneading capabilities. We also tested the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth 70573H, $80, and include its scores in our ratings. See our free buyer’s guide to food processors and choppers for more information.

Mixers: Among stand mixers, the KitchenAid Classic K45SS[WH], $200, and Hamilton Beach Eclectrics 6322[1]stood out for value. See our ratings for other standouts. And check out our free buyer’s guide to mixers for more details.

Microwave ovens: The Panasonic Inverter NN-SD697[S], $170 and Magic Chef MCD1611ST, $100, outperformed other models costing twice as much or more. Looking for extras like convection and speed cooking, which combines microwave and convection? You’ll find them on the $330 Kenmore Elite 6790[9], $330. How did Cuisinart’s first microwave, the CMW250, $245, fare in our tests? See our ratings and our free buyer’s guide to microwaves for more information.

Slow cookers: These can save you time and money by preparing meals while you attend to other tasks as well as turning cheaper cuts of meat into tender pot roasts and stews. Our tests found that the Hamilton Beach Set ‘N Forget 33967, $70, and the Rival Crock-Pot SCVC604H-SS, $50, offer lots of features and performance for the money. But a $100 model from VersaWare lets you brown meat in a stovetop-safe pot beforehand, as some recipes require.

Toasters and toaster ovens: New and retro designs abound, but the Proctor-Silex Cool-Touch 22203, $15, provided good performance at a very low price—provided you’re willing to give up a few features, like a bagel setting. See our free buyer’s guide to toasters and toaster ovens and see the highlights of ourJanuary 2010 report on toasters.

Wine cellars and corkscrews: Worthy freestanding wine cellars included the Kenmore 9913, $500, Danby DWC283BLS, $350 and Frigidaire FWC425GS, $300. Also consider the Emerson Electric Wine Bottle Opener BO60 and its virtual twin, the Oster Inspire Collection Electric Wine Opener 4207. Both cost about $20 and provide drama-free opening of holiday wines.

Meat and refrigerator thermometers: These excellent stocking stuffers make for safer keeping and cooking of food. Undercooked meats are a known hazard, but sickness-causing microorganisms can rapidly increase in a refrigerator that isn’t kept below 40°F.) The extremely accurate Taylor 1448 refrigerator thermometer costs only $9; their Weekend Warrior 806, $16, topped our tests of instant-read meat thermometers. Another $40 model from Weber boasts this gee-whiz wireless feature: You can check the temperature of your roasts from up to 300 feet away.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential Information: Stay on top of the news related to $300 million cash for clunkers appliance-rebate program.

Tip of the Day: When in doubt, call a food expert

As the video at right shows, some of the meat thermometers we've tested will actually talk back to you, handy for Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. But if you find yourself in a pickle as you prepare your Thanksgiving feast, call one of the hotlines below, which are staffed by experts who can field your queries.

• Butterball Turkey: 800-288-8372
• Crisco (pies): 877-367-7438
• Empire Kosher Poultry: 717-436-7055
• Fleischmann's Yeast (baking): 800-777-4959
• Foster Farms Turkey: 800-255-7227
• General Mills (baking, vegetables): 800-248-731
• King Arthur Flour Co. (baking): 802-649-3717
• Nestlé (baking): 800-637-8537
• Ocean Spray (cranberries): 800-662-3263
• Perdue (poultry): 800-473-7383
• Reynolds (turkey tips): 800-745-4000
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854 

Essential information: See our advice on preparing your holiday meal. If you’re looking to replace a major appliance, read our roundup of  Black Friday specials.

Gobble It Up: What to do with leftover turkey

Not to get too far ahead of things—after all, you might still be planning for Thanksgiving or working on your menu, which might not be as expensive as last year's—but what are you going to do with the leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving feast? If you want to go beyond a boring turkey sandwich or played-out pot of soup, follow the advice of the Consumer Reports test-kitchen experts, whose tips first appeared in the December 2009 issue of ShopSmart magazine.

• Look for recipe ingredient clones. Use recipes with ingredients from your holiday-dinner courses. For example, a turkey pot pie will take care of some of the leftover bird and the vegetables from a premeal crudité platter. Use any remaining gravy for your sauce. As for the bottom or top of the pot pie, use frozen crusts you have on hand or pick them up at the supermarket.

• Wake up your palate. Invigorate your taste buds by adding spices like chili, cumin, or curry paste to leftovers. Try fajitas, turkey-and-cheese quesadillas, turkey chili, a Thai curry, turkey mole, or a southwestern turkey casserole.

• Boost the flavor of sandwiches. Instead of making another traditional sliced-turkey sandwich, cut the turkey into small chunks, add a little mayo, and toss in: some shredded carrot, a little Dijon mustard, and curry powder; or some herbs and celery slices; or hard-boiled eggs and walnut pieces; or dried cranberries, almond slices, and mandarin oranges; or chopped olives.

• Wait until you have a hankering for turkey. Instead of eating all the leftover turkey within a couple of days or throwing it out, cut some of it up into bite-sized pieces, divide it into the amounts you normally use in recipes, and store these portions in individual freezer bags. The next time you want to make a turkey-based dish—say turkey tetrazzini, turkey a la king, or turkey stuffed shells—thaw a bag and toss it in with the other ingredients for a quick meal. Stored properly, turkey will keep in your freezer up to four months.

For expert food-storage advice, download a PDF of "Keep It Fresh!" from the ShopSmart archives.

Essential information: If you plan to do some holiday shopping on Black Frida (November 27), stay on top of the deals and other news by reading Tightwad Tod on Our Money blog and visiting our Holiday Shopping Guide.

Forum Friday: Coffeemaker reviews with unlimited refills!

Recent Forum Fridays have focused on savvy strategies to fix festive dinners and host holiday guests. But if your otherwise perfect Thanksgiving dinner was marred by a poor postprandial pot of coffee, you can turn to our latest report and review of coffeemakers and always active and accessible small-appliance forum to pick a capable model in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa dinners.

Bunn, Mr. Coffee, and Krups coffeemakers have garnered some impressive testimonials in the busy opinions on automatic coffeemakers thread, while dedicated discussions are already under way about the CR Best Buy Hamilton Beach Brew Station 47454 and the Cuisinart Grind and Brew models.

There are some recurring complaints about leakage with the Black & Decker SmartBrew DCM2000, and some forum participants have expressed similar issues with a Hamilton Beach model.

There’s also a spirited discussion of pod coffeemakers, and other members are opining about the possible lead content of plastic coffeemakers. Other discussions center around the advantages of easily replaceable carafes and white-colored coffeemakers and advice for which grinder to buy.

Take a few minutes to brew up an opinion about your current model.

Forum Friday: How's your home faring for the holidays?

With the 2008 holiday season officially under way, copious cooking and numerous guests are probably putting your appliances and accommodations through their toughest test of the year.

For example, washing machines and mattresses have been our most popular forum topics over the past two weeks, and these specific discussions of large-capacity washers and guest-room mattresses were especially busy.

If you've been stumped while stuffing leftovers into your refrigerator, consider the platter-swallowing capacity of a French-door model. Earlier this year, we took a First Look at the GE Profile PGSS5PJX[SS] and wrote a Product Preview on the Liebherr 2062 Series French-door refrigerators. Members have been sharing their feedback in a French-door refrigerator discussion that’s taken off since last Thanksgiving.

If your conventional storage-tank water heater isn't producing enough hot water for your holiday needs, you can join a lively debate over whether tankless water heaters are worth their higher cost.

Essential Information: Visit our Home Improvement Guide interactive for more advice on appliances, decor, tools, and building materials that will make your house more comfortable and functional all year long.

Tip of the Day: Time- and money-saving steps for a better Thanksgiving

Now that Halloween and Election Day have come and gone, it's time to think about your Thanksgiving Day feast. Proper planning and innovative cooking appliances can help you save time and even money for the November 27 celebration. (Note to pigskin fans: The Tennessee Titans play the Detroit Lions in the first NFL game this Thanksgiving, the Seattle Seahawks take on the Dallas Cowboys in the second gridiron throwdown, and the Arizona Cardinals visit the Philadelphia Eagles in the nightcap.)

Your first step in planning this holiday meal is to get a head count so that you don't buy too much food. When working up a menu, include a few room-temperature dishes so your range and cooktop aren't overloaded on Thanksgiving Day; also prepare then freeze baked goods like cookies, pound cakes, and other desserts that freeze well.

Before you shop, check for advertised specials, hunt online for coupons, and if you prefer a fresh turkey, order it in advance. And don't be ashamed to ask guests to bring a favorite dish—some folks enjoy sharing their family favorites.

If you need to replace your range, consider one with convection, an oven fan that forces warm around and speeds up cooking for some foods. (Convection ovens cost about $150 more than standard models.)

More Turkey Talk: • Video: How to carve a turkey • Video: Turkey-fryer safety • "Deep-fry" your turkey without oil • Holiday eating without the guilt • Turkey tips for Thanksgiving and beyond • Lab-tested turkey tips • How accurate is that meat thermometer?

With some convection ovens you can trim about 25 percent off roasting time. That's fast, but even faster appliances are on the market. In our recent turkey cook-off, an Electrolux Wave-Touch smoothtop convection range served up a 13-pound bird in 98 minutes and the TurboChef Speedcook double-wall oven did it in just 42 minutes; a conventional oven takes about 3 hours. Both turkeys were nicely browned, crispy outside, and juicy inside. Fast cooking doesn't come cheap—the Electrolux costs $2,000; the TurboChef, nearly $8,000. (See video, right.)

As you map out your holiday gathering, consider these tips from the National Turkey Federation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Shopping for a turkey
Choose the right-size bird. Figure on 1 pound of turkey per person if you're buying a whole bird and want some leftovers—that's a 15-pound turkey for a 15-person gathering.

Consider buying only a turkey breast. This could be a good move if you're hosting a small gathering and/or you eat only white meat. If you want leftovers, you'll need 3/4 pound per guest for a bone-in breast or 1/2 pound per person for boneless. (These are uncooked weights.) You could also ask your butcher to halve a whole fresh turkey; roast one half for Thanksgiving and freeze the other.

Look for product dating. Federal regulations don't require dating on the turkey, but some stores or processors list it. "Sell-by" means you should buy the turkey before the date. "Best if used by" and "use by" give you the last date recommended for getting the most flavor and quality, though this isn't a purchase or safety date. If you'll cook a fresh turkey, pick it up from the store only a day or two before cooking.

Pass on fresh prestuffed turkeys. You can get sick if a turkey hasn't been properly handled and the stuffing isn't fully cooked. The USDA suggests buying only frozen prestuffed turkeys that bear a USDA or state inspection mark.

Storing and thawing the bird
Place a fresh turkey in a pan. The pan will catch juices and keep your refrigerator clean.

Thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator. This method is safest. Keep the bird in its original wrapping and also place it in a pan to catch liquids. Allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. You can also thaw a turkey in cold water or in the microwave. But if you microwave it, you have to cook it right away. Follow the USDA's instructions for proper thawing.

A dual-oven range could be your Super Bowl (party) MVP

As we noted in our February 2008 report on ranges, in 1999 the Maytag Gemini became the first range to feature a dual oven. GE has now adopted the technology, offering it on two of its newest Profile series electric smoothtop ranges, the PB970SM and PB975SM (shown).

Among the consumers GE hopes to woo with its double-oven ranges are busy families and empty nesters. A third group that might go for dual ovens: hosts of Super Bowl parties. In today’s bigger-is-better world, chips and salsa and delivery pizza won’t cut it—a proper title-game blowout calls for an array of hot and cold dishes.

A two-oven setup displays its championship pedigree by allowing you to prepare separate dishes at different temperatures at the same time. For example, you might keep your pregame-noshing chicken wings and homemade pizzas warm in the top oven while your chili and meatballs simmer away in the lower oven getting ready for first- and second-half devouring. (GE offers a “slow cook” mode on the lower oven, ideal for just these sorts of dishes; we have not tested this feature.)

Should you base your next range purchase on something so fleeting as a Super Bowl menu? Maybe not. Our Ratings of electric and gas/dual-fuel ranges, however, will help you find the best model for the way you cook.

• If you regularly bake, consider how a range’s oven scored on baking. The dual ovens on the GE ranges mentioned above are only good in that department.

• If you regularly simmer sauces, pay attention to the “cooktop low” score. Electric ranges do proportionally better than gas models in that category.

• If reliability is your top concern, refer to our brand repair history of electric and gas/dual-fuel ranges.—Daniel DiClerico

Take home the trophy with your Super Bowl party

The buzz is building in the New York City area—our Yonkers, New York, offices are only about 30 minutes from Giants Stadium—during the run-up to Super Bowl XLII this Sunday, February 3.

I’m planning my own party for the smackdown between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. I’ll make Argentinean Short Ribs, a recipe provided to us by grilling guru Steven Raichlen, and chicken smothered in Consumer Reports barbecue sauce, which our readers rave about. (Look for these and other grilling recipes here.) I’ll be sure to refer to our grilling techniques to make sure the meat doesn’t stick to the grill.

I have not yet finalized the rest of get-together, but I know I’ll be serving plenty of chips, pizza, and beer and following the advice of Iron Chef Cat Cora and trying some of her party recipes.

My pal Sue doesn’t appreciate football, so she throws a different kind of Super Bowl soirée: She turns on the game but keeps the sound off. She and her friends peacefully enjoy their wine, cheese, chocolates, and other sophisticated fare. After the second quarter ends, Sue turns up the TV and everyone watches the halftime extravaganza. (With Tom Petty as the marquee entertainer during the intermission, we’re unlikely to see another Jackson-and-Timberlake “wardrobe malfunction.”) Upon the second-half kickoff, the TV goes silent again.

Whether you host a big bash or a quiet gathering, you’ll still have to clean up at the end of the evening. If your vacuum or dishwasher no longer gets the job done, read our expert advice on how to find the best appliances.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Try our easy food-processor recipes and find out the truth behind the “Super Bowl flush.”