Best affordable household essentials and small appliances

Start with the air fryer. A 6-quart basket model is the single most useful everyday appliance for most homes: it replaces the toaster oven and the deep fryer, and the Beautiful 6 Qt with TurboCrisp is the one I'd buy — big enough for a family tray of vegetables or chicken, simple dials, and tens of thousands of ratings behind it.

Who the others suit:

• Cooking for one or two: a 2-quart compact air fryer — small footprint, quick to heat, easy to store.
• Rice as a staple: a mini rice cooker with keep-warm; step up to a 4-cup model if you cook for more than two.
• Toast, bagels, leftovers: a mini toaster oven beats a slot toaster for versatility.
• Smoothies and soups: a personal blender set for single servings, or an immersion blender if you'd rather blend in the pot.
• Floors: a corded stick vacuum is the dependable cheap choice; a cordless one is worth it only if you'll actually carry it around.