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Most kitchens contain several appliances used a few times a year: the slow cooker that appears in winter, the ice cream maker that appears in summer, the mixer used for Christmas baking. Where they live between uses determines both their condition and whether they get used at all.
The Accessibility Trade-Off
An appliance stored in a high cupboard behind three other things gets used less than one on the worktop. That is a real cost, since an appliance not used is worse value than one that takes up space.
The honest question is how often it is genuinely used. Weekly means it earns worktop space. Monthly means an accessible cupboard. Twice a year means anywhere, including another room.
Covers Versus Boxes
For an appliance staying on the worktop, a fitted cover keeps off dust and airborne grease, which is the main issue in a kitchen. Quilted covers with pockets, of the kind catalogued by homest, also keep attachments and the manual with the machine.
For one going into a cupboard, the original box is ideal if kept, since it protects the shape and holds the accessories. Where the box has gone, a cover still keeps dust off in a cupboard that is opened frequently.
Preparing Something for Storage
- Clean thoroughly, since food residue attracts pests and produces smells
- Dry completely, particularly anything with a sealed compartment
- Remove batteries from anything that has them
- Coil cables loosely rather than tightly wrapping them around the body
- Keep attachments and the manual with the appliance rather than separately
That last point causes more frustration than any other. An appliance retrieved in November without its whisk attachment or its manual is an appliance that does not get used that evening.
Where Not to Store Them
Garages, sheds and lofts are poor choices for anything electrical. They cycle through condensation, which corrodes contacts and can damage circuit boards, and they are cold enough to affect plastics and lubricants.
An unheated indoor cupboard is considerably better than an outbuilding, even if the temperature is similar, because the humidity is more stable.
The Weight Problem
Stand mixers and similar appliances are heavy, which is the main reason they are left out rather than stored. Lifting fifteen kilograms in and out of a low cupboard is genuinely difficult, and for anyone with back or shoulder problems it is a reason to leave it on the counter permanently.
That is a perfectly sensible decision, and a cover is the appropriate response to it.
The Review
An appliance that has not been used for two years is not going to be used. Passing it on rather than storing it recovers the space, which in most kitchens is worth more than the appliance.
Doing this once a year, when retrieving the seasonal items, is the natural point to be honest about it.