Photography: Tom Blachford / Interior design: Studio A.mi
Ding dong merrily on high, the Black Friday sales are coming… and it’s time for Santa (aka you) to stock up on gifts for yourself. You’ll be needing benchtop beauties and long-lunch heroes to turn every backyard barbecue and festive gathering into a jolly good time. “Black Friday offers a rare chance to secure huge savings on brands that don’t usually go on sale,” says Home Beautiful shopping editor Paris Blanchfield. “Smeg, Our Place and Ninja appliances aren’t discounted very often, so I always try to hold out for their pre-Christmas deals.”
It’s the perfect time to get entertaining essentials, yet let’s not forget that Christmas comes but once a year, so any buys should be like Santa’s elves… busy all year round. The first non-negotiable? A hardworking fridge with plenty of room for platters, drinks and all the make-ahead prep that comes with hosting. “A generous fridge, ideally 800 millimetres or wider, is a must,” says Victoria Pirrello, co-founder and creative director of joinery house Vicello. “I’m Italian, so large platters of antipasto and fruit are always prepared ahead and ready to serve, and for me, the width is just as important as the capacity.”
Minimalists rejoice, as we’re leaning into appliances that almost disappear. Integrated fridges and dishwashers create a seamless wall of joinery, keeping the focus on beautiful cabinetry rather than bulky whitegoods. “I particularly love the integrated refrigerators with push-to-open doors. It means we can eliminate handles altogether and have the refrigerator disappear completely into the joinery,” says Victoria, adding that many major brands now offer versions of this technology, including Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, Gaggenau and Liebherr.
Ovens, meanwhile, are having their moment as a design feature rather than something to hide away. Anouska Milstein, director of interior design firm Studio A.mi, encourages clients to think about how an oven complements their overall kitchen palette. “Often we will opt for stainless steel ovens because an all-black or all-white option sits a bit harshly,” she shares. “Freestanding ovens tend to be the true aesthetic showstoppers, so we select these to complement the style of the kitchen design. For example, a heritage-leaning kitchen should have a cooker with heritage-looking dials and handles.”
Then there’s the appliance you’ll be most grateful for once all your guests arrive. Both experts agree that a quiet, powerful rangehood is the unsung hero of entertaining, keeping conversations flowing and cooking smells under control. “There’s nothing worse than not being able to hear your guests speak,” says Anouska. “One with a remote motor is optimal, and make sure it has strong drawing power, so your home doesn’t smell like your meals for days after.”
HOME BEAUTIFUL TIP: Before you buy, search online for promo codes. You can find exclusive discounts here.
5 expert appliance-sale secrets
Insider tips from Home Beautiful shopping editor, Paris Blanchfield.
1. Wait for the second markdown
Appliance prices often drop, then drop a second time before creeping back up to full price. The key is knowing when the first discount hits and keeping an eye out for that second reduction in cost.
2. Track prices like a pro
Platforms including Buy Wisely and Camel Camel Camel show the highest and lowest prices an item has been, plus when the best discount was offered. If you’re after something specific, check how the current sale stacks up against previous ones.
3. Shop around for the best deal
If you can’t find a deal on the appliance you want, check other stockists. Amazon, Appliances Online, Bing Lee and JB Hi-Fi can offer better savings than buying direct.
4. Don’t wear sale goggles
Make a list of what you’re actually in the market for, then narrow it down to the exact models you want. Take bench and cupboard space into account, too, so you don’t end up with an appliance that has nowhere to live.
5. Buy for how you really cook
Shop for how you actually cook, not how you wish you cooked. If you’re a reluctant chef, upgrading an air fryer, food processor and blender is likely to be a smarter move than introducing a thousand-dollar multi-cooker.
Buy once, buy well
Breville The Smart Oven Pro in Brushed Stainless Steel, $441, Appliances Online
Hisense 484L Slim PureView French-door fridge, $2299, Bing Lee
Fisher & Paykel 498L quad-door fridge in Black Stainless Steel, $1999, The Good Guys
Midea 60cm Built Under dishwasher in Dark Stainless, $1099, Bing Lee
What is trending in appliance designs?
We’re seeing a growing appetite for distinctive-looking appliances to suit individual kitchen styles. “I think people are gravitating towards appliances with a little more personality,” says shopping editor Paris.
Swapping an old plastic kettle for something with extra design appeal is an easy place to start. “The same goes for air fryers – most are total eyesores, but models such as the Our Place Wonder Oven or the new Smeg Air Fryer really earn their keep.” With most brands offering a broad range of colours, Paris suggests matching appliances to your current interior palette, so they feel like an extension of it, rather than treating them as standalone statements.
Coffee machines are also having a moment, thanks in part to the rising price of a takeaway latte. But Paris says choosing one can be trickier than it looks. “Fully automatic machines will rarely satisfy coffee snobs, so look for machines with manual adjustment options; I’ve tested so many coffee machines over the past year, but the Ninja Luxe Café remains my go-to recommendation.”
Victoria agrees that personality has a place, yet she recommends thinking beyond what’s trending. “Stainless steel will always work, but there are also some beautiful, muted finishes available now that bring personality into the room without feeling trend-driven.” For major appliances in particular, her best advice is to prioritise longevity. “I’d rather see someone invest in quality, functionality and something that feels appropriate to the architecture and joinery surrounding it,” she says.
“I’m liking a bit of a shift away from matte. In my experience, matte equals hard to clean.”
Anouska Milstein, interior designer
Appliances with bench appeal
KitchenAid Design Series Luminaire Artisan Plus stand mixer in Blue Peppercorn, $999.20, Myer
Ooni Volt 2 electric
indoor pizza oven in Polar White, $899
Smeg ’50s Style MultiGrill in Black, $391, Appliances Online
Ninja Creami Swirl
ice cream maker in Platinum Silver, $549, The Good Guys
Display versus put away
Storage advice from Anouska Milstein of Studio A.mi.
DISPLAY
- Kettles should be on the bench, because no one wants a steamy pantry.
- Every home should have an attractive-looking carbonator on the bench. My favourite design is by Aarke. Offering your visitors sparkling water
is very chic.- If you like coffee, keep a sexy coffee machine on your bench and, if you have space for it and use it, your KitchenAid mixer can stay on display, too.
PUT AWAY
- The toaster. They are too crumby to be out all the time. Just make sure the cupboard is open when you have it going.
- Air fryers, rice cookers and your Thermomix. All of these appliances are best hidden!
Create a cafe-worthy breakfast station
Ninja Auto Barista Pro Automatic coffee machine in Stainless Steel, $1189.95, Big W
Smeg ’50s Style citrus juicer in Cream, $215.20, Myer
Breville 2-slice Toaster Select Luxe in Sea Salt Brass, $184, The Good Guys
Le Creuset 1.6L Kone kettle in Sea Salt, $138
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