7 kitchen appliances Boomers keep on their counters that make the whole space look cluttered and dated

Last Saturday at the farmers' market, I was chatting with a woman who'd just moved in with her mother to help out after a health scare. She looked exhausted, and when I asked how things were going, she sighed and said, "The kitchen. I can't work in that kitchen."

I knew exactly what she meant without her saying another word.

It wasn't that her mother's kitchen was dirty or dysfunctional. It was just crowded with every single appliance she'd ever owned, all lined up like soldiers on parade across every available inch of counter space. No room to chop vegetables, no space to roll out dough, just a museum of small appliances from decades past.

Modern kitchen design has shifted dramatically toward clean, minimal countertops. Experts emphasize that excessive countertop clutter can make a kitchen feel cramped and outdated. The trend now is toward integrated, built-in appliances that blend seamlessly with cabinetry rather than cluttering work surfaces.

If your kitchen counters are overflowing, it might be time to rethink what really deserves that prime real estate. Here are seven appliances that tend to accumulate on Boomer countertops, creating that cluttered, dated look that's fallen out of favor.

1) The bread machine that hasn't been used in years

Remember when bread machines were going to revolutionize home cooking? Everyone had to have one.

My former colleagues in finance used to talk about their bread machines like they were luxury cars. The smell of fresh bread wafting through the house before work, the satisfaction of homemade loaves. It sounded perfect.

But here's what usually happened. People used them obsessively for about three months, then occasionally for another six, and then they sat there. Taking up space. Collecting dust. A monument to good intentions.

These bulky machines typically measure around 12 by 16 inches and weigh 15 to 20 pounds. That's a lot of valuable counter space for something that might get used once or twice a year, if that.

The reality is that most people found the process more complicated than they expected. You had to add ingredients in a specific order, the timing was inflexible, and the bread often turned out oddly shaped with that telltale hole in the bottom from the mixing paddle.

If you genuinely use your bread machine weekly, keep it. Otherwise, consider storing it or donating it to someone who will actually use it.

2) The coffee maker with the built-in grinder nobody touches

Here's a funny thing I noticed during my years analyzing consumer behavior through financial data. People would spend $150 on a fancy coffee maker with all the bells and whistles, then buy pre-ground coffee anyway.

These combination coffee maker and grinder units seemed brilliant in theory. Fresh-ground beans every morning, perfect coffee, all in one machine. But they're typically large, complicated to clean, and louder than a construction site at 6 AM.

Most people I know who own these use them like regular coffee makers, completely ignoring the grinder function. The grinder compartment becomes a dusty reminder of coffee aspirations that never quite materialized.

Current kitchen trends favor simpler solutions. A basic coffee maker or pour-over setup takes up less room and does the job just as well. If you really want fresh-ground coffee, a separate small grinder that you can store in a cabinet makes more sense than a dual-purpose behemoth.

The best appliances earn their counter space by being used regularly. If you're not grinding beans every morning, why is this thing still out?

3) The electric can opener that's pure nostalgia

I'll be honest. When I first moved into my own place at 23, I thought electric can openers were the height of sophistication. My parents had one mounted under their cabinet, and it represented "making it" to me.

Then I actually bought one and realized how ridiculous it was.

These things are bulky, require an outlet, need regular cleaning, and take up significant counter space. For what? To save the three seconds it takes to use a manual opener?

Modern manual can openers work beautifully and store in a drawer. Some newer models are even designed to cut along the side of the can rather than through the lid, leaving smooth edges and eliminating the sharp lid problem entirely.

Electric can openers made sense in an era when canned goods were a dietary staple. Today, with fresh and frozen options readily available, most people open far fewer cans than previous generations did. The appliance just doesn't justify its footprint anymore.

Unless you have severe arthritis or another condition that makes manual can opening genuinely difficult, that electric opener is taking up space that could be better used for actual food preparation.

4) The countertop rotisserie oven collecting grease

Before air fryers took over the world, rotisserie ovens were the must-have cooking appliance. These massive machines promised restaurant-quality roasted chicken at home, complete with a window so you could watch it spin.

I watched my mentor's rotisserie oven gather dust in her kitchen for five years. She'd used it maybe a dozen times total. It sat there, this hulking reminder of a different era in cooking, while she made dinner in her regular oven or on the stove.

The problem with rotisserie ovens isn't that they don't work. They do. The chicken comes out beautifully. But they're enormous, difficult to clean, and most people discovered they didn't actually roast whole chickens often enough to justify the space.

These appliances often measure 20 inches wide or more and weigh upwards of 20 pounds. That's half your counter space gone for something you might use once a month at best.

Air fryers deliver similar results in a fraction of the space and time. They're easier to clean, more versatile, and don't require you to sacrifice your entire workspace to accommodate them.

5) The food processor that's too complicated to bother with

Food processors are useful tools. But the giant, 14-cup models with seventeen different blade attachments and a base that weighs as much as a small child? Those often end up as expensive counter ornaments.

I know exactly three people who use their full-size food processors regularly. Everyone else bought them with grand plans for homemade hummus and pizza dough, used them twice, got tired of washing all the parts, and now they just sit there.

The issue isn't the concept, it's the execution. These large processors are intimidating. You have to remember which blade does what, assemble multiple parts correctly, and then disassemble and wash everything afterward. For many tasks, a good knife or a smaller appliance works just as well with far less hassle.

Current design thinking in kitchens emphasizes functionality over aspiration. If you're not actually processing food regularly, why is this machine taking up a quarter of your counter?

A smaller mini food processor or even a quality blender handles most tasks people actually do. They're easier to clean, take up less space, and don't make you feel guilty every time you look at them.

6) The toaster oven that's doing nothing your regular oven can't do

Toaster ovens seem practical. They're smaller than a full oven, so they should save energy and heat up faster, right?

But here's what I've observed. Most people who keep toaster ovens on their counters also have perfectly functional ovens built into their stoves. They're duplicating functionality while sacrificing workspace.

These appliances typically measure around 16 to 20 inches wide and sit on the counter full-time. That's significant real estate for something that's essentially a miniature version of equipment you already own.

The argument for keeping them used to be energy efficiency, but modern ovens are far more efficient than they were decades ago. Plus, if you're only toasting bread, a regular toaster uses even less energy and takes up far less space.

I've talked to people who keep their toaster ovens because they "might need them" or because they've "always had one." That's not a reason. That's just habit.

Unless you're cooking for one or two people and genuinely never use your main oven, the toaster oven is probably just taking up space that could be used for actual cooking prep.

7) The specialty appliance graveyard

This last one isn't a specific appliance but rather a category. Sandwich makers. Egg cookers. Hot dog rollers. Quesadilla makers. Waffle irons that get used once a year.

These single-purpose gadgets multiply like rabbits on many kitchen counters. Each one seemed essential when it was purchased. Each one promised to make life easier or healthier or more fun.

And each one now sits there, a testament to clever marketing and wishful thinking.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I bought an elaborate juicer during my first year of writing. I was going to be so healthy. Fresh juice every morning. It lasted two weeks before the hassle of cleaning it every single day killed my enthusiasm.

The problem with specialty appliances is right there in the name. They're specialists. They do one thing, and if you're not doing that one thing regularly, they're useless. A good pan can make sandwiches, eggs, hot dogs, and quesadillas. It can also make hundreds of other things, and it stores in a cabinet.

Modern kitchens increasingly favor versatile tools over specialized gadgets. This shift reflects both a desire for cleaner aesthetics and a more practical approach to cooking.

Final thoughts

Walking into a kitchen with clear, open counters feels completely different from walking into one cluttered with appliances. There's room to breathe. Space to work. A sense of possibility rather than obligation.

The appliances on this list aren't inherently bad. Some of them might genuinely serve you well if you actually use them regularly. The key word there is "regularly."

Here's what I've learned. If you haven't used something in three months, it doesn't deserve counter space. Store it in a cabinet or pantry if you think you might need it occasionally. If you haven't used it in a year, it's time to let it go.

Your counters are valuable real estate. They're your workspace, your prep area, the place where actual cooking happens. They shouldn't be a storage facility for appliances you once thought you'd use.

Take an honest inventory. What do you actually use at least weekly? Those items have earned their spot. Everything else? Time to clear them out.

You might be surprised how much more you enjoy cooking when you're not navigating an obstacle course of dusty machines every time you want to chop an onion.