What do you keep out on your kitchen counter?

[CVGap]

We have:
Toaster - use almost every day
Kettle - use several times a day
Bread machine - use at least every other day
Coffee machine - use every day.

As I don't have any cupboard storage, I've also got tea caddy, salt, pepper, tray, biscuit, spare jam, soap refill, garlic, spare flour. Knife block, bottles - soap, dishwasher, counter cleaner. 2 paint jam jars (DC) and bread board.

Is that standard? I've a friend with nothing out but she has a massive kitchen. One whose surfaces are so crammed you can barely make tea but she has no storage whatsoever. We're thinking of re-doing and I'm wondering what I should try to hide!

[OllysArmy]

In one corner the drinks area, so kettle, nessprsso machine, 3 caddies, bottle of squash, 2 teapots and a roll of kitchen paper.
Sink area, drying rack that is usually only empty on a Sunday when 8 bleach the sink, washing up liquid, sponges and brushes, hand wash and anti back spray.
Prep area is clear except for the salt, pepper and garlic pot.
Then other corner is the toaster, bread bin, pasta and rice storage jars and a fruit bowl. Everything else has a home in a cupboard and only comes out to be used.
Tops of cupboards are a mess with bulky boxes for storage and cereal etc.
This is the most I could have out and is how my kitchens have been for 30 years

[MadamShazam]

Shit loads. Fruit bowl, kettle, bread bin, sugar bowl, cup tree, george foreman grill, utensil holder, spice rack, coffee machine, microwave, and random stuff in a corner. Its way too cluttered, I need shelves up!

[DinosApple]

I'm a loads of clutter sort.

Toaster, kettle, lunch boxes, Kenwood, liquidiser, chopping boards, marble counter protectors, jars with pasta, tea, sugar, another jar with home grown garlic, another with home pickled onions, a basket of garden tomatoes, a box of red onions, cookery book stand, home made gin, oil, salt, some spice, utensils, dishwasher powder, house phone, plate stacker...

Plus various glass work top protectors that DH insists upon, and really annoy me as it's a pain to clean under them.

And any shit my family decide to dump on the counters.

We've got lots of counter space but are not tidy people, but I do want to sort it out a bit come late autumn when the garden harvests are done.

[ZuzuMyLittleGingersnap]

Stunt pineapple on display, obviously...

[BadDucks]

Kettle
Coffee machine
Toaster
3 house plants
Amazon Echo

[delilahbucket]

Kettle, toaster, fruit bowl, speaker, hand sanitizer, kettle, tea coffee sugar tins. On the windowsill by the sink there's soap, washing up liquid and a basil plant.
We have loads of storage, it was the one thing we knew we needed when we extended the kitchen as our old one was tiny and most of the stuff was in cupboards in the lounge. It's really hard cleaning around things, so the less stuff out the better.

[MrsT1405]

I've just had a new kitchen and deep and very shallow drawers are the way to go. All my toaster,slow cookers, grillers etc go in them. Its like having instant.
access to all your cupboards not just the front bit. There are racks inside so all my pan lids and cooking tins are stored upright. The shallow draws hold herbs , cutlery and smaller appliances as well as foil cling film etc. Its worth really .looking at exactly what will go were and getting plenty of internally fittings .

[DazzlingDee]

Coffee machine
Toaster
Kettle
Tea - Coffee - Sugar canister
Knife block
Microwave
Kitchen towel
Soap dispenser
Fruit bowl

Anything more looks cluttered. I did used to have much less and store everything away but what a faff that is ! All the things out are used every day apart from the microwave

[Laurie01]

@Mynxie I'm with you, I have a hot tap so no kettle.

I have soap dispenser, toaster, nespresso machine & bowl of fruit.

[Stinkyguineapig]

If DH has been shopping or cooking the entire contents of the kitchen is on the work surfaces. In the ideal world for 10 min after I have cleared up there is the microwave, kettle, oils, salt and pepper and a fruit bowl. The scales are on the window sill.

[KittyMcKitty]

I have a lot of work surfaces and like them clear. We didn’t get a boiling water tap and regret it. I have:

Kettle
Fruit bowl
2 plants
Hand wash / washing up liquid
Couple of decorative things on windowsill

Lots of big drawers and a walk in pantry have made a huge difference.

[Thecazelets]

Bread bin, butter dish and coffee machine. Vase of flowers on the island. Fruit bowl on the dining table. I do have an old dresser with plates etc on it but it's not part of the 'working' kitchen area.

Toaster goes back in the cupboard after use, tea etc kept in the cupboard. Cleaning stuff in cupboard under the sink. I hate having stuff out on the counter.

[Katinski]

I really approve of Zuzu's Stunt Pineapple

[Parker231]

Just kettle, toaster and coffee maker. And fruit bowl on the island. Everything else is put away.

[AlwaysLatte]

Toaster, kettle, bread maker and bread bin on one worktop, food processor, chopping boards (Joseph ones) on another, then on the small ones either side of the alcove where the range is I have a tray with oils and vinegars for cooking and salt pig. Usually a vase of flowers out as well.

[Pipandmum]

I'm about to put my house on the market so it's looking its absolute decluttered best!
I have a breakfast cupboard that houses the coffee maker and microwave. Out I have the toaster (it used to live in the cupboard but the one I have now is too big), kettle, paper towel thing, pot with wooden spoons, spatula etc, a lazy susan caddy (yes like Home Edit) for spices and frequently used condiments. Matching tea, coffee and sugar ceramic jars. Fruit bowl on the island and chopping board. Dish with sponge and washing up liquid and hand soap. I have a big kitchen so it doesn't look crowded. The rest of the stuff I used to have laying about had nothing to do with cooking, just things that gathered on any horizontal surface. No more!

[AlwaysLatte]

Also forgot a huge plant pot holder by cooker that has all the wooden spoons and a silicone/wood cooking utensils set in.

[SantaMonicaPier]

We have an extremely small counter, maybe 5 feet long. We have a toaster, kettle, Sodastream and coffee machine.

[AlwaysLatte]

Seeing the posts about people ditching their kettle for a hot water tap. I want an induction hob kettle but my husband has taken against them for some reason! 🤷‍♀️

[Kolsch]

Water boiler. ( Not a kettle )
Coffee machine.
Toaster.
Microwave.
Kitchen roll.
Potted plant.

Everything else is in the cupboards.

[Pinkfluffyunicornsdancing]

Just the kettle and a bucket we use for popping the recycling in to take outside. But that bucket is only there because DH refuses to use it when it's on the floor and dumps recycling on the bench. He hates it being there. But I hate a pile of recycling lying around even more. So we are in a standoff about it and if he will use it when it's on the floor I'll take it off the bench.
I sometimes put the kettle away so there's nothing out at all and it's lovely.

[LunaNorth]

Coffee machine
Tray with jars of coffee beans
Bread bin
Some trays (standing against the wall)
Toaster
Gluten free toaster (I’m coeliac)
Food processor
Instant Pot
Tray with oils, vinegars etc
Salt pig
Chopping board holder thingy
Kitchen Aid mixer
Utensil jar
Compost caddy
Milk bottle holder

[LunaNorth]

Oh yeah, the kettle too.

[LunaNorth]

Christ, and kitchen roll and washing up liquid, kitchen spray and handwash!