The Best Dash Kitchen Appliances for Small Apartments and Budgets

“Max” is not a word often applied to Dash products. But in its way, this Multimaker Max is still remarkably compact, a full-sized hinged waffle maker with options to swap in nonstick griddle and deep-dish plates. The result is a versatile cooker for waffles, pancakes, meat, veggies, and kinda whatever. It is a ticket to a mostly pan-free life—and a hell of a multicooker for dorm-dwellers and others who don't have a stove or range easily accessible.

There are five cooking plates: Two waffle plates, two shallow griddle plates with about a half-inch of space between them, and a “deep dish” bottom plate with two-inch sides. There's no on-switch. Just plug it in and the device will heat its griddle surfaces to around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cleaning is easy. Cooking is easy. The temp is a good temp for most veggies—and also for pancakes, waffles, and quesadillas. But don't expect a hard sear on meat. You won't get it. That said, the limited temperature will keep you from screwing up the nonstick coating by overheating it, so the device is kinda foolproof. It's a lazy or beginner cook's dream device. Just … remember to unplug it when you're done.

This little puppy was a big surprise. Dash's portable rapid cold brew device is among the many contenders that use pressure or agitation to speed up the classic, slow, many-hour process of making smooth, refreshing cold brew coffee. I had little confidence Dash would succeed where others failed.

And yet, here we are: This truly weird little device makes surprisingly good 15-minute cold brew. There are a lot of parts, and it makes just one drinking-strength cup. But the results are admirably smooth, low in acidity, and free of the tannic bitterness that afflicts most quick cold brews. Basically, you put 8 to 12 ounces of water in the reservoir, fill up the little filter basket that drops into the device, then attach an additional tube and rechargeable vacuum device that buzzes like a vibrator. The Brew2Go will then create a vacuum to siphon coffee and release it, over and over, in a principle similar to the VacOne air brewer WIRED received positively a few years ago. You'll see this visually as liquid is sucked up the vacuum tube then released back to the carafe. It's wild to watch.

If you stick to 8 ounces of water, you can then rapidly cool the water with ice from room temp to chill and still have about 10 ounces of drinking-strength cold brew. The results are a little turbid: Some coffee fines get through the filter. But if you're drinking immediately, this isn't a problem. It's mild, and quite pleasant—not as subtle or aromatic as the kind that takes 12 hours, but as good as most packaged cold brew.

The Dash Fresh Pop popcorn maker is the same old-fashioned air popper that raised a generation of children in the ’70s and ’80s. But it’s small. And sorta cute. It doesn’t require any oil—unlike a pot, bag popcorn, or whirligig oil poppers that heat via direct heat on the cooking surface. (Dash makes one of these, too.)

What this means is that popcorn is not a junk food unless you want it to be a junk food. You can indeed melt butter in the measuring cup, which doubles as the butter melting tray, and then drizzle butter all over your popcorn. But you can also just have air-popped corn with some seasoning. And so every night can be movie night, without calling your cardiologist or your dietician. Huzzah. Former WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar liked to use her Dash popper with these reusable popcorn containers to double down on retro vibes.

I love a precision electric kettle like the Fellow Stagg EKG ($195), the kind that heats to a precise temp and pours with the accuracy of a trick bartender. This isn't that. This Dash is a no-fuss, no worry, easy-pour, lightweight boiler. It is for dorms, for break rooms, and for fast splashes into a French press.

The window lets you see how much water is in the kettle, and the handle is cool. Those are the special features. It takes about 10 minutes to boil 1.7 liters, which doesn't exactly make it a race-winner either. But it's pleasant-looking and doesn't cost a lot. Which is to say, it is a Dash appliance.

I'm obsessed with egg bites from Starbucks, but not enough to go out and buy them every day. Thanks to this handy-dandy gadget, I've now got egg bites at home! I use it when I'm in a pinch and don't have time to cook a proper breakfast but want to ensure I'm keeping up with my protein intake.

I've made egg bites with veggies, turkey bacon, and cheese. They cook sous vide-style too, which keeps the egg bites from getting too dry. All you have to do is pour water onto the griddle and then place the four silicone molds on top. The egg bites will be ready within a few minutes. Clean-up is easy too—I pop the silicone molds into the dishwasher and wipe the machine down with a paper towel. —Brenda Stolyar

Every night, my dinners almost always consist of a protein with a side of rice. Rice pairs well with nearly everything—chicken, salmon, shrimp, you name it. But I'll usually reach for a microwavable packet because it's quicker (I know, sorry). I dread cooking rice on my stovetop because I feel like I have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. Yes, rice cookers have existed for an eternity, but Dash's Mini Rice Cooker has now become a staple in my kitchen (it's earned a permanent spot on my countertop).

The tiny appliance can cook up to two cups of rice. It comes with a measuring cup and a rice paddle so you don't scratch the surface. Add in the rice and water, and push the button. Once the rice is done, it will automatically switch to the keep-warm function to stop it from overcooking. I never have an issue with brown rice (it always comes out nice and fluffy), but I find that it tends to slightly overcook the bottom layer of Jasmine rice. Not a dealbreaker for an appliance under $20. I haven't used it for anything else, but Dash says it can make quinoa, pasta, stews, oatmeal, and soups. It comes with a recipe book for inspiration. —Brenda Stolyar

The Dash tilt-head stand mixer is a wee but serviceable 3.5-quart stand mixer at a startlingly low price, less than $100 and often on sale. Anyone who wants to make dense, high-hydration pizza dough or a perfect meringue should keep walking, and instead check out WIRED's guide to the Best Stand Mixers. But dips and cookies and fresh whipped cream are all human rights, and this Dash is a quite accessible starter mixer.

The dial on this tilt-head mixer has 12 speeds to choose from, comes with the basic three attachments (paddle, dough hook, and whisk), and has a splash guard to save on flour spray. Former WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar had good luck with this Dash mixer making cake batter, chocolate chip cookies, and onion dip courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Just don't get overconfident and overtax the motor on thick, glutinous batter—or keep this running for long mixing times above 10 minutes. This isn't for that.

The Dash Tasti-Crisp air fryer is one of the smaller models on the market, just 2.6 quarts, and also remarkably low cost. It's a compact, lightweight air fryer for singletons and single-use cooks, best for snacky french fry batches and handfuls of wings and side vegetables. Former WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar bought it at first to cook up fish for her dog, but ended up a convert for herself—and favored this Dash for chicken, fish, bacon, and veggies. The basket and removable nonstick base are dishwasher safe, and the presets include a custom setting just for you.