Five kitchen gadgets to help you make all your favourite winter warming meals

When the temperature drops and the evenings draw in, few things beat sitting down to a bowl or plate of something warm and comforting. From soups to to crispy chips and freshly baked treats, winter is the perfect excuse to spend more time in the kitchen.

When it comes to making your favourite cold-weather recipes, having the right appliances can make some of those homemade winter staples a lot easier easier to prepare.

Whether you're planning batches of soup for weekday lunches, fancy trying your hand at homemade doughnuts or want an easier way to tackle seasonal baking and hearty meals, these kitchen gadgets could come in handy over the colder months.

For homemade cakes, bakes and winter puddings

A hand mixer can be one of those kitchen gadgets that earns its place in the cupboard all year round, but I find mine particularly useful during baking season - which tends to come in the autumn, when Bake Off is on the TV, and I’m spending more time inside hiding from horrible weather outside.

The Kenwood Hand Mixer Silver has a 450W motor, five speeds and a turbo function, alongside stainless steel beaters and kneaders. That makes it suitable for making everything from cake mixtures to whipped cream. I also use mine when I’m making Yorkshire puddings (because I’m from Yorkshire and anything other than homemade ones simply won’t do).

It's a great option if you don't have the space or budget for a stand mixer, as you can use it with your own mixing bowl rather than needing to find space for a sizeable appliance on your worktop. Even though I do have a stand mixer, sometimes it seem like a lot of effort to get it out for one small, quick job so I still love having my hand mixer.

For something a little more compact, the Kenwood QuickMix Go Hand Mixer (which I have in storm blue) has a 350W motor and five speeds, with stainless steel beaters and kneaders. Its clever storage case keeps the mixer, tools, cable and measuring spoon together, while there is also an integrated cable wrap, which could be particularly useful if cupboard space is at a premium.

• Buy the Kenwood Hand Mixer Silver now (£36.99).
• Buy the Kenwood QuickMix Go Hand Mixer now (£40).

For warming bowls of homemade soup

Few meals feel more suited to a chilly day than a bowl of homemade soup, but standing chopping vegetables to the right size and then standing over a saucepan and stirring for a while isn't very appealing after a busy day.

But, with the Hamilton Beach Intelligent Pro Soup Maker Plus I no longer have to do that, but I can have the most delicious soup. It is a gadget designed to make the soup making process considerably more straightforward, and it definitely delivers. It has a 1.6-litre capacity, which is enough for up to four servings, and can make smooth, chunky or extra-smooth soup in 30 minutes or less.

It has been a game changer in my kitchen. It means I can batch cook soup on a Sunday and have enough for most of my lunches throughout the week. Plus, I can choose exactly what ingredients go in and tailor a soup to my likes. It’s been great to add more variety to my soup. I’m a vegetarian so there isn’t much variation in the flavours sold by the supermarket.

Plus, I’ve found it really handy when I’ve got quite a bit of veg that is getting close to its use by date and I know I’ll struggle to eat it, and that in itself has saved me money because it’s helped me to cut down on food waste. The cost of making your own soup could also be considerably cheaper than buying ready-made soup from the supermarket too, but that of course depends on exactly what type you are comparing it against.

The machine itself is very easy to use too. Simply add your ingredients, select the appropriate setting and let the appliance do the work. It has an intelligent overspill sensor, a digital display and stainless steel blades, so it’s always a clean and tidy operation.

One important thing to note is that although the gadget is called a soup maker, it’s not actually limited to making soup. It’s actually a 3-in-1 appliance can also be used for smoothies, juices and jams.

• Buy the Hamilton Beach Intelligent Pro Soup Maker Plus now (Price starts at £38.99, depending on colour chosen. Black is £38.99 and grey is £59.98).

For homemade chips and crispy comfort food

When you're craving something properly indulgent for lunch, tea or dinner, homemade chips and/or crispy chicken can be just the thing. Sometimes, oven cooking just doesn’t deliver that ideal crispy outside and fluffy middle.

But, I’ve found the Hamilton Beach Professional PureFry 3L Deep Fat Fryer does, because it has been designed for exactly that sort of cooking. It’s plenty big enough for all the family too, with a 3-litre oil capacity that can handle up to 800g of food in one cycle.

Now, there’s no getting away from the fact that fried food isn’t the healthiest thing you can serve, but this deep fat fryer does have features above and beyond to make this the best it can. Its standout feature is an automatic oil filtration system that drains and filters the oil into a sealed container after cooking.

There's also an adjustable thermostat and viewing window, so you can monitor your food while keeping control of the cooking temperature. The fryer has cool-touch surfaces and handles too, and the removable parts are dishwasher safe so you don’t have to spend a long time handwashing everything after you’ve finished your meal.

Everyone deserves a treat meal sometimes, especially in the colder, darker, wetter months, and sometimes you just can’t beat homemade chips, battered fish, crispy chicken or doughnuts - and a deep fat fryer is needed, in my opinion, to get those right.

• Buy the Hamilton Beach Professional PureFry 3L Deep Fat Fryer now (£99.99).

For better-tasting water for hot drinks

This gadget is a bit of a rouge one in this list, but it does have its place. Winter also means peak hot-drink season, whether you're reaching for a morning coffee, an afternoon tea or a mug of hot chocolate.

The quality of all of those drinks starts with the quality of the water you use to make them. That’s why I love my Waterdrop Glass Water Filter Pitcher. It has a 1.5-litre capacity and is designed to filter tap water, making it an easy addition to a kitchen where the kettle is in constant use - and it is in my house.

I really like how thoughtfully this water filter jug has been designed. The jug itself is made from robust, heat-resistant borosilicate glass, while the filter insert and inner liner are BPA-free. There’s also a handy silicone base to help protect the glass from knocks, stop it sliding around and reduce the risk of breakage.

One of my favourite little details is the opening at the top, which means you can simply pour water straight in without having to remove the lid every time. It filters surprisingly quickly, too, with a smooth flow that means you’re not left standing around waiting for the water to make its way through.

The water comes out crisp, clean and incredibly refreshing, with that lovely fresh-spring taste that makes you want to drink more throughout the day. Now here’s the science bit: It also uses a five-stage filtration system combining advanced carbon fibre, ion exchange resin and activated carbon block. It’s NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 372 certified to reduce chlorine, taste, odour and mercury, while third-party testing has also shown reductions in copper, cadmium, PFOA/PFOS, sand, sediment and larger particles.

• Buy the Waterdrop Glass Water Filter Pitcher now (£45.99).

Making winter cooking a little easier

With the colder months approaching, these are the sorts of appliances that could make it easier to spend more time enjoying comforting homemade food and less time worrying about the preparation.

• Please note that delivery charges may apply for all of these products.