Crumbs! It's bad news for the bread maker

Latest research from Mintel reveals that as many as 36% of all consumers who received a bread maker as a gift, admit they hardly ever use this appliance. Meanwhile, sandwich toasters (28%) and coffee makers/percolators (28%) make up the remaining top three least used appliance gifts.

Richard Caines, senior retail analyst at Mintel, said: "While a popular gift idea, this latest research shows that an enormous number of appliances are barely used. The risk of not checking that a person actually wants a particular item is clear from the number of appliances that are owned but hardly ever used that were received as gifts."

Overall, while the household goods sector was hit hard by the economic downturn and recession, small kitchen appliances have performed well. Over the last five years, the value of the market has whizzed up a mouth watering 11%, increasing from £516* million in 2005 to an estimated £581 million in 2010. In 2009, we steamed, chopped and percolated our way through a whopping £559 million worth of these gadgets. In terms of numbers sold, during 2005 we acquired 21 970 000 new appliances, this figure is set to reach an estimated 25 590 000 by the end of 2010.

Kettles are king

"Small kitchen appliances have benefited from being more affordable than big-ticket household items but the sector has not been completely immune from the effects of the recession. The end of 2008 and the first half of 2009 was the most difficult trading period, but value sales picked up strongly towards the end of 2009 and this trend continued into 2010." Caines continues.

Kettles have the largest share of the market, accounting for a steaming £152 million worth of sales, the market having increased 14% between 2005 and 2010. Meanwhile food preparation appliances account for the second largest share. Valued at £79 million, sales of these appliances are set to increase 11% between 2005 and 2010. Finally toasters, make up the third largest sector, currently valued at £78 million, sales increased a warming 28% between 2005 and 2010.

Meanwhile, once the darling of the nation's dedicated dieters, sales of health grills decreased an unhealthy 17% between 2005 and 2009. Valued at £53 million back in 2005, sales have slumped to just £44 million in 2010. However, volume sales have seen less of a decline, falling back 3% in the last five years.

Steaming ahead, slowly

"Although there is a strong interest in healthy eating, a firmly-established trend that initially resulted in growth in the market for health grills, this market has declined compared with 2005. Consumers have turned to other products for preparing healthy meals, such as electric steamers, slow cookers or multi-cookers.

Stronger interest in cooking and baking, a desire to eat more healthily, as well as more meals, drinks and snacks being taken or prepared at home to save money, have all helped drive demand for small kitchen appliances that make tasks in the kitchen easier, quicker and produce better results." Caines concludes.

*Exchange rate: about R10.40/£1.