As we head into the colder months, it’s time to venture into the deepest recesses of your kitchen cupboards and start retrieving your slow cookers, rice cookers and crockpots so you can start breaking out your favourite winter comfort foods, such as soup, curry or stroganoff. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t forget the humble pie maker, so you can enjoy a savoury steak and mushroom pie for lunch or a sweet apple pie for dessert.

A pie maker is a kitchen appliance that allows you to make sweet or savoury pies through the use of a non-stick grill that usually hosts up to six wells and resembles a sandwich press.

Each batch takes about 10-20 minutes to cook, making it significantly faster than baking your pies in the oven, which can take up to an hour or even more.

While the name implies that it’s designed for pies only, you’ll be surprised to hear that you can cook anything in it from eggs, bacon, roast potatoes and even doughnuts.

As long as your creativity is limitless, so too is your pie maker’s abilities. You can even use them to reheat frozen or leftover pies — take that, air fryers.

Just don’t forget to create the perfect lattice for your crust.

If a simple, traditional pie is right up your alley, then this Sunbeam pie maker is your best option. The inside of the pans are non-stick and deep, so you can pack plenty of filling into it, while its bonus pastry cutter tool will deliver perfectly portioned sizes.

The edge crimper on its lid will not only seal the tops of your pies for a leak-free experience, but it’ll also assist in recreating a rustic, humble pie that you can sit on your window sill to cool. Let’s hope no cheeky children nick your homemade steamy goodness.

You can buy the Sunbeam Pie Magic pie maker here for $71 (down from $89.95). You can also save and go for this two-pie option here for $55.

For a budget pie maker that won’t disappoint, Kmart’s cult-favourite pie maker is a must-have. Not only is it always available for a low, low $39, but it comes jam-packed with higher-end features such as cool-touch housing to prevent accidental burns, a heat-insulated handle to protect your fingers and overheat protection just in case disaster strikes.

You can use your pie maker to try making nutella doughnuts or mini muffins just like hundreds of other Kmart devotees have done.

Shop the Anko by Kmart pie maker here for $39.

If you prefer your pies as a bite-sized snack, or maybe you’re organising a kids’ birthday party, there’s no better choice than this Kogan six-cup mini pie maker.

Unlike some pie makers, this little guy comes with power and ready-light indicators, as well as automatic temperature control to help prevent the risk of a burnt pie.

You can even use it to meal prep some delicious mini quiches to take to work.

You can grab it here on sale for $29.99 (down from $89.99).

Forget about deep dish pizza, how about a deep dish apple pie? Although, you could definitely recreate a deep dish pizza in this Innobella pie maker.

With its retro aqua-coloured look, this pie maker will bring an extra pop of colour to any drab kitchen. Not only will it whip up two hearty pies for you in just 30 minutes flat, but it’ll also alert you with a ding once ready.

You can pick up the Innobella pie maker here for $43.95.

Mini pies are nice and all, but there’s just nothing like a large, traditional pie to get your cholesterol up. If you want to put on the big boy oven mitts, this Kogan family pie maker will make you a full-sized pie with plenty to go around.

It sports a stainless steel design with a lock system to seal in the heat and make clean up all the more easier.

Once you flip the switch, start by prepping your pastry (whether it’s homemade or store-bought, we don’t judge) then when the little ready light flicks to green, gently place your pastry base inside. It even comes with pastry cutters so you can nail the perfect side for the base and lid every time.

Grab yours here for $26.99 (down from $89.99).

Isabella Noyes is an E-Commerce Writer at Pedestrian Group, working across PEDESTRIAN.TV, VICE Australia, Refinery29 Australia, Business Insider Australia, Gizmodo Australia, Lifehacker Australia and Kotaku Australia.

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