It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of entertaining. Most of us put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make sure that everything is perfect which often deters us from entertaining at all. Never let expectations keep you from extending gracious hospitality to those that you care about. Instead, find ways to make entertaining even easier and efficient.

One way to make entertaining easier is to rely on faithful appliances and let them do the work. Here are three appliances that can transform your entertaining from intimidating to quick and easy.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker with Extra Freezer Bowl from Williams-Sonoma

An automatic ice cream maker is a nice way to put a special touch on your gathering with a homemade treat. You can find lots of great recipes for ice cream online, or you can choose to purchase an ice cream starter from a store like Williams-Sonoma. Either way, making your own ice cream is super easy and is always impressive to guests.

Breville Bread Maker from Williams-Sonoma

Similarly, a bread maker is a great way to offer that homemade touch. Homemade bread is not only delicious, but it is super easy to make. Simply dump the ingredients in the bowl and turn on the machine. You can time the bread so that it comes out at the exact time you plan on serving it. There is nothing better than warm bread and butter!

All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker from Williams-Sonoma

Lastly, a slow cooker is a tried and true easy entertaining trick. Again, pile in the ingredients and turn on the timer. Done! I am really fond of the recipes that Williams-Sonoma has online, especially their slow-cooker lasagna (great as leftovers, too!) and Thomas Keller’s slow-cooker cassoulet. The latter has a few more steps than a traditional slow cooker recipe, but it is worth it and is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Great for winter.

So next time you entertain, let the appliances do the work for you. Set the timer, and voila!