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Have you ever felt like your kitchen was full of crap you didn’t actually use? As a food blogger, I have to be extremely careful what I bring into my kitchen. Between gifted products to review, ingredients for recipe creation, and my own penchant for specialty bake ware…the kitchen gadgets tend to pile up.
Kitchen space is an important commodity for me, and I refuse to waste a single inch on products I don’t regularly use. I don’t believe in “special occasion” only, because every day is an occasion worth celebrating. This means every item I have is either greatly loved, or greatly used.
I’m sharing my top 10 kitchen gadgets with y’all, because I think everyone deserves to know what’s worth the cash, and what’s not. Every single item on this list is in my kitchen, and gets used at least once a week, most of them daily.
1. French Coffee Press
I read an article awhile back–sadly, I can’t find it now–that interviewed the founders of three major coffee brands, detailing their favorite ways to brew coffee. Spoiler: all three agreed that French Press was the best. As a NON coffee mogul…I can confirm.
A French Press is inexpensive, fast, and just so easy. I prefer it over my drip machine because I find I can control the heat, and therefore the bitterness of my coffee. This article from Eating Well details how to use a French Press correctly. I use the one linked above, and I highly recommend it.
2. KP Chain Mail Scrubber
This thing. Whew. I hate washing dishes s l i g h t l y less now, especially the stack of pots and pans after a large meal.
I was lucky enough to partner with Knapp Made, and I was sent two scrubbers to try. The original 4×6 chain mail, and the one I linked above, 8×6 with the smaller chain link. I am OBSESSED with these things. The smaller chain link is my preferred of the two, simply because I think it works faster. However, the larger chain link is good for getting burnt residue off of cast iron REAL fast.
The price tag might seem a tad steep, but this thing comes with a warranty and you won’t ever suffer from sponge stanky fingers again. After being PR gifted two scrubbers, I actually purchased a third!
3. Silpat Baking Mat
These things make it so easy to whip up cookies and biscuits. For some reason I hate cleaning cookie sheets with a passion. They’re so bulky and annoying to get in the sink. Silpats wipe off easily and I rarely need to clean a cookie sheet.
They’re also super cheap, and come in all sizes, so you can find the best fit for your needs. I linked my favorite brand and size, but don’t think it’s the only kind that works.
4. Wine Chilling Stick
We received this as a wedding present, and it gets used at least once a week (Guilty Wino over here). Nothing is worse than warm wine. This chilling stick easily slides into any size bottle, instantly dropping the temperature.
This is the exact brand we have, from Brookstone, but I’m so glad Amazon offers it as well. It took me awhile to figure out it actually acts as a pouring spout too! Be careful with champagne though, the sudden temperature change will react with the carbonation, causing a spill. Pour out a glass first.
5. Microplane Zester
I discovered this zester when I took a class at Sur la Table several years ago, and they gave me a 20% discount, so I decided to invest in my zest. Now, I probably use this once a day, even for Parmesan cheese.
This thing is so sharp, it works fast, and makes your zest look pretty too. I’ve used it frequently for almost three years now, and it hasn’t slowed down one bit. I love that it’s easy to clean, and comes with a cover, to protect your fingers when rifling through drawers. Totally worth the investment–especially since it comes in pretty much every color imaginable.
6. Kitchen Scale
If you want to learn to bake well, you must, must, must own a kitchen scale. If I’m being honest I only bought one last year. I didn’t believe all the pro’s who claimed I needed this. My grandma never had one and she’s a fantastic baker. Well, I stand corrected. My baking transformed.
If you want to make complicated baked goods, such as macarons, phyllo dough, or croissants, you’re going to need a scale. Especially because these are European recipes that come measured in grams, not cups. And trust me, the conversion charts don’t actually work well. I tried for years, and the outcome was absolutely trial and error. Stop wasting your time and ingredients, grab a scale!
7. Instant Pot
This is the most expensive thing on the list, but it did make the list, and I’ll tell you why.
TIME is money. Working mama’s. Mama’s with multiple kids to chase. Dad’s who pitch in but don’t have skills in the kitchen. Stay at home Dad’s. Forgetful mom’s like me who think it’s 3:00 pm when it’s actually 6:00 pm and everyone is hangry…
The brand I linked is the cheapest Instant Pot available, and it comes with all sorts of accessories. My kid loves hard boiled eggs and I can make them in 12 minutes. It also has a feature where you can sear meat on the inside before cooking it, making it a true “one pot” meal. I also got rid of my rice cooker in favor of this guy, and I’ve not looked back. Trust me, this thing is foolproof and you’ll feel the same after just a week of Instant Pot meals.
8. Stainless Steel Prep Bowl
This might seem like a boring item, but it’s probably my most used item on this list. (But the French press gives it a run for it’s money!) I own four of these, and I think about buying more all the time. Why? Well I thought you’d never ask.
I hate washing dishes, and I hate using dishes that are too big for what I actually need. These bowls are 1.5 Quarts, perfect for chopping berries for a pie, melting chocolate for a ganache, or preparing a dressing. Stainless steel doesn’t react with 99% of what you’re making, so there’s no change in flavor. It will also preserve it’s temperature.
They’re dishwasher friendly, AND you don’t have to worry about scratching up your serving bowls. These things are my holy grail in the kitchen, I’ve linked the exact ones I love. (Hint: They also come in TONS of sizes.)
9. Coffee & Spice Grinder
I’ve linked the brand I’ve used for years, but it says it’s out of stock. I wanted to link it anyway, because I promised this entire list is precisely what I own and use. However, I’m certain other brands would also be great.
I use this 90% for coffee, and 10% for other spices. Whole coffee beans are cheaper to buy, and grinding them doesn’t take but five minutes. Every Sunday morning, I grind a week’s worth of beans, and keep them in this container in the freezer. I highly recommend grinding your coffee fresh, it just tastes SO MUCH BETTER. I also grind up peppercorns, which is really convenient when a recipe calls for more pepper than you want to hand grind.
10. Vegetable Pods
I’ve yet to meet anyone who finishes most of their produce before it goes bad. Seriously. Don’t lie to me.
I love these produce pods because they cut down on the need for plastic wrap or plastic zip bags, and they keep the oxygen at lower levels so your fruit oxidizes slower. My avocados stay delightfully green for days in their pod. This is a worthwhile investment and soon you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
There you have it. Ten kitchen gadgets I can’t live without.
If you haven’t heard about it, Amazon has a new program for bloggers that has me really excited. I get my very own storefront to post products I love and use. This makes it super easy to follow along, and grab what catches your eye, Prime style!
Here is the comprehensive list of my top ten must-have kitchen gadgets on Amazon. Additionally, here is an organized look at stuff I’m always ordering. For example, how do I get dog pee out of my carpet? You’ll have to go check out the foaming cleaner that works wonders. Or, if you’re wondering how I pipe perfect macarons, you can find the specialty pastry bag here–for less than $20!
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