Last night a reader commented that it sounded like I was using a knife to cut up the chicken and what I really needed was poultry shears. Well, I never knew something like that existed. I am not a shopper and unless someone tells me about something, I never know what I’m missing.
So . . how about you all share your most handy dandy kitchen gadget/tools. I’m talking about things that go in a drawer . . not like your Instant Pot or fancy coffee maker. Anything . . just post the first thing that comes to mind as something really handy and if you have a link, that would be great. Comments with links will be held for moderation because links too often lead to sunglasses ads or naked women.
There could be a ton of things that I don’t know about or other readers don’t know about and we don’t want to miss out. Because you know . . my tiny little kitchen needs more STUFF! 🙂
I’m really excited to hear about things I never knew I needed.
vivoaks says
One kitchen gadget I really enjoy is the little egg-shaped egg punch. Yes, that’s what I said. There’s a small lever on it to open and close it, and when it’s open, you place it against an egg prior to placing in the water for hard-boiled eggs, and press it against the egg. It punches a pin-sized hole in the egg (at the big end of the egg), which allows the eggs to come to a boil without cracking (usually). I’m not sure, but it seems to me that as the eggs cool, that hole allows a bit of water to be drawn back into the egg, surrounding the egg on the inside of the shell as well, and the eggs are easier to peel. Of course, fresh eggs don’t work – they do need to sit in the fridge for a week or so, but it does make a difference when I’m trying to make deviled eggs! 🙂
Sandie says
My favorite kitchen drawer gadget is a Pierogi maker, like the one from Honey Can Do on Amazon. (The phone app won’t let me get the link to it, or I would share) between that and my dough roller for my kitchen aid, I can make 24 dozen pierogies (or Ravioli, depends on whether we’re feeling Italian or Polish!) in just a couple of hours by myself. It used to take a team of three of us ALL day to make that many.
Cocoa Quilts says
Sandie I want to come to your house. Love pierogies. I bought that same tool last year but haven’t used it yet. May need to get it out.
Sandie says
Come on over! Haluski and Ham are a given when I make Pierogies, so there’s always more than enough to share!
Edna says
One of my favorite gadgets is set of pull out spice racks. I’ve got four in the lowest spice cabinet and they hold a lot of the smaller spice jars. You can get empty jars at Target or buy Trader Joe’s herbs and spices and those fit just great. I bought the racks at Big Lots, one of those as seen on TV specials. It’s been a few years ago but I think I spent maybe $20 on the four racks.
For the larger jars, that hold about a pint, I label the lids and stack them on their sides so I can see everything on the shelf.
No more removing four rows of jars to get whatever is behind the rest.
Kathy C. says
I love a good vegetable peeler. You never know how dull yours is until you use a brand new one! I’ve had generic and Cutco and other name brands, but I think my favorite is from GFS (Gordon Food Service). Cheap and easily replaced 🙂
Paula (Texas) says
I don’t know the name of it, but I call it my ground beef chopper. It has an end that reminds me of an asterisk. You use that end to chop the beef into smaller bits as it cooks. I hate the feel of large pieces of ground beef in my mouth. I love this tool to chop mine into very fine pieces.
Carol says
Yes yes yes!
Carol says
I like tiny pieces of ground meat as well. Got mine several years ago at some kitchen booth at Canton Trade Days (Texas.) Bought them for my daughters-in-law as well.
Jill Neely says
New Star Foodservice 42856 Enameled Aluminum Lemon Squeezer
Linda Mincher says
I have to agree with the kitchen shears. We have two, and I wouldn’t mind more. Not only are they great for cutting a whole chicken, they are great for cutting apart ribs (so I can fit them in my crock pot), cutting corn tortillas to bake chips, we cut pizzas with them, quesadillas…we use them all the time.
Linda Mincher says
Oh, and I also use them to cut veggies as I clean them, particularly green beans and asparagus. I know there are a lot more things we use them for, but those are the ones that come to mind.
Wendy says
I love my Starfit Mightigrip Lid Opener. Works every time and so easy on those tough to open lids.
CheriB says
I love my microplane, especially when making salad dressings and zesting citirus. I freeze slices of peeled ginger and microplane it into marinades and salad dressings, sooo easy!
Rebecca in SoCal says
Thanks for that suggestion! I have a microplane, and frozen ginger. What a good way to use it.
I like my wooden lemon reamer. And a small spatula for leveling measuring cups.
Carol says
I do love my 2 pair of kitchen shears. Didn’t know I needed one til a friend gave the first pair to me years ago. Last night it was used for cutting through the skin of fresh salmon. It’s one of my most used tools besides good SHARP knives. Good for opening those impossible to open firm plastic packages that so many things come in these days. You know, that hard plastic is kinda shrunk around the item and can break your fingers trying to get it open—no more.
Francine Matthews says
My JAR KEY is my wouldn’t do without. It is a plastic long shaped “thingy” that works like a lever. You place it under the jar lid and lift. It unlocks the vaccuum seal and makes it easier to remove the lid. I have arthritic hands and love it.
Dot says
Yes! I love my Brix Jar Key, too. Our “experienced” hands have trouble with those vacuum lids.
Jan O says
1) Pizza stone: I love how the crust comes out when I use it. I think it came from Pampered Chef. It’s a little bigger than a drawer-size gadget; I store mine with the cookie sheets.
2) Large Chinese chopping cleaver, best blade ever for the money. We use it for everything from veggies to ribs to brisket to pizza. Bought it in Chinatown in Chicago, but maybe you could find it on line.
Deb Sarhan says
As an American who married an Egyptian 20+ years ago, I had to learn to make stuffed grape leaves — because I loved them so much. For some reason I could never make them tight enough or have them all look the same …. until I came across this little gadget on ebay. It’s cheap and looks flimsy, but surprisingly it works ! I’ve made both stuffed grape leaves and stuffed cabbage leaves – and it’s quick and easy. A bit messy of course, but what used to take me hours to make one large pan of mashi now takes me about 15 min.
https://www.amazon.com/Nuobo-Kitchen-Multi-function-Machine-Vegetables/dp/B01M9K6BOV/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1498911267&sr=8-6&keywords=grape+leaves+rolling+machine
Amy M says
My garlic peeler. It is a silcon tube… put the cloves … roll on the counter a few seconds, shake the cloves out and the skins are loose and easy to remove. Use mine all the time ( and kitchen shears very good!)
Judee says
I had a bicycle tire tube that was going to be trashed, so I cut about a 4 inch length and it works great. If I had it to do again, I’d probably make it 5/5.5 inches. It gets the papers off of garlic quickly.