Whether you’re throwing a dinner party or making lunch, every home chef swears by their favorite kitchen gadgets. I’m always on the hunt for clever tools that can save time on food prep, help ensure recipes turn out right, or just increase the pleasure of cooking. And even though my current kitchen is larger than any I’ve had in the past, it’s still short on storage, so having items that can multitask are always a home run.
Amazon is a gold mine for such gadgets and frequently has items on sale, too. Here are eight items you’ll want to add to your cart—and your kitchen drawer—ASAP.
Amazon
My mom gave me a spurtle last year as a gift, and it quickly became my go-to kitchen tool. It’s a slightly more versatile spatula, and this particular spurtle is made of BPA-free teak wood. It’s ideally suited to mixing sourdough and other batters, but I use mine for everything, including making scrambled eggs and cakes. This one is a little skinnier, too, so it helps you scrape the last of the jam (or mayo) out of the jar. One Amazon shopper noted, “It’s easy to clean and is holding up well. I periodically wipe it down with a little olive oil to keep the wood nice.”
Amazon
I’ve had this juicer, and it has lasted for years without any scrapes or rusting. Made of aluminum with a food-grade coating, it includes an insert to fit smaller citrus fruits like limes. Whether you want one on the bar cart for drinks or plan to have it on hand in your utility drawer, it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to get a maximum amount of juice from your lemons, limes, and mandarins. It takes “very little effort” to use, highlighted one shopper, who also mentioned that the squeezer keeps seeds and pulp out of recipes. The squeezer is also dishwasher safe and comes in eight different colors.
Amazon
Use this masher to crumble ground beef or chop up other types of meat directly in the pan while cooking. It’s made of a BPA-free non-stick nylon material that is easy to clean. If meat isn’t on the menu, this handy tool can mix and mash up other foods, including fruits for jam. Among the more than 10,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, one buyer said, “One of the standout features is how lightweight it is, making it comfortable to hold, even during longer cooking sessions.”
Amazon
Whether it’s for your Stanley cup or other reusable straws, these clever little brushes will get all the gunk out in a hurry, so you can return to sipping as soon as possible. The pack includes six different skinny scrub brushes that are ideally designed to clean out 10-millimeter wide or skinnier straws for cups or water bottles. An Amazon reviewer said, “This is a necessity if you own a Stanley cup! It gets my straw cleaned perfectly every time.”
Amazon
Kitchen tools like this, that can truly multitask, have taken center stage in my tiny space over the last few years. This gadget not only grates cheese, but it also includes attachments to shred and slice vegetables by just cranking the handle. It comes in an array of colors, including a retro green and a cheery yellow. Buyers on Amazon love how easy the grater is to set up and break down, with one noting, “You won’t want to go back to bagged cheese when you can grate a brick of it in mere seconds.”
Amazon
If you’ve ever struggled to get a tough-to-open lid removed from a jar, this is a kitchen must-have. It helps grip the lid for easy removal, which is also helpful for anyone who suffers from arthritis or any other mobility issues in their hands. “I just got this jar opener tool yesterday and have already used it multiple times—for pickles, canned veggies, and kimchi,” writes one shopper, who also said, “It makes opening almost any size jar a breeze.” Stop hurting your hands, and score this gadget that’ll have all lids off in a snap.
Amazon
Baking sourdough is an art form, and proofing baskets are a game changer. Both beautiful and versatile, these 9-inch baskets are made of a natural rattan cane, which allows for optimum airflow. The baskets help bread hold its shape while rising, and they allow for easy release, too. Though they’re designed for sourdough, one Amazon reviewer noted that these baskets were “excellent for any bread.”
Amazon
Silicone baking mats are popular for a reason, and while most are commonly used for baking cookies, this one is designed very specifically for your springform pan. It promises to prevent cakes from sticking to the bottom and sides of pans, making it easier to remove desserts after backing them. Shoppers say it works, with one satisfied Amazon shopper saying, “This is one of the best purchases I have ever made” because they no longer struggle to remove cheesecakes from their pan.
Cooking and baking don’t feel like a chore when you have great spurtles, squeezers, slicers, jar openers, proofing baskets, and baking mats on hand. Score new kitchen gadgets from Amazon, and transform cooking and baking into a quicker, easier, and much more enjoyable experience.