Home cooking is about creating delicious and healthy meals quickly. And with the right set of tools and a little bit of learning attitude it could be an exciting and enjoyable journey. Who knows, maybe it’ll lead you to become the next Masterchef? You never know!
You could save time and effort by cutting your prep time by half and by getting help with complicated and tedious tasks that are honestly best left for the machines while you handle the actual fun part of meal prep – making the dish itself, and doing it in a nice kitchen is better so getting a service of spray paint kitchen doors near me is a great option for this. Or even hosting your dinner party!
In this article we’ve rounded up 20 gadgets (some of which you may not have known existed) that you should absolutely add to your kitchen counter and delve into the world of effective, efficient and affordable machine-aided cooking.
1. Coffee Maker
Some of us simply cannot start our days without a fresh cup of joe! If you’re one of those people, with a coffee maker, you can enjoy fresh, warm coffee whenever you want and save money by not having to buy it from a cafe.
With some proficiency, you can make your own Starbucks-level drinks at home. You can also search for new recipes online to enhance your beverage game.
We love this espresso maker from Swan… And at under £100 it’s a bargain too!
2. Toaster or Sandwich Maker
An effortless sandwich or bagel has rescued us all far too many times during stressful mornings when we didn’t have enough time to prepare a drawn out breakfast, but just enough to not leave with an empty stomach. A toaster or sandwich maker is another kitchen essential you should definitely own to make quick and healthy meals.
3. Blender
A blender, as its name implies, “blends” together two or more ingredients. It is typically used for liquids and ice, although it can also be used to prepare sauces, ice creams, and bread dough among some other stuff, making it a very versatile tool. If you’re a home cook, consider buying a blender that costs between £60and £150 to get the best value for money. Anything under may break on you, anything over may not sit right with your budget – but if it does, be our guest!
We love this Ninja Blender with a 2 litre capacity from Amazon.
4. Electric Grill
Nowadays, a wide range of electrical grills, including clamshell grills, panini grills, and electric griddles, are available on the market. When compared to a charcoal grill, the meat cooked on an electric grill tastes great and is healthier thanks to less charring and smoking. These small, easy-to-clean appliances make them a desirable addition to the kitchen. You can cook indoors as well with these grills because they don’t produce smoke and are portable, making them a necessary item during cookouts or outdoor parties.
This great indoor grill from Salter is under £40 on Amazon!
5. Microwave
You can never go wrong with the centrepiece of the modern kitchen: the microwave. And because cooking with a microwave is relatively low energy, you save money too. They are now standard on the list of essential kitchen gadgets and are used for everything from reheating food to baking cakes and can become your best buddy if you are constantly pressed for time.
You can experiment with recipes to bake cakes, bread, and other delicacies if you’re in the mood to be adventurous.
6. Air Fryer
As a healthier alternative to deep frying, air frying has become increasingly popular. Air fryers use little to no oil and may be a viable option for weight watchers. This useful kitchen gadget is highly versatile and may be used for everything from frying hash browns to heating up leftover soup. Depending on the features you want, how big you need it to be, and the kind of aesthetic appeal you’re looking for, a good air fryer can anything from £80 to around £200 or more.
We think this Tefal air fryer on Amazon is an absolute bargain.
7. Rice Cooker
Space in the kitchen can be saved by using a rice cooker. If you have a rice cooker, you won’t need to purchase additional pots for cooking rice, stewing soup, making porridge, heating milk, etc. because it performs a variety of purposes, saving you money and valuable kitchen space.
With a rice cooker, you can enjoy perfectly cooked rice at the touch of a button and ditch the guessing technique. Check out brands like Panasonic, Zojirushi, Toshiba, and Tiger for good quality rice cookers.
8. Microplane
The microplane, a favourite amongst chefs, features razor-sharp, narrow blades that are incredibly versatile and can be used for everything from grating vegetables to zesting lemons. You’ll be surprised at how much flavour can be added by sprinkling a little nutmeg or freshly grated ginger. Additionally, you can use a microplane as a shortcut to salvaging burnt food by using it to scrape away the charred edges, another neat kitchen cheat trick for you.
9. Spiralizer
By turning your vegetables into noodles or spirals, every meal may become – or at least look like – a novelty. From chilly spaghetti with zucchini pesto to crunchy spiralized potatoes. This inexpensive and ingenious gizmo is a must-have dinner accessory to spruce up any veggie dish and is also an innovative way to stay healthy by promoting the consumption of vegetables. Plus, you can have faux pasta almost everyday, what’s better than that?
10. Baking mat
Nonstick silicone baking mats are available in a range of sizes, can be used again, and are great multipurpose tools – you can roast veggies on them, bake cookies and even knead flour.
These flexible, soft baking mats are typically constructed of fibreglass and silicone materials that are safe to use in refrigerated conditions or hot oven temperatures. Depending on the size, you can bag a good baking mat for under £30.
11. Dishwasher
You shouldn’t have to stare at a sink full of dirty dishes after a long day, so get a dishwasher to handle the work. You may completely clean your dishes with less water by using functions like sanitise, half-load wash, and economy wash. Additionally, bid adieu to disagreements over who will do the dishes and broken plates. Depending on the brand you choose though, a dishwasher might get pricey. But in that case, there are also a lot of no-cost EMI options available to pay for this item on a monthly basis.
12. Food Thermometer
Temperature plays a key role in almost all dishes and can make the difference between a good meal and a bad one. Instead of having to guess whether your food is good to eat, use a food thermometer, which will give you accurate readings. Apart from saving you from undercooked or overcooked food disasters, a food thermometer can also decrease the risk of food illnesses caused by contaminated food.
The best part is that these thermometers are lightweight and small, making it simple to whip one out wherever you are. There are a variety of food temperatures that range from £20 to £100.
13. Juice extractor
If you enjoy drinking juices regularly and have to pay a lot to get someone else to make your juices, you should get a juice extractor which will save you lots of money in exchange for a one-time investment.
With the help of juicer, you could concote all kinds of fibre-rich drinks and take one step towards having a healthy diet. You could experiment with a lot of drinks and get creative. If you want to juice fruit, you probably don’t need to spend that much money on a juicer, but if you plan on processing leafy greens, you might want to invest in a fancy cold-press juicer.
14. Zip Slicer
If you cook often, you surely are aware of how difficult it is to cut up little vegetables and fruits, whose juice could spill in your eyes or the round fruits might slide off the counter. With the help of a zip slicer, you could simply slice through the veggies and toss them into your salad, saving time. Additionally, if you have children, using a zip slicer lessens the risk of choking on small foods.
15. Kitchen Shears
Although kitchen shears resemble scissors in appearance, they are actually high-duty and can be useful when slicing through thick, slippery meals like meat. They can also be used to cut herbs so that their natural aroma is preserved. The shears are simple to separate and clean; and applying food-grade mineral oil to the joints next to the screw will help the shears last longer. Many shears on the market today include extra features such as bottle openers and nut or shellfish crackers, making it an all-rounder: a Jack of all traders, master of some.
16. Splatter Guard
When meat or vegetables come in contact with a heated surface, grease splatters that fly out of the pan are captured by splatter screens or guards. These guards include a handle and a perforated circle that can be put above the pan, and they also serve a variety of functions, including protecting you from oil burns and allowing you to drain your food while also keeping the area clean. It’s a simple tool: a metal circle with a handle and a mesh screen stretched over it, but it’s a must-have in any kitchen.
17. Automatic Pan Stirrer
An automatic pan stirrer is next on our list of essential kitchen tools. This unique device will perform the menial work of stirring for you so that you can focus on other tasks. An additional benefit of purchasing this device is that automatic pan stirrers sometimes come with other accessories like thermometers, beaters, and whisks which not only come in handy, but also save you from purchasing these items individually. Place the stirrer in your pan with any low-heat liquid, set the timer, and savour a few extra minutes of free time.
18. Select-A-Spice Carousel
Nobody likes searching through their cabinets for the spices they need for a meal; with a spice carousel, you can easily store all your spices in one place, and it’s also a great way to be organised and impart an aesthetic look to your kitchen.
Plus, you can select the exact measurement without having to dirty a bunch of measuring spoons, now isn’t that just perfect? It can be fitted behind a kitchen cabinet, and if you have more than one, you can stack them to conserve counter space.
19. Instant Pots
Instant pots are all the rage amongst avid foodies, and for good reason. An instant pot can double as a rice cooker, slow cooker, pressure cooker, or even to bake bread or steam fish – you get the idea. With an instant pot, you can quickly prepare elaborate dishes like ribs, briskets, and soups that would otherwise take hours to prepare. Apart from quick cook times, the instant pot is easy to clean, as there is just one pot to worry about, and it can be washed by hand and is dishwasher safe.
Check out this Instant Pot on Amazon for yourself…
20. Milk Frother
Once you start using a milk frother, you’ll probably never go back to frothing milk any other way because it has so many advantages. Cappuccino fans can now prepare barista-quality coffees at home and even create coffee art using the frother, which serves as a platform for incorporating various coffee designs.
You may expect to shell out as little as £25 for a quality electric milk frother and alternatively, around £100 or more for a premium model with a variety of snazzy features. Milk frothers can also be used to whip cream, mix cocktails, and make fluffy breakfast omelettes; the list is endless.
Conclusion
With kitchen gadgets like these, cooking need not be a chore but something you and your family can do together as a fun activity and have a nice time.
Whether you’re a novice just starting out in the kitchen or a seasoned chef, handy tools such as this can help you minimise the efforts you put in doing tedious tasks such as cutting up veggies, and maximise your culinary success. All of the gadgets discussed here are used by professional chefs and restaurants from all across the world and are highly recommended by home cooks like yourself.
So run them over them in your head, and look them up online or from a departmental store you frequent. Bon Appetit!
