Bree-Anna Burick Sep 18, 2024 8 min read

10 Kitchen Gadgets That You Need in Your Kitchen

Whether you just enjoy making a nice meal for yourself, or you’re a home cook who enjoys putting together a nice dinner for your friends and family members, it’s important to have the right tools in your kitchen.

Fortunately, we’ve put together a list of ten of the best kitchen gadgets that you can have on hand.

These tools not only help you streamline the cooking process, but they’ll also elevate your cooking game and leave the people that you’re fixing dinner for wanting more.

Air Fryer

Air fryers have been on the market for a few years now, and they look like they’re going to remain a popular kitchen gadget, largely because they’ve revolutionized how people prepare food.

In the past, frying food typically required you to use a lot of unhealthy oil, carbohydrate-laden batter, and more. With an air fryer, you can use a fraction of the oil and get the golden crisp that makes fried food such a hit.

Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food that you put in the basket, mimicking the effect of deep frying. Not only is this a healthier option, but it also takes a fraction of the time.

Whether you’re making snacks or full meals, having an air fryer in your kitchen is a great way to indulge in some fried food without taking an unhealthy approach to cooking.

Instant Pot

If you’re like most people, you’re probably busier than you’ve ever been before. Whether you work long hours or have a ton of responsibilities and demands on your time, you need to make the most of every minute.

Your instant pot makes that possible by combining the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and more in a single appliance. Not only can you save time, but you can also make the most of your counter space with this handy device.

Unlike some of the appliances that it can replace, an instant pot is incredibly versatile. You can make everything from a hearty stew to a decadent dessert with this kitchen gadget.

Food Processor

Food processors certainly aren’t new, but if you don’t have one in your kitchen, it’s time to get one. When you need to chop, grate, slice, or mix ingredients quickly, a food processor is a great tool to have on hand.

No matter how much you enjoy cooking, the amount of time that you spend prepping can turn into the most stressful part of the process, and that’s where these tools come in.

Food processors can handle everything from mixing dough to shredding cheese to grinding nuts, making them versatile time savers.

A quality food processor will come with a variety of blades that you can use for different tasks. Within minutes, you can chop up your vegetables into fine chunks for salsa or grind up nuts to make your own nut butters.

If you’re a fan of fixing food from scratch but struggle to find the time that you need to do so, food processors are perfect for you.

Immersion Blender

If you hate the process of assembling and cleaning your blender, and you don’t want to deal with the whisks that attach to a traditional mixer, an immersion blender is a must-have in your kitchen.

These tools allow you to thoroughly blend ingredients directly in the pot or bowl that’s holding them, which not only allows you to save time, but it’s also much safer than moving hot liquids from one pot to another for mixing.

If you have limited cabinet space and drawer storage in your kitchen, you need to add an immersion blender to the mix. These tools break down easily and take up minimal space, making them ideal for home cooks who don’t have as much space as they would like.

Digital Meat Thermometer

Nothing matters more than food safety, and an important part of that involves getting meats cooked thoroughly.

If you want your food to look good once you plate it, you don’t want to have to cut into the protein that you prepare with each meal to make sure that it’s done. That’s why you need a digital meat thermometer.

One of the most appealing aspects of these handy little kitchen gadgets is that most newer models come with preset temperatures for different types of meat.

For instance, pork needs to be served at a higher temperature than steak. Chicken requires a higher temperature than hamburger. When you have a quality meat thermometer on hand, you can stick it into the meat and know for sure that the food is safe and ready to serve.

Mandoline Slicer

Whether you’re making a salad to enjoy before the main course, or you’re putting together a delicious stir fry for dinner, having consistently-sized fruits and vegetables is important.

Not only does it ensure that your food looks as good as it tastes, but it also makes sure that any vegetables and fruits that you’re cooking get cooked evenly.

Mandoline slicers come with different blade sizes and can be set to different sizes, giving you complete control over how your produce looks when it hits the plate.

Once you get comfortable using one, you’ll be able to chop up your fruits and veggies in a fraction of the time that it takes when using a knife.

Garlic Press

Garlic is one of the most popular seasonings in the world, but when you’re trying to press and chop fresh garlic, it can take some time.

While you can turn a large knife over on its side and use it to press your garlic, that’s not necessarily the safest method. That’s why you need a garlic press, a small gadget that can offer some big time-saving benefits.

If you use garlic regularly, you know how much better cloves of garlic are than garlic salt or garlic powder.

However, many people hate using garlic because of the lingering smell that it leaves on their fingers. Your garlic press can completely take that smell out of the equation by making your garlic easy to press.

These handy little kitchen tools are dishwasher safe and take up minimal space in your drawer, making them an ideal tool for those who want to increase their convenience.

Silicone Baking Mats

For people who like baking but hate dealing with parchment paper and bulky cookie sheets, silicone baking mats are a must-have. These reusable, dishwasher-safe mats make baking a breeze.

The silicone that they’re made of also ensures even temperature distribution, which cuts down on your baked goods sticking to the mat.

They’re not just good for baking cookies and cakes, either. These versatile tools can be used to roast vegetables or make candy.

There’s virtually no limit to what you can use a silicone baking mat for, and they’re incredibly durable, which means that adding a couple of these to your kitchen can set you up for years to come.

Spiralizer

If you love cooking pasta but want to cut down on the carbs that you’re consuming, a spiralizer is a must-have.

With these handy tools, you can turn vegetables like zucchini, sweet potatoes, and carrots into noodles. You can also use your spiralizer to make stir fries and other dishes that involve a lot of veggies.

You can certainly find plenty of hand-held spiralizers, but if you have the space on your counter, consider grabbing a larger version. These allow you to spiralize more vegetables at a higher rate, which is crucial when you’re trying to save some time.

Milk Frother

Finally, milk frothers are a must if you’re a coffee fanatic who is tired of spending money at the local coffee shop every morning.

Whether you want to make tasty lattes like those that you get at your coffee shop, or you just want to serve up some tasty hot chocolate with a touch of elegance to your loved ones, a milk frother can help.

These devices not only help you save money on your morning coffee runs, but they’re also super compact and easy to store. This is great news for the coffee addict who doesn’t have a ton of storage space in their kitchen.