When you’ve already worked for eight hours, drove to and from work, and dealt with a tantrum or two, it’s hard to find the energy to get dinner on the table. But ordering take-out every night is expensive — and while it might also be delicious, you won’t be feeling so hungry after you check your credit card statement at the end of the month. The solution? Grab a few of these useful gadgets that help you get dinner made, all with very little effort on your part.
What sort of gadgets am I talking about? Herb strippers for kale and parsley, a sous vide that cooks steak to perfection — and even an automatic can opener. Yes, I know you can open your own cans. But why would you want to when you could just let that lil’ machine do the work for you? You’ve got bigger fish to fry for dinner — literally.
A Jar Opener That Reviewers Can’t Get Enough Of
No matter how large or small your jar is, this handy gadget can get it popped open. It comes with screws and adhesive so that it’s easy to mount underneath a counter or cabinet — and when I say it doesn’t matter what size your jar is, I mean it. You can use this thing with stubborn nail polish, bottles of water, wide pickle jars, and more.
This 5-in-1 Kitchen Tool Does It All
This kitchen tool can do just about any cooking task you need – in one utensil, you’ll get a slotted spoon, solid spoon, spatula, turner, and a cutting tool! Use it for stirring soups, frosting cupcakes, cutting cooked meat; you name it, this utensil can probably do it. Plus, it’s got nearly 4,000 rave reviews because it really does all the things it claims!
Get The Most Out Of Your Citrus With This Juicer
Ever squeeze a lemon and get maybe a drop or two of juice out of it? Yeah, same here — that’s why I have this juicer in my kitchen arsenal. It’s made from industrial aluminum that won’t snap no matter how hard you press, and the juice that comes out is pulp-free.
Making Perfect Eggs Every Time is a Cinch With the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker
I don’t know about you, but perfect eggs are my favorite kind. Whether you’re into hard or soft boiled, poached, scrambles, or omelets, the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker can do it all. And it’s super cute. I know that “cute” isn’t the most important characteristic to consider when choosing kitchen appliances, so it’s lucky that this thing has so much more than just good looks.
This Herb Stripper Makes It So, So Much Easier To Chop Greens
Ever sit down to pull all the leaves off cilantro or parsley? It takes forever — so grab this herb stripper. The holes along the side fit everything from thyme to kale, and the edge even works great as a skin-safe chopper.
The Can Opener That Does The Work For You
All you gotta do is pop this can opener onto your can, then press the big green button on top — it’ll start working its way around the lid without any twisting or turning needed from you. It’s perfect for anyone with arthritis, and the built-in magnet keeps the lid in place once separated.
This Steamer Basket That Fits Into Basically Any Pan
If you’ve never tried steaming your food, I highly suggest this steamer basket. Not only is it made from rustproof stainless steel, but it also expands to fit any pan up to nine inches. And if you love dumplings as much as I do, but can never seem to get them to fry correctly in a pan — yeah, this basket is definitely worth a closer look.
This Splatter Guard That Turns Pans Into Woks
Don’t wanna spend money on a wok? Not a problem when you’ve got this splatter guard. It keeps your skin safe from hot oil and extends the walls of your pan outwards so that you can use it as a wok. Plus, it’s made from heat-resistant silicone that won’t melt under high temperatures.
A Meat Thermometer That Means You Won’t Have To Guess When Dinner Is Done
After a bout with food poisoning a few years ago from undercooked meat, we decided to invest in this meat thermometer to help keep us safer while our cooking skills catch up! It’s super accurate and not just for meat, you can use it for candy making, too. It even has a helpful light in case you’re grilling in the dark!
This Strainer That Clips Onto Your Pans To Stop Spills
Regular strainers take up a ton of space in your cabinets — whereas this one is barely even half the size. The spring-loaded clips on the sides expand to fit nearly any pot, pan, or lipped bowl. Plus, it even helps stop you from spilling pasta down the sink.
If You Like Mashed Potatoes, You Need This Potato Ricer
I never used to like mashed potatoes. And truth be told? I still don’t — unless you’re making ’em real good with a potato ricer like this one. What’s the difference? The ricer grinds your spuds into small, rice-sized bits so that your mashed potatoes have a creamy texture that’s lump-free. And with three interchangeable ricing discs, you can also use it to make cauliflower, pierogies, shepherd’s pie, and more.
A Family-Sized Griddle That Cuts Down On Mess
On busy nights when you need to get dinner made, this electric griddle can help get it done with half of the mess. Instead of cleaning up multiple pans, just grill your entire meal on top. It’s completely non-stick, as well as large enough to cook a full meal for an entire family of eight!
A Tool That Helps Tenderize Your Meat
Hammering away at your steak will tenderize it, but it’ll also flatten it out — so use this needle tenderizer instead. The 48 needles are made from sharp stainless steel, while the handle is made from tough ABS plastic. And since it’s dishwasher-safe, cleaning up is almost too easy.
Everybody Needs A Panini Press — Everybody
Think you make a great sandwich? Trust me when I say that it’ll be even greater if you toast it in this panini press. The non-stick heating plates won’t latch onto your bread as it browns, while the floating plates adjust to fit any sandwich — no matter how stuffed it is.
Make Your Own Sushi Using This Fun Kit
Making your own sushi at home is a fun way to have a low-key date night, and this kit comes with all the stuff you’ll need to get started. The tool that sets it apart from other kits, however, is the sushi bazooka — just load it up with all your ingredients, then push them out into a single, delicious roll.
A Pasta Maker That Can Save You A Trip To The Store
I can’t tell you how many times this pasta roller has saved me from having to make a 6:30 p.m. trip to the grocery store just to get dinner on the table. Combine eggs, flour, and a splash of olive oil to make your own spaghetti, lasagna, linguine — all from scratch. It’s way easier than it sounds, and you can even go from raw dough to fresh pasta in just 30 minutes.
A Pizza Maker That Can Do So Much More
Even though it’s advertised as a pizza maker, you can use this lil’ round oven to warm up quesadillas, naan, bread, quiche, giant cookies — really, the list is endless. And since the baking plates are coated with nonstick, you don’t need to worry about your food gluing itself into place.
This Spiralizer That Comes With Seven Different Blades
Looking for a low-carb alternative to pasta? Just pop a zucchini into this spiralizer. The stainless steel blades easily shape veggies into noodles and ribbons in a variety of sizes — plus, one reviewer even wrote that “it turns a zucchini into the most perfect pasta ever…truly, I believe I like my pasta better than before.”
A Garlic Rocker That Keeps Your Hands Clean
Dicing up garlic with your knife will always get at least a little bit of that sticky garlic juice on your hands — so keep ’em clean by using this rocker instead. It crushes and minces your cloves so that they cook evenly in your dishes, while the stainless steel metal neutralizes any juice that might splash onto your skin.
An Air Fryer That Makes Deliciously Crispy Treats
Don’t have the time or patience to deep fry your meals? You can still get that same deliciously crispy texture on your fries, nuggets, or even steak by using this air fryer. Not only does it use 80% less oil (which also helps you save money), but it’s so versatile that you can also use it to make desserts.
A Crock Pot That Slow-Cooks Dinner While You’re Away
Throw some meat, vegetables, and a can of diced tomatoes into this crock pot before you leave for work. When you come home, it’ll have simmered into a delicious stew that’s ready to eat immediately. This model in particular is also large enough to make food for more than nine people, and the stone insert removes for easy cleaning.
Every Kitchen Needs A Good Cast Iron Skillet
The world is your oyster when you’re cooking with a cast-iron skillet, and this one is big enough to make one-pan pasta dishes for the whole family. Not only can you use it to cook entire meals (which saves you some cleanup afterward), but it can even increase the iron content in your food by up to 20% — healthy, and helpful!
This Steamer That Cooks Two Meals At Once
Throw your ingredients into this steamer, set the timer, then take a shower, read a book — do whatever you want until the timer dings! It’s perfect for cooking everything from dumplings to shellfish, while the tiered design means you can cook two separate meals at the same time. Plus, the boil-dry protection keeps it from overheating if you get a little too sidetracked.
This Immersion Blender You Can Use Right In The Bowl
There’s no need to pour all your ingredients into a blender — just insert this immersion one directly into your mixing bowl. It’s great for making smoothies, sauces, marinades, and more. Plus, each order comes with three interchangeable blender heads: one immersion, one whisk, and one frother.
A Masher That — Well, Mashes
Sometimes you just need “that thing” to get your food mashed properly — this tool is “that thing.” It mashes, mixes, and stirs everything from ground beef to potatoes, and it even works well when crushing up avocado for guacamole. Plus, the nylon head is also heat-resistant up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
This Instant Pot That Does Everything Except Your Taxes
You probably thought I was joking about the taxes, but seriously — this instant pot comes pre-programmed with 13 different cooking functions that let you make yogurt, ribs, beans, rice, and more. The inner pot is safe to send through the dishwasher, and it’s large enough to feed up to eight people. If you’re looking for a crockpot that’s just as helpful but way more versatile, this is the gadget for you.
A Sous Vide That Cooks Steak To Protection
I grew up eating well-done steak because my family is filled with sociopaths — it wasn’t until I got this sous vide that I realized steak could be edible. Not even edible, but absolutely delicious. Not only do your proteins come out buttery-soft, but the motor is also ultra-quiet so that it doesn’t bother anyone.
These Knives That Just Look Plain Good
Picture this set of black stainless steel knives sitting out on your countertop, then tell me they don’t look good — you can’t, can you? The clear acrylic block matches effortlessly with any decor style in your kitchen, and each order also comes with a peeler, scissors, as well as a knife sharpener.
These Cutting Mats That Are Shockingly Useful
You spend a ton of time washing your knives and cutting boards to keep everything clean, whereas these cutting mats help you prevent cross-contamination without having to scrub anything down. The grippy backs keep them in place as you chop ingredients, and you can even curl them into a funnel to transfer ingredients mess-free.
This Fork That Helps You Slice Ingredients
Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, steak — you name it, this fork can hold it down so that it’s easier to slice up. The prongs are made from stainless steel, while the pointed tips also work great for tenderizing meat.
A Guard That Protects Your Fingers From Nicks And Cuts
I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve sliced my hands in the kitchen, which was why I bought this handy lil’ guard. It’s made from stainless steel that won’t rust, and I like how I’m able to slide my knife right up against it without having to worry about my fingers.
A Butane Torch That Turns Any Home Cook Into A Real Chef
Look, I’m not saying you need to make creme brûlée every night just as an excuse to whip out this butane torch — but do I highly suggest it? Oh yeah. You can also use it to get an extra-crispy sear on a steak, or even to char up some corn when making salsa. The flame is adjustable, and each order also comes with a silicone basting brush.
A Tool That Makes It Easy To Strip Corn Off The Cob
Homemade salsa tastes even better when you throw fresh corn into it, and this tool makes it easy to strip all those delicious kernels off the cob. The handle is coated in non-slip so that it’s easy to hold on while you drag it back and forth, while the sharp blade is made from Japanese stainless steel — no wonder reviewers adore it.
This Grabber That Pulls Your Oven Rack In And Out
When your oven rack is too hot hot hot for an oven mitt, use this grabber tool to pull it in and out. It’s made from tough silicone that’s heat-resistant up to 645 degrees Fahrenheit — and no, your oven does not get that hot. Plus, you can also use it with toaster ovens or air fryers.
A Food Scale That Comes With Its Own Bowl
Even if you don’t measure out your portions, a food scale like this one can be incredibly helpful when you’re baking — especially if the recipe is written using the metric system. Everything is made from stainless steel (including the bowl), and it even features a built-in temperature sensor, as well as a timer.
This Knife Sharpener That Restores Dull, Crappy Blades
Ever try to cut a tomato with a dull knife? It’s not fun — but neither is cutting anything else when your knives are crappy. Luckily, this knife sharpener can help restore old blades to their previous ultra-sharp state. It’s way cheaper than getting your knives professionally sharpened, and it’ll even work with ceramic blades, as well as scissors.
A Dough Whisk That Replaces Five Utensils In Your Kitchen
Not only is this dough whisk extra-sturdy, but it’s also incredibly versatile. One reviewer raved about how it replaced five utensils in their kitchen, writing that it works as “a whisk for early stirring of doughs, a wooden spoon for final mixes, a big chopstick I use for stirring my sourdough starter when I feed it, and a fork for mixing pancake batter, scone dough and Welsh-cake dough. Now this one does it all — and better.”