What tools does a professional food blogger use in her kitchen? Below, I share some of my must-have kitchen gadgets and why I love them!
I tend to take a less-is-more approach to kitchen gadgets. Even though it’s tempting to buy every corn stripper and mango pitter I see at Williams-Sonoma, I try not to purchase anything I’ll only use occasionally.
Especially items that can do the same job as a good knife or veggie peeler – I just don’t need things that take up more space in our kitchen.
That said, there are some kitchen gadgets that I’ve found are worth buying. I either use them a few times a week, or they do such a great job, there’s simply nothing else that can be used to replace them.
Best Kitchen Gadgets
I own and use each of the items I’m showcasing today. This is not a “wish I had” shopping guide – this is truly all of my must-haves.
Some are tried and true items we’ve used for many years, and a few are newer discoveries that we’re enjoying. I hope you enjoy them too!
KitchenAid Attachments
My favorites! You can find a KitchenAid attachment to do just about anything. My favorite are for shredding, making pasta, ice cream and juicing. They affix to your existing stand mixer. Click the images to find each of our favorites!
Appliance Cord Holder
A cord holder comes in handy for my toaster, stand mixer, and other small appliances that have a permanent home on my kitchen counter.
Mini Food Processor
Just like a regular food processor, but smaller. The smaller size makes this food chopper much more effective for smaller amounts of ingredients, and I use this all the time for meals for our family of five.
Roll Up Dish Drying Rack
Such a space-saving way to dry dishes, effortlessly!
Brown Sugar Savers
I love these, and they keep your brown sugar so moist – for under $10!
Herb Scissors
Herb scissors are faster than chopping herbs by hand and you get a finer finish since the blades are so small. I love using my herb scissors for chiffonades of basil, mincing oregano and parsley, and more.
Scoop + Bag Clip
Such a perfect tool to fasten bags of coffee and loose teas.
Garlic Mincer
This handheld tool pushes garlic cloves through tiny holes to finely mince them. Just place the clove in the little compartment and squeeze the handles together. Easy!
Silicone Brush
This kitchen gadget makes brushing sauce or oil onto food much easier and the bristles are easy to clean since they don’t retain any odors or flavors. And you won’t end up with any stray bristles in your food!
Kitchen Mama Can Opener
If you’re tired of dealing with sharp, jagged edges or struggling to crank the handle of your old manual can opener, this one is a life-saver.
Champagne Bottle Stopper
If you enjoy a glass of champagne, you’ll know that it’s hard to store the bottle after it’s opened. These are so handy!
Oven Liners
An oven liner is the easiest way to maintain a clean oven – without chemicals! You simply place, remove to wipe clean as needed and replace in the oven.
Lemon Squeezer
A lemon squeezer is faster than juicing by hand, and the design makes it easier to store in a small kitchen cabinet than a full-size juicer. Some models are even designed to catch any pulp or seeds so you don’t have to strain your juice.
Over-the-Sink Strainer
Not only does it save time compared to using a colander, but its large, flat surface also allows you to better examine produce while you rinse so you can scrub off any dirt or grit.
Rechargeable Garlic Chopper
This rechargeable little chopper is perfect to easily cut, chop, and prepare ingredients.
Refrigerator Deodorizer
In addition to helping control unpleasant smells, this kitchen gadget also keeps the foods in your fridge from absorbing those odors.
Instant Read Thermometer
Instant read thermometers are the best way to tell when meats and breads are done.
Oil Spritzer
An oil spritzer keeps the amount of fat (and calories) in your dishes low, and it also coats food and cooking surfaces more evenly and consistently.
Organize your Tumblers
We found the coolest brushes to get into the crevices of tumbler lids, as well as an acrylic organizer and bamboo lid organizers, too!
Honey Dipper
It’s a whole lot easier to control the amount of honey you’re using with a honey dipper. You’ll see my honey dipper in use in my Baked Goat Cheese and Honey Appetizer.
Potato/Hamburger Masher
A handheld tool designed to mash potatoes, vegetables, and ground beef.
Cookie Dough Scoop
This scoop has a spring-loaded handle designed to help you easily portion out cookie dough without having to use your hands. Press a button and the dough is ejected onto the baking sheet.
Decorative Spoon Rest
This isn’t exactly a kitchen gadget, but I love having a pretty spoon rest in the kitchen. It gives dirty spoons a place to hang out between stirs!
Handheld Vacuum
This is so much more than a kitchen gadget – but I do love it for vacuuming out our kitchen drawers. It’s so handy, and often on sale for under $40!
Amazon Storefront
Follow my Amazon Storefront to find more holiday looks for less.
Julie, I have some version of all of these and they’re great. I’ve had my mini Cuisinart for years. Regarding the garlic mincer/press, I’ve also used mine for little balls of cookie dough to make “hair” for gingerbread people cookies. Both fun and cute!