I am always intrigued by affordable kitchen tools that can enhance the cooking and cleaning experience. Our readers are also interested in this topic, as evidenced by the feedback we receive on our articles. Instead of compiling a list ourselves this time, we decided to reach out to you and ask for your must-have inexpensive kitchen tools. Here are some of our favorite suggestions from a recent live online chat and call-out in our weekly Recipes newsletter. (Please note that some responses have been edited slightly for grammar and style.)
1. Chat commenter toki doki keeps multiple sizes of plastic wrap on hand for various uses, such as covering mixing bowls, teacups, and dough rising in a bowl. Jane H. also suggests using plastic wrap to cover bowls of soup or salad in the refrigerator, as well as leftovers like lasagna and cobblers. She adds, “The smallest ones even cover a cut lemon, orange, or grapefruit. In short, there is pretty much never a time I don’t have something in my fridge that isn’t covered by one of these handy gadgets.”
2. Email reader Mary O. predicts that many people will nominate a versatile silicone spatula. She initially bought one for scraping mayonnaise jars but now uses it for various tasks like scraping, mixing, and sautéing. Daniela M. treasures a mini spatula that came with a jar of sauce she purchased 15 years ago, which she finds particularly helpful for scraping out the last bits of her daily smoothie from the blender. Personally, I love using a jar spatula for maintaining my sourdough starter in a canning jar, but it’s also invaluable for mustard, honey, and jams. Additionally, many people recommended flexible bowl scrapers.
3. One chat participant shares a unique use for fondue forks included in retro kits – spearing food out of narrow jars, such as olives and cornichons. Another chat commenter, 1bobknowles, loves using granny forks with wooden handles and longish tines for stirring, whipping, picking up small pieces of food, pricking pie shells, and other tasks. They find these forks easy to grab, easy to clean, and they make them feel hands-on and in control.
4. A chat commenter named Only the truth will do raves about their apple corer, specifically the type that only removes the core without slicing the apple. They use it to create pretty rounds of apple for cake toppings. I agree with this sentiment, as I’ve found great use for my apple corer as well.
5. Many people, including myself, have trouble filling zip-top bags. One chat participant suggests using a foldable adjustable holder for when you need both hands to store food in bags for the freezer. They recommend the Jokari brand, which has caught the attention of commenter ElectricLion.
6. Thin, flexible spatulas are not just for fish, as one chat regular Jack Russell Terrier points out. They are ideal for maneuvering anything wobbly, including eggs. Commenter Boss of Me likes how long and narrow these spatulas are. However, caution must be exercised when using metal utensils in nonstick skillets to avoid scratching. If you’re concerned about this, opt for a non-marking utensil instead. The fish spatula can also be used for flipping burgers or pancakes, stirring roasted vegetables, lifting bacon out of a pan, and moving delicate cookies, according to Scott Kathan at Cook’s Country.
7. A grapefruit knife is more versatile than it seems. In addition to its obvious use on citrus fruits, it can also be used to remove an avocado half from the skin. The slight bend in the grapefruit knife works well with the curve of the avocado. Laura P. recommends using it for opening boxes, as it cuts right through any tape without accidentally cutting the contents.
8. Multiple nominations were received for five-bladed scissors, with chat commenter Sschafer expressing their enthusiasm for these kitchen tools. They find them useful for chopping fresh herbs into even pieces that can be used immediately or laid out to dry. These scissors are especially helpful with longer foods like scallions or chives.
9. Email correspondent Susan B. recommends a multi-bladed pastry cutter for incorporating butter into flour for pie crusts, biscuits, and more. She also uses it to achieve the perfect texture for avocados when making guacamole and prepping bananas for banana bread. The pastry cutter can even help slice hard-boiled eggs.
We apologize for the earlier omission of the entry on apple corers. This article has been updated to reflect all the suggested tools from our readers.
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