Time saving kitchen gadgets

[TheThickenPlots]

I am desperately searching for presents for OH for Christmas. He does most of the cooking so I was thinking of something that would make that easier for him. What are your top time/ energy saving gadgets? Big or small!

[DontFundHate]

Ooh following.

I love my slow cooker but imagine you've thought of that!

Super sharp knives are fab

[TheThickenPlots]

Thanks. We used to have a slow cooker but didn’t use it that much and then I broke it . We could do with new knives actually...

[Mrsfloss]

Pressure cooker

[DontFundHate]

What do you make in your pressure cooker?

[TroysMammy]

Cherry stoner. It only gets used in the summer months but also doubles up as an olive stoner although I prefer to buy mine ready stoned.

[Cumberlover76]

Pressure cooker. This book is great too. Can't live without my pressure cooker.

[Leanin15yearsmaybe]

Does pampered chef still exist? I've got a garlic press that de-skins and minces garlic cloves you put in whole. Stops the garlic smell on your fingers. Had it years but I love it! That, a slow cooker or a kitchen aid mixer would be my top 3 'gadgets'

[TheThickenPlots]

I’m not sure he would get much use out of a cheery stoner! Will look up pressure cookers though. We don’t have a decent mixer/ food processor. What type would you recommend? Also what knife brands do people like? We have a couple of global ones but they’ve not been as well looked after as they should have been and are a bit knackered after many years of service.

[Mrsfloss]

Check the instant pot and pressure cooker threads on here.

Absolute god send.

Lentil soup that is a dream in 15 minutes.

Spaghetti in 20 mins that tastes like it’s been slow cooked for hours.

Chicken done to a tea in a hour.

Cheesecake done to perfection

[TheThickenPlots]

Sounds great! Thanks

[MammaAgata]

Global knives are the absolute best in my opinion- Japanese engineered and I’m guessing the top sushi chefs use them? One thing I would say is buy the sharpening tool. Any knife however good it is will become blunt over time.

[Callmecordelia]

Food processor. Mine gets used every week and is permanently out. I make -

• cakes and pastry
  
• salads like beetroot or coleslaw
  
• red cabbage
  
• if I'm making a bolognese, I'll put carrot, onion and garlic in it to blitz and then fry.
  
• when making meatballs, I'll chuck the soft onion, garlic, spices and some toasted bread in the food processor and then mix with the mince. You get the breadcrumbs and everything else quickly and finely chopped.
  
• chopping nuts in the small bowl.
  
• meringue/pavlova
  

Mine is a magimix, and it's eight years old. I have all the grating disks etc and wouldn't be without it. The motor has never skipped a beat, but some of the plastics got a bit brittle - the cover came off the handle - but it doesn't effect how it works.

[floculated]

I’ll second the Instant Pot pressure cooker which is a bit like a slow cooker and takes a bit of fathoming. Amazing tender meat dishes and pulses in under an hour that would take hours otherwise. Like Cumberlover says I’d get a book too. The instant pot ones are only from their website or amazon and are difficult to get. Pressure King Pro 20-in-1 6L Digital Multi-Cooker, Is supposed to be as good.

[TheThickenPlots]

Thanks! Somehow I missed these last ones. I am definitely thinking about a magimix. He does a lot of chopping so that could save a good amount of time. Off to hunt for a decent deal...

[Callmecordelia]

Buy the largest you can afford. I have the biggest size, and I'm pleased I do.

[TheThickenPlots]

Does this look like a decent one? Magimix 4200XL Food Processor - Satin www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00U150FWW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i9moAb3770W70?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Callmecordelia]

Yes, I think so. It's got all the attachments etc with it too. I hope he likes it!

[ItsInTheDogsMouth]

I'll add my voice to the instant pot recommendation. I love mine, use it nearly every day.

[BreakfastAtSquiffanys]

Hint re magimix and similar.
My bowls and lids kept breaking until I realised that they aren't dishwasher safe.
Most recent bowl is lasting well with hand wash only

[MammothMountain]

Instant pot for a whole cooked chicken in a ridiculously short period of time, also pulled pork in around 80 minutes. Doubles up as slow cooker/yoghurt maker etc

Decent food processor - grates carrots for chilli/bolognaise, chops onion finely, mainly use this when batch cooking as I don't want to peel and chop 8 onions.

K'Mix stand mixer, love it, my cakes have never been fluffier. I got it as a bargain with Tesco clubcard vouchers when they had boost on.

Decent knives.

[HebeMumsnet]

Rice cooker! I got wooed by everyone raving about them on Mumsnet and got one myself. It isn't actually that much quicker but it does save me time in not getting it wrong and having to do it all again and also much easier to wash up (no giant rice frisbee stuck to the bottom of the pan). Also really good if kids eat earlier than you as it keeps whatever you leave in it warm so you can eat later.

[TheThickenPlots]

at not dishwasher safe! Everything goes in the dishwasher. I do think he’ll like the magimix though. Will mention the others after to him after Christmas. Thanks all