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Kitchen gadgets that changed your life?

195 replies

Peoppy · 01/06/2024 16:39

Love my rotary cheese grater - always hated grating cheese but this is a game changer.

Meat thermometer.

What kitchen gadgets do you actually rate?

Changed your life may be slightly ott*

Kitchen gadgets that changed your life?
OP posts:
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14
KirstenBlest · 01/06/2024 19:38

Decent stainless steel pans. I love my saute pan.
Decent cutlery.
Sharp paring knife.
A tin opener that works.
Large pestle and mortar.

ItsNotInMyMind · 01/06/2024 19:37

Silicon stretchy lid cover things that you put over bowls . Great when I’ve poured the boiling water onto couscous, or for storing home made coleslaw etc in the fridge without making everything else smell of it. Bought from Lakeland I think, the pack contains different sizes.

On the pricier scale - I love my standing Kitchen Aid mixer. Had it years and use it every week.

BamberGirl · 01/06/2024 19:35

Instant Pot duo for me too, had it a month, it’s a game changer!
I think it’s because you don’t have to stand over any cooking, just set it away and leave.

last week I did pulled chicken for wraps using frozen chicken breasts…took 5 mins to pressure cook plus the cool down.

i guess a pressure cooker would do the same but I was always a bit nervous of one.

i also love my cordless hand whisk for cakes etc…if my stick blender ever dies (20 years plus) then I’ll get a cordless one!

isthismylifenow · 01/06/2024 19:32

I like my Wonderbag.

We were going into winter now, so it's great that I just start off a stew, soup or anything that needs a slow cook. Then I just pop it in the bag and carry on with the day. No gas, no electricity use after the initial getting to boil point.

CeffylCoch · 01/06/2024 19:28

Flatbed microwave. Hate having to clean the turntable/plate etc on the ones that go around and end up with gunk everywhere. This is totally flat and just needs a wipe like a counter top

Scampuss · 01/06/2024 19:24

Rotary cheese grater - no more grated fingers

Santoku knife - wish I'd bought one years ago

Oxo food chopper - so much quicker when doing big batches of stuff

Le Creuset oven gloves

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 01/06/2024 19:23

Ninja pans
Speed peeler

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2024 19:21

You must've read my mind-I was just thinking this week if there was something you could buy to grate cheese for you! I eat A LOT of cheese and always hate grating it, have nicked the top of my thumb many a time. I thought there must be something you can buy, thank you OP!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 01/06/2024 19:18

Joseph&Joseph rice cooker - fabulous .

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 01/06/2024 19:15

Ninja ZeroStick bakeware
I bought two trays and a roasting tin before Christmas , brilliant . Bought another 2 flat trays and 2 square smaller tins .
Non stick , easy to clean.

Oxo Mandoline -managed to take the tip of my finger off because I'm a clumsy arse . I found it again, gave it another try but not worth the effort or risk . Shock

Chely · 01/06/2024 19:05

The dishwasher, I love that thing!

FastFood · 01/06/2024 19:03

It's funny, I can spend £50 in toys and treats for my dog, or splurge on a nice blouse, but when it comes to kitchen stuff, I'm always reluctant to buy something.

Anyway, I recently caved in and bought a garlic crusher. Very very useful. Love it.
And after years of considering it, I finally bought a nice crêpe pan. It's life-changing, nothing less.

Now I want good knives and a new potato peeler.

Pillowface1 · 01/06/2024 18:58

Yes to the aldi pancake maker. Cheap as chips, bought before Covid and used EVERY school day for pancakes for breakfast or french cinnamon toast. Served with a frothy cappuccino to my thoroughly spoiled children, it was what got them up for their online classes.
Still used very regularly. I keep my pancake mixture in a 2 litre milk carton in the fridge.

Margaritawithlime · 01/06/2024 17:53

Ninja 9in1 - I can pressure cook, slow cook, Air fry, bake (and make yoghurt??)

cheapo pancake pan from Aldi - never saw the need and the kids convinced me one pancake day. We make crepes all the time now. Never stick, always flip - no shit first pancake just fab. The low sides just make it a dream.

meat thermometer - wouldn’t be without one.

Lotsandlotsofplants · 01/06/2024 17:49

Oh and the mini electric chopper from Lakeland. Also jolly useful.

Lotsandlotsofplants · 01/06/2024 17:48

Electric rice cooker! I was absolutely crap at doing rice on the hob. Changed my life. OXO tin opener and potato peeler. Cannot tell you the trauma I went through trying to find a peeler I liked. Stuff of nightmares. Lakeland garlic press.

sequin2000 · 01/06/2024 17:46

Sage/ breville risotto plus for perfect risotto without stirring. Tomato knife, magimix

StarlightLady · 01/06/2024 17:46

I got a nice food mixer in Ann Summers! Oh, hold on a minute… 😀

Xanadu58 · 01/06/2024 17:45

Potato ricer .
Airfryer

susiedaisy1912 · 01/06/2024 17:43

Airfryer
Microwave rice cooker
Magnetic knife block that sits on the wall.

BIWI · 01/06/2024 17:36

I also love my Quooker, but not only was it expensive to buy in the first place, we've also had to have it repaired/bits replaced twice now. Once under warranty, the second time at a cost of £290. So not really sure I'd recommend it on that basis.

I knew that I loved it, but didn't realise quite how much I loved it, and how much more convenient it is than a kettle (as well as keeping our worksurfaces less cluttered) until it broke and we had to go back to using a kettle!

Moulook31 · 01/06/2024 17:33

Hermittrismegistus · 01/06/2024 16:51

A tape dispenser -to tape down open food packets and boxes. It's made such a difference to my kitchen experience.

Best idea. I have the same.

TicTac80 · 01/06/2024 17:28

Instant Pot Duo - I've had it for 8yrs, and it's great. I use it to make yogurt, pressure cook stuff in and slow cook.

Thermomix TM6 - expensive (I got it with some money that my parents left me 3yrs ago), but worth it. A friend had a TM5 and I saw how versatile it was over the years. I use it pretty much everyday. It will slice, grate, sauce, steam, cook rice, boil eggs, sous vide, grind stuff, do all kinds of food prep and cooking. Really handy when you're juggling FT work, solo parenting and wanting to cook lovely food. I can quickly do the prep and then leave it to do its thing whilst I'm seeing to the kids/sorting the house etc, and food won't be burned or overcooked. It has an app (for recipes etc) that syncs with the machine itself, so you can choose meals for the week, and it can link to a grocery app to automatically add anything you might need for that week. You can also use it without the app.

Panasonic Breadmaker - this was one my parents had (so it's an old model) and I got it when they died. It makes lovely bread, but can also do cakes and jams.

Ninja airfryer - I've got the dual drawer one. Very efficient cooking, faster than my oven. Safe and easy for my kids to use too.

The above gadgets mean that I rarely use my hob or oven!