One kitchen item under £30 you wouldn’t want to be without?

[CapGunAmmo]

Ok so I’m after a housewarming present for someone who needs just about everything. They love cooking and baking especially. What have you got in your kitchen that you would hate to part with?

A defrosting tray. I thought I’d never use it but I use it all 5he time and it’s dw proof.

A nice heavy cast iron casserole dish (you can get le crueset style ones without the silly price tag)

I also couldn’t live without my kitchen tongs (probably not a very exciting gift though), or decent chefs knives (but will cost a lot more than £30).

I've a large deep stainless steel pan that cooks on the hob and can go in the oven to finish off meals. I love it

Decent masher and peeler

Stick blender

Stainless steel roasting tin (I saw a nice idea on here that someone posted as a gift idea - to gift a tin with the roasting tin cookbook)

@ElspethFlashman

I have a random one. I recently bought what I can only describe as an enormous spoon strainer. It's the greatest thing on earth as I've discovered that you can spoon out an entire portion in one go!

www.dunnesstores.com/p/colander-straining-spoon/7813114

Embarrassingly it's only 3 quid! But it's amazing!

I got all excited and went to buy one and they're out of stock 😭

My Joseph Joseph can opener. I've bought quite a few as presents, they are brilliant! I love most JJ stuff

Slow cooker
Toasty maker! We have one that does paninis and makes waffles.

zigzagbetty if you're near a Dunnes keep an eye out. I saw one in store just last week so I'd say its a permanent item.

Lakeland mini spatulas. £6 a pair, used every day.

www.lakeland.co.uk/10876/Flexible-Mini-Duo

My huge Mason cash mixing bowl
Old fashioned hand whisk
I like iron cookware and enamel roasting tins
Wooden butchers block ( I am a bit suspicious of plastic)
I use a set of antique scales........all very pretty and maybe not practical. But I buy things to last, and enjoy using them.

A knife

I actually really love a 'Cook's dry measure' - I find it less faff than scales, and they look retro.

Lots of kitchen scissors (they always go missing) and at least two veggie peelers so everyone can assist with peeling.

Those sponges with a handle to put the washing up liquid in are great for quickly washing single items.

Measuring spoons for everything from half teaspoon upwards :-)

Potato ricer.
Stick blender (great for blending soups)
Coffee machine. Dolce gusto one, was cheap as chips but nespresso are offering one for £1. If you sign up for the coffee pods.

Slow cooker!

A micro plane grater. Mine is about 15 years old and still razor sharp.

Pastry rolling mat with size circles printed on, takes the guesswork out and keeps the counter top clean

electric mini chopper

American measuring cups

Sugar thermometer

Sandwich toaster

Food mill

Our most used gadget is our egg boiler. Sounds ridiculous as it is so simple to boil an egg but it poaches them too. DH has 2 poached eggs every morning and they come out perfectly.

The things that make me happiest are my good knife and my fairly bog standard wooden spoons.

Oh, and my glass containers for making and freezing pies.

Pampered Chef spatula. 12 years old now and still amazing. Withstands any temperature- even boiling fudge.

Or an icing set. Or a stand mixer.

Nice big salad bowl from habitat
Ninja blender (cheaper version of a nitro billet but much better than stick blender)
Nice marble pestle & mortar

My mezzaluna and little board for chopping herbs, nuts etc

For the kitchen generally, a microplane
For a baker, a pastry masher
For a serious baker, a pastry knife (make sure its not a bread knife though)

Sundae spoons.
Basically a teaspoon with a long handle. I can’t think of a job that a short-handled one can do better.

But if it’s for a present I’d give them a sturdy corkscrew (with a curlicue, not welded, screw) that will last forever and a good bottle of wine.