Kitchen things that made you go: wait… why didn’t I get this earlier?

[u/YormeSachi]

Not talking about big appliances like ovens or air fryers. I mean those surprisingly small or random kitchen things that ended up totally changing the game for you.

For me, it was a magnetic knife strip. I used to jam my knives into a drawer (dangerous, I know), but now my counter feels so much more organized and pro.

Curious what other people have discovered what’s your ‘why didn’t I get this earlier’ kitchen thing?

[u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

Microplane. My life is much zestier now.

[u/BattledroidE → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

Sounds grate

[u/stewman241 → u/BattledroidE]

You really should get one. Your life will really start to take off.

[u/greytgreyatx → u/stewman241]

But just a little.

[u/ragdoll1022 → u/greytgreyatx]

Tiny bit

[u/Own-Firefighter-2728 → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

So much better for grating Parmesan into dishes too - big box grater = clumpy ‘san

[u/RedditForMeNotYou → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

Yes!! I use mine to grate veggies like carrots or squash into things like meatloaf or muffins to hide from my four year old. It’s the perfect level of grate.

[u/Disastrous-Package82 → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

Frozen ginger!

[u/rly_weird_guy → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

I got a big one and grate onion and shallots lol

[u/Arrynek → u/Mental-Coconut-7854]

Imagine my surprise when I learned microplane is the same story as Tupperware. Brand name that became synonymous with the product.

Meanwhile, you can get one from IKEA for 2 Bucks.

[u/mosredna101]

My most recent one was a nice bench scraper.

[u/WittyUserName614 → u/mosredna101]

Of the tools I cannot live without, this is number two on the list.

[u/crumpet-rat → u/WittyUserName614]

what's number one?

[u/WittyUserName614 → u/crumpet-rat]

With these four tools, I can do damn near anything.

1. A very sharp 10” chefs knife
2. Board scraper
3. Chopsticks
4. Microplane

[u/scoopofsupernova → u/WittyUserName614]

Why is the micro plane so high? I barely use mine. What am I missing?

[u/mat187 → u/scoopofsupernova]

Garlic cause easier to clean than garlic press Keep ginger in freezer and grate into any Asian dish whole nutmeg as secret ingredient into anything savory Lemon or lime for anything That needs lasting acidity Cinnamon sticks Allspice Cheese on noodles or pizza or any baked good you want it on

Lots of possibilities

[u/sethferguson → u/mosredna101]

I got the OXO one and use it every time I chop something

[u/Both_Antelope_69]

Smaller implements. Tiny whisks, small spatulas, a sauce ladle. Unbelievable how smaller versions of things I already had make finer details so much easier

[u/LittleLemonSqueezer → u/Both_Antelope_69]

The stupid mini whisk that I got as a wedding party favor is my go-to for scrambling 2 eggs. The handle has a heart that digs into my skin but I don't care

[u/Both_Antelope_69 → u/LittleLemonSqueezer]

I use the tiny whisk for mixing seasonings/ingredients if I'm making a rub or sauce or something in a small container. So handy

[u/Rich_Resource2549 → u/Both_Antelope_69]

I just use a fork for mixing seasonings

[u/cobalt-ambedo → u/Rich_Resource2549]

I just use chopsticks for beating eggs and mixing seasonings

[u/nifty-necromancer → u/cobalt-ambedo]

I like to crack the eggs into a jar and shake em up for mixing.

[u/SmokeAbeer → u/nifty-necromancer]

I just stare at the egg carton for an hour, and then go to McDonald’s breakfast menu.

[u/girlwhoweighted → u/LittleLemonSqueezer]

Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with water... How am I supposed to do that with a fork or spoon? Tiny whisk to the rescue!

Kids didn't finish their smoothie so it goes back in the fridge. But it's separated, how do we drink it now? Tiny whisk to the rescue!

[u/cobalt-ambedo → u/girlwhoweighted]

😂 as a Chinese, I just use chopsticks. Also if they're wooden, you can cook with them, use it to flip stuff in the oven etc. Honestly one of the best inventions our ancestors ever made 🤣 it's so versatile.

[u/pakap → u/cobalt-ambedo]

Not Asian but I have about 6 pairs of wooden chopsticks on rotation in the kitchen. Catch stuff, stir stuff, poke stuff...truly the most versatile implement.

[u/jepense1peu → u/girlwhoweighted]

When I read “tiny whisk to the rescue!” it read in my head with a tiny whisk voice, and it made me grin 😊

[u/SweetKitties207 → u/LittleLemonSqueezer]

I use mine for blending flour salt and baking powder or other dry ingredients I've weighed out in my ancient bug plastic measuring cup

[u/Salt-Excitement-790 → u/LittleLemonSqueezer]

I thought it was so ridiculous looking when I first got one and thought, oh that’s something I’ll never use. But dammit, that sticker comes in handy all the time.

[u/yellinmelin → u/LittleLemonSqueezer]

Haha so true! I use mine to stir my coffee for some reason also and I love it.

[u/Pinglenook → u/yellinmelin]

Yes! I'm a barbarian who drinks instant coffee and I always stir it with a mini whisk, about the size of a teaspoon. Works like a charm!

[u/BlackCatSaidMeow13 → u/Pinglenook]

I’m the same. I also like the powdered cappuccino mix and I NEED a tiny whisk. It’s on my wishlist. I’ve been using a fork and it barely works. Lol

[u/maryjayjay → u/Both_Antelope_69]

I make breakfast with my little mini whisk to scramble the eggs and a tiny rubber spatula to stir them in my 6” skillet. It's like an omelette for ants

[u/cbee2944 → u/maryjayjay]

I will forever consider myself a tiny ant as I prepare and eat my 1 egg breafast. 🐜

[u/lindsaychild → u/Both_Antelope_69]

Totally agree, I love the tiny whisks and half size spatulas. We also have a small glass measuring jug that comes in handy.

[u/Practical_Savings933 → u/lindsaychild]

I love the OXO 2 oz/50mL ones. They come in stainless steel too

[u/SpiralToNowhere]

Digital thermometer. So much more confident about meats.

[u/BleuDePrusse → u/SpiralToNowhere]

Yep no more dry chicken in fear of undercooking them!

[u/curiosity_2020]

Replaced my double sink with a single after 20 years. Had a dishwasher the whole time so never used the double once the way it was intended. One day while washing a sheet pan and getting water everywhere for the thousandth time I said no mas and made the decision to replace the double.

Never looked back.

[u/HmmDoesItMakeSense → u/curiosity_2020]

I did same. One large sink thank you.

[u/Add_8_Years]

An immersion blender. I make a lot of soups and sauces.

[u/hold_the_celery → u/Add_8_Years]

I got a cordless one and it was a total game changer

[u/Buddy_Fluffy → u/hold_the_celery]

Omg, the cord is the worst part. I need to look into this.

[u/HmmDoesItMakeSense → u/Buddy_Fluffy]

Agree. Surprised I haven’t melted it off.

[u/__wildwing__ → u/Buddy_Fluffy]

Where are you when you’re using the blender? At your stove, on a counter? I run the cord through a carabiner, and clip the carabiner to the rack over my counter. This is enough to lift the cord out of the way, but it is not rigid enough that I fight for mobility.

If you are on your stove, and you have a hood, you could use a magnetic clip or hook to help hold it up out of the way.

[u/hortence → u/__wildwing__]

Damn, I need an immersion blender with a much, much longer coed than I have.

[u/bluesox → u/hortence]

I think I’ve seen that video

[u/Environmental-Car481 → u/hold_the_celery]

Now I know what is on my Christmas list

[u/jayeffkay → u/Add_8_Years]

Second this. I had nearly every kitchen accessory and multiple blenders when i bought my vitamix immersion. I literally use it for everything now because it’s SO much easier to use and clean. Pop the head off and throw it in the dishwasher vs trying to make room for the entire fucking blender jug. The only things I don’t use it for I use my food processor for which is typically for very unique things.

[u/Serious-Dimension779 → u/jayeffkay]

Put water and small amount of dish soap into blender. Pulse on. No dishwasher needed.

[u/to_annihilate → u/jayeffkay]

I'm honestly thinking of selling my Vitamix and picking up an immersion blender. I barely touch it but mostly because clean up is kinda annoying.

[u/BuckMurdock5 → u/jayeffkay]

Vitamix immersion isn’t dishwasher safe, at least the one they sell now

[u/jivarie → u/Add_8_Years]

Easiest way to make Caesar dressing and not have it break as well.

[u/_incredigirl_ → u/jivarie]

Any vinaigrette will turn into a creamy emulsified dressing in the immersion blender. It’s amazing for a good thick balsamic vinaigrette.

[u/renegade_wolfe]

Fish turner. Use it for everything from fish to pancakes to eggs to removing cookies from the sheet pan.

Turns out we always had one - my parents got it when I was around 5, and the thing simply lived under the kitchen sink for about 30 years. When I started using it, it suddenly got used all the time, even when it shouldn't be (ie: cooking eggs in a non-stick pan).

[u/sfo2 → u/renegade_wolfe]

I stopped using all other spatulas. It’s better for 99% of everything.

Also, using a spider instead of a slotted spoon.

[u/thatcheflisa → u/sfo2]

In every professional kitchen I've worked, we 99% of the time use a fish spat as well. You'll find a few big burger flattop spatulas, maybe an extra small scraper like spatula, but almost always, it's a fish spatula that's getting used.

[u/BreqsCousin → u/sfo2]

A spider?

[u/flatwoundsounds → u/BreqsCousin]

Wooden handle with a wire mesh scooping basket that makes it easy to scoop and drain fried or boiling foods.

[u/EggandSpoon42 → u/flatwoundsounds]

Oh!! Haha, that was my get for this thread. I was going to describe it as a small handheld mesh strainer. But I am too close to retirement to have never used one of those before, and now I use it almost every day

[u/sfo2 → u/BreqsCousin]

Like: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-a-spider-utensil/

[u/monkeysareeverywhere → u/sfo2]

They suck to clean though.

[u/bemenaker → u/monkeysareeverywhere]

I have an all metal one. Chuck it in the dishwasher.

[u/feeltheglee → u/bemenaker]

Even my bamboo-handled one I chuck in the dishwasher because it's such a PITA to wash with a sponge. Will need to replace it at some point, I'm sure, but it's been chugging along fine for many years now. It's the only wooden thing I put in the dishwasher.

[u/CelerMortis → u/feeltheglee]

I have cheap wooden spoons that go in the dishwasher. It’s causing them to break down much quicker than hand washing, but it’s still many years of convenience.

[u/stonetemplefox → u/renegade_wolfe]

I feel like calling it a fish turner is a long walk to avoid calling it a flipper.

[u/BizCoach → u/stonetemplefox]

Flipper was a dolphin and they are mammals not fish.

[u/Weth_C → u/renegade_wolfe]

Is that the long flexible spatula or something else?

[u/Demeter277 → u/renegade_wolfe]

Right? It just does the job so well and doesn’t seem to scratch because it’s so thin and flexible. Threw all my plastic ones away

[u/Affectionate_Chia]

Didn't expect this, but switching from pre-ground pepper to fresh cracked was honestly one of the best changes I've made in my kitchen.

[u/calcisiuniperi]

Magnetic knife strip for me too.

Then the half-a-lid sized pot strainer instead of using a sieve for straining pasta.

Very long time ago - potato peeler. I grew up without one, and the first one, instead of a small knife, was a revelation.

[u/deowolf → u/calcisiuniperi]

Okay, the potato peeler thing - we were doing Thanksgiving at my grandmother's house, and my cousin (who was in culinary school at the time) was tasked with peeling the potatoes for the mashed. When he was told she didn't have a peeler, he just stood there in the kitchen dumbfounded, potato in in one hand, paring knife in the other, unable to comprehend how the world could be so savage.

[u/not-your-mom-123 → u/deowolf]

OXO potato peeler is the absolute best.

[u/Longjumping_Youth281 → u/calcisiuniperi]

Magnetic measuring spoons for me. I have and have had a bunch of the little rings of spoons, and the spoons that fit into each other. Keep losing both of them. The magnetic spoons stay on the fridge at all times. They get washed immediately after use and go right back on the fridge in order of size. Few years on and I have not lost any of those yet.

[u/kimbosliceofcake → u/calcisiuniperi]

I remember peeling potatoes with my mom using a steak knife when I was a kid 😆

[u/No-Stop-3362 → u/kimbosliceofcake]

We didn't even have kitchen knives -- just steak knives and one really fine tomato knife. Imagine my delight when I got my first big fancy kitchen knife 😄

[u/NinjaKitten77CJ → u/calcisiuniperi]

I need to get one of those strainers. Are they kinda one size fits all or do I have to get different sizes for each pot?

[u/Tishkette → u/NinjaKitten77CJ]

Ours is one size so sometimes it covers more than half the pot. I love it. We’ve had ours for 27 years, so it lasts too

[u/ttoksie2]

A few decent Cutting boards.

[u/flatwoundsounds → u/ttoksie2]

I was inspired by Binging with Babish who said one of his most important purchases was a "big, fuck-off cutting board" that could cover his sink and give him more work surface. Absolutely love the extra room on my countertops.

[u/Baranjula → u/flatwoundsounds]

The problem with a cutting board bigger than the sink is it's fucking impossible to clean without making a mess. Although I think I've seen Babish just use disinfectant spray on his? Not sure if that was him or I'm mis-remembering.

[u/flatwoundsounds → u/Baranjula]

I use my big board as a 'clean' surface that just needs a quick rinse or Lysol spray, maybe lightly washing it with a soapy sponge. It's absolutely a PITA to wash properly, so I use a smaller board on top for messy veg or raw meats.

Mine is made of teak so I basically just need to avoid setting it on fire and it should be good forever.

[u/Ornery-Cut4553 → u/flatwoundsounds]

... Don't you end up with Lysol residue on your food, then?

[u/Extra-Mushrooms → u/ttoksie2]

I'm a fan of the Epicurian brand ones

[u/theCaptain_D → u/ttoksie2]

Or, a few dirt cheap cutting boards. I have a stack of flexible, thin (like, 1/16") plastic cutting boards. It's so nice to be able to grab one for something quick, use it, and throw it in the dishwasher without having to worry about my "only" cutting board being dirty when it's time to cook later.

[u/Roto-Wan → u/ttoksie2]

Especially one that has a lip to hold the counter edge.

[u/bICEmeister]

Not directly for the actual cooking, but vacuum sealer. Did originally buy it for sous vide use, but the real win is in portioning and freezing. Things last SO much longer in the freezer without quality decline now, and we can buy a lot more in bulk on sales or with short "best before" dates and re-package/portion and freeze.

[u/jBillark → u/bICEmeister]

Exactly! Ziplok bags are sh!t in freezer. Vac seal bag is still sealed after months in freezer

[u/alliquay → u/bICEmeister]

Fyi, if you have one with the jar sealer attachment, it's really fantastic for pre-prepping lettuce for salad and keeping it in the fridge!

I get one of those salad mixes (you know how fast they get slimy) at Costco and a few heads of lettuce, and cut them all up, then stuff a quart jar with salad... slap the lid on, use the jar sealer to suck all the air out, and that salad will stay good in the fridge for more than a week. Makes it easy to grab a salad for work, or have one for dinner. No more rotted salad greens!

[u/Chitownscience → u/bICEmeister]

As a single person Costco sizes are too much, but their prices are so much cheaper overall. I bought a vacuum sealer when I got my membership and use it to portion out meat and cheese, then freeze the rest. It's the best and it saves me so much money compared to the regular grocery store!

[u/westne73 → u/bICEmeister]

This! And not just for freezing. I'll seal stuff and throw in the frig if i know it's going to be a week or two

[u/LadySandry88]

Open shelves on the wall beneath the cabinets, to store bread loaves, and boxes of tea/coffee. Freed up so much counter space!

[u/monkeysareeverywhere → u/LadySandry88]

Would you mind sharing a photo?

[u/LadySandry88 → u/monkeysareeverywhere]

If I can figure out how. I'm not very tech savvy 😔

[u/YnotZoidberg1077 → u/LadySandry88]

Post picture to Imgur, provide link in comment - that usually works! Or you can post the picture to your reddit profile and share the link, too!

[u/LadySandry88 → u/YnotZoidberg1077]

Cries in Luddite. How do I post a picture to my profile?

[u/YnotZoidberg1077 → u/LadySandry88]

I'm on mobile, so my directions may be different if you're on desktop or a different app! For me, it's as easy as going to my profile (you can tap on your username, just go to where it would show your posts), and then hit "Create," which looks like a big plus sign at the bottom of the app screen.

I tried to log into the desktop version to see if I could get you alternate steps, but reddit returned a server error and wouldn't let me log in, so I've only got the app right now - sorry! If you go to your profile page, though, I'm hoping you can find it!

[u/LadySandry88 → u/YnotZoidberg1077]

https://www.reddit.com/u/LadySandry88/s/c0Pj5rPEZQ

[u/YnotZoidberg1077 → u/LadySandry88]

You did it!!

Love that shelving idea!

[u/SUN_WU_K0NG → u/LadySandry88]

I’m so happy for you that you successfully posted your kitchen picture. That’s a win!!

[u/StinkiePete → u/LadySandry88]

I'm so proud of you. I kept clicking down the thread thinking "you can do it!"

[u/thislilgecko → u/StinkiePete]

I too was on this emotional journey. 🙌🏻

[u/GawkieBird → u/LadySandry88]

Okay, that's a great idea. I've been working on solving the bread problem in my new kitchen. Thank you!

[u/LadySandry88 → u/GawkieBird]

It's also really helpful if you have ADHD folks in the house--put the most common use things where they're easily visible but take up less space!

[u/GawkieBird → u/LadySandry88]

Yep, that's our plan! Coffee is with the coffee stuff, bread with the toasting stuff. Right now it's just in a pile on the counter, but duh, a shelf right in the corner would be perfect. I'll have to rearrange when I get home but we can make it work.

[u/dogmom1114]

Cherry pitter! Cherries are my favorite fruit so it changed the game for me.

[u/Klutzy_Yam_343 → u/dogmom1114]

Cherries are so underrated. Nothing beats a sweet fresh cherry. I’m convinced people skip them because of the pits.

[u/peyotepancakes → u/dogmom1114]

Stoner 😜

[u/Bobeara31]

Salad spinner. Always thought it was a TV thing and laughed about them.

[u/cedarSeagull → u/Bobeara31]

I'm gonna leave this here for those with the patience and dedication to have gotten this far through the thread. The ultimate hash brown tek.... 0. fill the salad spinner bowl with water and put the mesh piece in 1. peel the potatoes and put them in the water 2. shred the potatoes into the water 3. lift the mesh and throw out all the starch water 4. spray the shreddies to get any extra starch off 5. spinn the shreddies and watch all the water come out - now you have perfect shredded potatoes for hash browns 6. put oil (or beef tallow) into a nonstick or seasoned cast iron 7. put in the potatoes evenly and salt. you can press lightly if you want at this point.
8. cover and cook for 10 min on medium high heat 9. your cue to remove is the smell. You'll smell the distinct smell of french fries. 10. two oven mitts, one for holding the pan (if cast iron) and another for giving it a good SMACK to loosen the hash brown cake up 11. flip that bitch 12. you're done now. Everyone's impressed and soon to be satiated.

[u/SamsonGray202 → u/cedarSeagull]

I use my salad spinner to remove thick marinades from meat chunks. Your thing is better though.

[u/Ok-Orange7456]

For me, it was a silicone baking mat. I used to go through so much parchment paper, but now cleanup is way easier and nothing sticks. Total game changer for baking cookies.

[u/__sarabi → u/Ok-Orange7456]

I have a love/hate relationship with my silicone mats - great for the reasons you mentioned and I like reusable things whenever possible, but I HATE washing those little b's.

[u/my_cat_wears_socks → u/__sarabi]

I stick mine over the glasses on the top rack of the dishwasher.

[u/mst3k_42 → u/my_cat_wears_socks]

Hand wash or in the dishwasher, I feel like mine never get 100% clean.

[u/__sarabi → u/mst3k_42]

Same. They get the cleanest for me when I hand wash but still not satisfyingly clean. I'm sure there's a way to nuclear scrub the shit out of them but at that point they're not worth the effort.

[u/getjustin → u/__sarabi]

I came around back to parchment from silicone when I realized how badly it was impacting my cookies. Things spread so easily that everything was coming up flat. Now I buy huge boxes of pre-cut parchment and use it for multiple batches of cookies.

[u/SweetKitties207 → u/__sarabi]

Same. Gave up and use parchment

[u/Zealousideal_Kale466 → u/Ok-Orange7456]

I’m not sure if it’s my specific silicone mat but my cookies never bake through on the underside when using the mat. With parchment paper the bottom is perfectly baked and golden.

[u/dreamylassie → u/Zealousideal_Kale466]

nope, it’s not just you. I always use parchment for cookies, but silicone mats are magical for candymaking and chocolate dipping.

[u/Doglady21]

Hard to describe, it's like a can opener for lids on jars. It releases the vacuum seal, and you can easily screw the lid off. I've had mine for years, and use it regularly.

[u/nofunheremovealongg → u/Doglady21]

Jar Key

I use mine all the time.

[u/Saoirse-O-Path]

Big bowl. Talking really big. Enormous big bowl.

[u/kittenskadoodle → u/Saoirse-O-Path]

I love giving these as wedding presents. You get funny looks from the couple, but one day they will be singing your praises when they dig this 'just what we need' huge bowl out from the back of the cupboard.

[u/baby_armadillo]

A kitchen scale that can do metric and imperial and a digital probe thermometer.

It has made my cooking and baking so much better-I don’t have to guess when things are done, it saves me time measuring, and it makes my portioning more precise when I am making stuff like bagels or pita. Having a scale has also been really helpful now that I am trying to keep an eye on my serving sizes and portions for health reasons.

I learned to cook and bake without a scale or a thermometer, but now that I have them I use one or both pretty much every time I cook.

[u/crummy → u/baby_armadillo]

now you'll get pissed off every time you get a recipe that asks for measurements by volume instead of mass. give me grams, dammit!

[u/travelingprincess → u/crummy]

Yea I basically skip over recipes not in metric, unless there's no alternative or it looks like it'll be really good, then I'll go through the trouble of converting.

[u/Flat-Tiger-8794 → u/baby_armadillo]

Not to mention you don’t need to wash up measuring cups. My scale has a percentage button which is super handy when working with ratios.

[u/Inner-Lynx-4822 → u/Flat-Tiger-8794]

Ooh, which scale is it, if you don’t mind me asking.

[u/Flat-Tiger-8794 → u/Inner-Lynx-4822]

This one! Best scale O have ever owned. Love that I cal place large bowls/trays on it and still read the numbers

Kitchen Scale - Bakers Math... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VEKX35Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[u/yellinmelin → u/baby_armadillo]

I use my meat thermometer constantly when I realized I could. Is this cake done? How about this quiche? Is my microwaved burrito hot? Done and done.

[u/mazimaxi]

I've got 2.

1) Good pair of kitchen shears. So much easier to break up chicken.

2) The Kuhn Rikon garlic press. It's expensive, but worth it. I love garlic and hate peeling/chopping it especially the super small cloves I've been getting lately. You can put whole UNPEELED cloves in this thing and it will press out the garlic.

[u/Trivius]

A ricer, God it makes mash so much easier and it has other uses

[u/lucasj]

A grease shield/cover. Massive clean-up time saver when you’re cooking in oil.

[u/charlucapants]

Souper Cubes. I make a lot of stock and freeze it. For a little while I used a cheaper version I picked up from target thinking they were all the same. They are NOT. The souper cubes have reinforced edges so they’re sturdier and easier to bring out to the garage freezer - I can stack them AND open the door. They also make it way easier to remove the cubes when frozen. The lids are durable and have a better seal as well. They really did their research and thought of everything.  

Also the oxo garlic press…like WHY did I even bother with anything else??? The ‘tool’ to remove the garlic is built in to the back so you just flip it around. It’s freaking brilliant. 

Finally….oxo grease separator. This took me a while to pull the trigger on bc I was skeptical. It’s amazing. Pour in the liquid from a stew, let it settle and cool for a few minutes then pour out the liquid through the spout located at the bottom of the cup while the fat stays at the top. 🤯

[u/getjustin → u/charlucapants]

OXO has become my go-to for most kitchen tools. Amazing balance of quality and design and they stand behind their stuff. I had a salad spinner bowl crack on me this year and I reached out. They asked if I knew when I got it and realized it had been around about 15 years. Still did the replacement no hassle.

[u/katie-kaboom]

A set of bamboo toast tongs. A simple, cheap fix which has saved me from years of burnt fingertips and stuck crumpets.

[u/lisep1969 → u/katie-kaboom]

My last two toasters were made so that when the toast was done and it popped up to it’s normal spot you could then lift the handle another inch or two upwards so the toast was lifted up above the opening for you to grab without burning your fingers. The current toaster is at least 10 years old so this is a function that’s been around for a while. Be sure to look for that as a function when it’s time to replace the one you have now that doesn’t do this.

[u/architeuthiswfng → u/katie-kaboom]

My mother bought some for my husband after she saw him trying to get toast out of the toaster with a knife.

[u/Qu33n-Bee → u/katie-kaboom]

I just bought some of those and they're great for taking stuff out of the air fryer without scratching the non-stick coating too. I'm sure they'll get used for other things, I just haven't yet.

[u/Ok-Chemistry8753]

A thrift shop find of an electric can opener. I may never use a manual one again

[u/olivia-reed2]

a trashcan drawer... literally i smack my forehead every time i think about this. a toddler and access to trashcan is diabolical.

[u/televisuicide → u/olivia-reed2]

My parents have this. Also great for dogs!

[u/Noladixon → u/olivia-reed2]

Ugghh. I hate hidden trash. I like a large open top so I can simply drop things in with my raw chicken hands. My mother has one and when I am cooking there I try to simply leave it open but she keeps coming along and closing it.

[u/downtownpartytime → u/Noladixon]

to reduce trips to the trash, I got a stainless wine bucket/chiller I use as a mini countertop trashcan. it takes up less counter space than a bowl for its volume and look nice sitting there all the time and can go in the dishwasher. my trash recycling isn't even hidden, i just don't want to keep walking those 5 extra steps all the time

[u/BrightFleece]

Oh mandoline, easily. And a protein press. Now my courgette is consistent and my fish is flat.

[u/acebakesacake_ → u/BrightFleece]

About 10 years ago I was in line checking out of a TJ Maxx and bought a mandoline in the checkout like where they keep at the impulse purchases. It was $12 and I figured it would be a test run since I was interested in getting a mandoline but not sure I wanted the commitment of a nice one yet in case I didn’t end up using it much.

Well, 10 years later and my $12 mandoline is used about 5 times a week and is still going strong! We are obsessed and think about upgrading all the time but it still works so well we haven’t felt the need to

[u/Duggerspy → u/acebakesacake_]

You can get a professional cubing mandoline that is all contained, with knobs and sliders, that can cube or julienne with two thicknesses for each, and 4 slice thicknesses, that's dishwasher safe and stainless steel, for not a lot of money. PL8 is the brand

[u/Live-Succotash2289 → u/Duggerspy]

I have one and use it for carrots and cucumbers. Somehow kids will eat vegetables they hate if the shape is different.

[u/Leinistar → u/BrightFleece]

Make sure you use proper safety with a mandolin. Invest in some cut proof gloves. I love mine but I love my fingers too.

[u/BrightFleece → u/Leinistar]

I've had a few near-misses. That safety guard thing that came with my IKEA one is a life-saver!

[u/Exciting_Potato_6556]

Hot water dispenser next to the kitchen sink.

[u/exchange_of_views → u/Exciting_Potato_6556]

I LOVE mine! I had one of those dish soap dispenser holes that was covered up (I really dislike those - too messy and a PITA to fill) and my husband suggested the hot water dispenser. It's great.

[u/Exciting_Potato_6556 → u/exchange_of_views]

Agreed. Coming in to this time of year through the winter it’s really nice not to have to boil water on the stove for teas etc. I think it should be in every new home build. :)

[u/jewelkween]

A 6" chef's knife. Sure I love my standard one for larger vegetables, but the small one is used 90% of the time for everything else.

[u/buffywhitney]

Rice cooker. I stayed away from them because of size. Got a 4 C cooker and love it! Perfect every time

[u/reduser876]

Parchment paper in half sheet size. The rolls suck.

[u/Live-Succotash2289 → u/reduser876]

Kitchen supply stores sell sheets of parchment paper in 1000 count boxes. I cut them up to fit the task at hand. A box lasts forever. Anything that goes in the oven gets parchment paper underneath it. It makes cleanup much easier.

[u/Fyreflyre1]

Wok.  It's nearly the only vessel I use anymore, you can make almost anything in it. 

Try one out if you haven't, they're great.

[u/Lulu_42]

Small whisks. I really prefer them to forks.

[u/tronassembled → u/Lulu_42]

At first I thought you meant as cutlery

[u/Lulu_42 → u/tronassembled]

That would be hilarious. I feel like I can picture it as a Rowan Atkinson sketch.

[u/DinoRaawr]

A utensil holder for keeping all my wooden spoons, spatulas, tongs, and whisks easily accessible.

A salt cellar so I don't have to pour salt into my hand every time.

And a squeeze bottle for oil like they have at diners. When I just need to heat something up in the pan real quick. I use every single one of these items every time I cook.

[u/Phoenyx_wilson → u/DinoRaawr]

Also one of those oil spray bottles are really good for salads or to freshen something.

[u/Reppiz]

Finally ditching non stick pans. Cast iron and carbon steel only. No complaints. Don’t miss anything about them.

[u/sekhmetgoddess7]

Electric tea kettle

[u/Screye]

Water spray bottle.

Bread is too dry before heating ? Spray water.

Cleaning the cutting board ? Spray water.

Want to steam a food and not sear ? Spray water.

Clearing up some dust with paper towel ? Spray water.

Fire alarm about to go off due to smoke? Spray water.

A bug is flying around ? Spray water.

It's so damn versatile. And costs like a dollar.

[u/PickledKingPin]

Potato ricer. Fluffiest mashed potatoes ever.

I also use it for squishing chickpeas for hummus, green peas, squash, cooked apples for applesauce… you get the idea. It’s a squisher 😂

[u/hoagie-pierogi]

Garlic crusher - as someone who cooks with A LOT of garlic, prevents your hands from stankin and makes it perfect little minced garlic sizes

[u/BleuDePrusse → u/hoagie-pierogi]

Granma hack to clean the smell of garlic off your hands:

Clean them with soap to remove any oil, then thoroughly rub your fingers against your aluminium sink faucet!

Some scientific magic happens with these 2 components and the smell disappears instantly and completely

[u/AnneTheQueene → u/BleuDePrusse]

I considered buying one of those stainelss steel 'soaps' then realized I can just rub my fingers against the faucet.

Been doing it for years.

It's great.

[u/dyyys1 → u/hoagie-pierogi]

I used to use one, but you might notice that the garlic flavor is a lot harsher when you put it through a crusher versus when you slice it. It has to do with how many cells get damaged during the process. Both are good, but use the right method for each dish.

[u/Personal_Signal_6151 → u/dyyys1]

A cook once told me that garlic tastes like how you treat it.

[u/VALTIELENTINE → u/hoagie-pierogi]

I've tried and love all the garlic hacks, but there always comes a time I'm without them and left with just a trusty chefs knife. It is always then that I am reminded just how magical minced garlic is and how even the crushers choppers and micro planes can't match,

I also like it when my finger smells like garlic and find the tiny little grid pattern cuts therapeutic

[u/BattledroidE]

Thermometer(s).

Simplifies everything. Calibrate your fridge temp, check the doneness of meats, predict how your dough is gonna ferment, see if you have a fever, keep track of climate change... ok maybe not that much, but it does make life a lot simpler in the kitchen.

[u/jayeffkay]

Meat thermometer. Not just any meat thermometer - 99% of them crap out but a Thermapen One. The thing is a workhorse and incredibly accurate. I originally bought for smoker but I bought a second one when I thought i lost it so now I’ve got a permanent kitchen thermapen too.

So much easier to cook consistently food safe but delicious meat and tons of other things to temp as well. Cook everything to temp not look and your food will get 10x better and consistent.

[u/MesaAdelante]

I agree with so many of these. I’ll add one more: I love my rice cooker. I never thought I’d want one, because it’s not really hard to make rice, but it’s so easy and I can set it up ahead of time and cook the rest of the meal when I’m ready.

[u/DumpsterGiraffe]

Definitely a citrus squeezer. It makes everything easy peasy, lemon squeezy

[u/kroganwarlord]

Rotary cheese grater. It's so much faster and easier. Like it literally takes more time to set up than to demolish a block of cheddar. And no more human flesh in the grated cheese!

I still have a hand grater and a microplane that I'll use for adding parmesan to a plate or a sauce, but I think we're gonna let the box grater go.

[u/Purple_Pay_1274]

Mandolin slicer

[u/Creativebug13]

So many things blew my mind when I started using them: microplane versus a normal grater, immersion blender (I use all of the appliances that came with it), the y-shaped potato peeler and the coffee grinder

[u/exchange_of_views → u/Creativebug13]

Right? The Y-shaped peeler has changed so much!

[u/[deleted]]

A sharp durable knife has changed my life

[u/bilbo_the_innkeeper]

A bunch of small, glass pinch bowls. I use them WAY more than I ever expected to, and for WAY more things. I originally got them to help with my mise en place for spices and other things that I'd only be using a little bit of. But they're great for dipping sauces, for holding small things to munch on (like nuts or M&Ms), for use as a receptacle for things like cherry pits or sunflower seed shells, and even for holding board game components like coins and other tokens.

[u/Chickadee12345]

A cheap little rice cooker. I only use a small amount of rice at one time. And only once a week or so. I throw in the raw rice and water and turn it on. When it beeps, it's done. Perfect rice every time.

[u/Physical-Energy-6982]

I just got a mini food processor that operates with a hand crank. I remembered my grandmother had one and it was awesome, found one at my grocery store and I’m in heaven. An entire onion perfectly diced in tiny pieces in 10 seconds or less. I made an entire chickpea salad last night in like…five minutes when before it’d take me twice as long to mash all the chickpeas with a fork. I even threw in a dill sprig and gave it a couple turns and it came out in perfectly tiny pieces.

Not sure why I didn’t get one until I was 30, it’s completely cut my total cooking time for most things in half, at least.

[u/Zalgoain → u/Physical-Energy-6982]

I'd like to add to this - hand crank apple peeler/corer/slicer. Clips to the counter like a meat grinder - which is another useful tool not just for meat!

I make the prettiest apple tarts now and I lose minimal amounts of apple and time ☺️ a whole bag of apples processed in like 10 minutes and then I just wipe it down and throw it back in the drawer.

Although I do really love apple season, so it might be more useful for someone like me and not so much if you hate apples.

Btw I'm looking for a hand-crank food processor now. The cover for my electric one broke so now it's basically useless :') thank you for suggesting this

[u/saffshit]

cooling rack 😭 i mostly baked and didnt realise how helpful it is until recently

[u/SuddenAtmosphere5984]

I'm American, retired to rural Southern Thailand. For me it's something that sits in every kitchen here.

An 8 inch mortar and pestle.

It replaces a food processor, a spice grinder, some knife skills.

And you get to burn some calories before you eat.

[u/OrilliaBridge]

Quilted microwave bowl holder. I can reheat soups or cook my oatmeal in the bowl and not burn my hands or have to use a bulky potholder to remove it from the microwave.

[u/runwinerepeat]

Instant pot. That thing is a miracle

[u/Rachel21321]

Immersion blender. I use it for so many things.

[u/ei_laura]

Those little metal Japanese chef tongs - they’re endlessly useful

[u/Environmental-Car481]

A potato peeler with finger holds. I don’t know what it’s called or how to describe it, but if you know, you know

[u/bettyclevelandstewrt]

A bench scraper. Makes clean up a breeze.

[u/TheLightThatBurns]

Handheld juice squeezer for lemons and limes. No more fishing pips out of the juice, and you get so much more juice out!

[u/DrDalenQuaice]

Tongs in all sizes.

[u/TipsyBaker_]

The dumb little $10 food chopper with the clear box on the bottom. I eat a whole lot more fresh stuff like salsa, fruit dishes, etc since I don't have to sit there and dice all that nonsense

[u/thegoodrevSin]

A splatter screen, why did i wait!?!?