As a busy person with a demanding full-time job, I am always on the lookout for reliable, easy-to-clean, low-maintenance, and multifunctional kitchen gadgets. I am sure most of you feel the same and would love to get kitchen tasks done in half the time. Today, I will share some must-have kitchen tools that will help you save time on cleaning and cooking, making you feel super productive. After work, I am often too tired to cook from scratch, so having easy-to-clean and quick-to-use gadgets saves me a ton of time. Trust me, these items will definitely save you time too.
All-in 1 Vegetable Chopper
The first one on my list is a multifunctional salad chopper. I like this specific design as I don’t need a separate bowl after chopping the vegetables. I can make the salad directly on the catch tray. In that way, I don’t need to wash an extra dish, which makes my life a bit easier. You might think that it is only one dish but after a long day at work, even one extra dish seems daunting. This chopper has allowed me to try different salad recipes and improved my daily salad intake. It is a must-have for busy people like you who wants to add more salads in their diet. Also, the evenly chopped vegetables make the salad taste even better!
All-in one salad chopper, source: Amazon
Air Fryer Adventure
The next one on this list is my favorite air fryer. 2024 is all about getting healthy and in shape. After gaining a few pounds over the last 3 years, this year I am strong-willed enough to cut out oily food. So, I bought my air fryer at the end of last year. I can still satisfy my craving for crunchy food with this gadget without the guilt afterwards. I make potato fries, garlic toast, sweet potato fries, and baked broccoli sprouts using this air fryer. It takes much less time to make these healthy versions of your favorite fast food, and there is no need to clean it afterwards if you are using double layered paper on the baking tray. Also, one more secret: I bought mine from a nearby thrift store and got it for $10. It was a steal for sure. You can visit those stores and if you are lucky like me, you can get these expensive gadgets for a couple of bucks. As you can see, I did not have to give up on my fortune to buy this time-saving machine.
Air Fryer, source: Amazon
Portable Smoothie Maker
Third one is a chargeable and portable blender for smoothies. I crave a blueberry smoothie in the afternoon and this almond milk blueberry smoothie is the new favorite drink on my list. My friend gifted me a portable blender. This works great when I go for short hikes or walk. If I make the smoothies and leave it for sometime, the liquid separates and tastes bad. So, I just blend it whenever I want to and I can drink from the cup. But the blending might not be as good as regular blender- mind you. This might take couple of blends to mix thoroughly, still it is one of my favorite kitchen tools.
Portable Juice Blender, source: Amazon
Rice-cooker
Any day now, I could write a love letter to my rice cooker. I love Asian food, therefore, rice of any kind is my favorite food. My rice cooker does it all, whether it’s for simple rice, pulao, or Indian khichdi. Vegetable khichdi is my go-to comfort food; it’s so tasty and filling that you can prepare it in 30 minutes when you’re starving and don’t want to order takeout. And that’s it—I add rice, my preferred pulses, and all of my favorite veggies—carrots, green beans, eggplant, spring onions, and potatoes. Thirty minutes later, I have this delicious-smelling food. Buy a rice cooker for time saving and effort saving meals. Right now, I’m working on getting the hang of making fried rice in my rice cooker and other delicious meals.
Rice cooker, source: Amazon
Rotating Spice Rack
My spice rack is the most underrated but most widely used item in my kitchen. I used little glass bottles that were tucked away in the cabinet for a long time. However, this time I bought a lovely rotating spice rack. My life is made easier because I no longer have to go through the numerous spice jars in the cabinet to find the one I need. You may imagine how crowded my cupboard can get given my mother-in-law’s penchant for sharing the homemade spice blends. As I mentioned before, if you want to avoid being upset and annoyed when cooking and can’t find what you need, this rotating spice rack is for you. Believe me, I’m not proud of the several times I’ve yelled at my spouse as a result of this. So, purchase this to have a slightly happier marriage.
Rotating spice rack, source: Amazon
Pressure Cooker
Do you like homemade hummus? I am making hummus at home for the last 2 months. It is not perfect yet but I am getting there. My current issue with the hummus is it remains grainy after blending. I think it’s because some of the peas are not boiled even after couple hours. So, to make this hummus, I bought a pressure cooker. Usually, it takes me to soak the chick peas overnight and then boil for couple of hours. I can’t wait 5-6 hours to boil the chick peas on stove top in my busy schedule. So, I bought the pressure cooker and now I can make all the bean recipes I want without worrying about the extra boiling time. It is definitely a huge time saver for busy person like you and allows you to make heathy and quick meals.
Pressure cooker, source: Amazon
Instant Pot
Invest in an instant pot if you want a multifunctional device in your kitchen. Instant Pots, also known as multi-cookers or electric pressure cookers, are multipurpose kitchen appliances that may be used as slow cookers, sauté pans, steamers, yogurt makers, rice cookers, and more. But I do not have this one yet. I might buy this as my rice cooker does not have a slow-cooking option and I do want to try some slow cooking recipe soon. With slow cooking, you can turn on the cooker and leave for the office and when you get back, it will be ready for you. Caution: make sure it is safe to keep the cooker on. Do not leave it on if you suspect a shortage. In that case, operate it when you are at home at night. Turn it on, go to sleep, and enjoy delicious recipes in the morning. I love making one pot dishes. Instant pots allow you to make one pot dishes easily.
Instant pot, source: Amazon
Baking sheet and pans
Invest in easy-to-wash and clean baking sheets and pans, especially non-stick ones. Be mindful about the temperature of the teflon cooking. The temperature should not exceed 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). I would suggest getting some expensive baking pots and pans, as those will be used a lot to cook roasted veggies, desserts, or even full-course meals.
Baking pans and sheet, source: Amazon
Unique Items for Your Kitchen
Glass rinser or bottle washer
You can install it if you have two faucets in your sink. It makes washing glasses, bottles, and jars easier.
Digital Measuring Spoon
I like this spoons as they directly give me the perfect amount and I don’t need to weigh in on the measuring scale. It helps to skip the messy extra step.
Divided Baking Pan
These are my new favorites. These baking pans with internal dividers can make baking multiple items easier and more efficient. You can control the quantity and size and also not worry about getting the items mixed or touched.
Mortar and Pastel
I am a fan of freshly crushed spices, guacamole, and small herbs. The crushed spices elevate the flavor of your salads and food. Try it if you have not already.
Ceramic Berry Bowl
These adorable porcelain bowls feature draining holes at the bottom. So, after washing the berries, there’s no need to store them in a separate box. You can cover these bowls and store your berries in the refrigerator; the drainage will be taken care of by the bowls.
Apart from these items, you can get a pineapple corer, watermelon slicer, sponge holder, vacuum sealer, yogurt maker, microwave cleaner, and tortilla press to open up more time in your busy schedule.
Feature Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash