10 kitchen gadgets that will simplify cooking

Store shelves offer a huge assortment of helpers that can significantly simplify the cooking process. These helpers are various kitchen utensils! However, the selection of kitchen appliances and cookware is often limited by the space, which rarely exceeds the standard six square meters. Therefore, to make your choice easier, below is a list of 10 items that won't take up much space but are extremely useful.

1. Kitchen knives

Have you ever tried to cut a cabbage head or a tomato with a dull kitchen knife? If so, you probably already appreciate the importance of having a sharp knife in the kitchen! How many knives do you need? Amateur cooks usually manage with 3-4 different knives: a small one for peeling vegetables, a bread knife, a chef's knife with a relatively long and wide blade, and a meat knife with a narrower blade. As for the material, while knife blades were mainly made of steel in the past, today blades made of titanium or ceramic are becoming increasingly popular. Quality sharp knives are best stored in a special wooden holder and should be carefully dried immediately after washing. It's also worth getting a good knife sharpener, which will breathe new life into dull blades in just a few minutes.

2. Vegetable peeler

Another useful kitchen gadget is a vegetable peeler, which makes it convenient to peel fruits and vegetables with thick skins, such as potatoes, asparagus, carrots, and apples. By the way, the first official vegetable peeler was registered in 1936; before that, housewives exclusively used a knife. What else can a vegetable peeler be used for? If you like vegetable noodles, you can use this kitchen utensil to prepare them. First, peel the vegetables, and then carefully remove thin slices of flesh layer by layer.

3. Kitchen scissors and can opener

If you love chicken, then kitchen scissors will be your best helper in the kitchen. Why try to cut roasted or grilled bird with a knife and risk burning yourself or getting hurt when you can significantly simplify the whole process with convenient scissors? Additionally, this point can also include a can opener. Fruit or vegetable preserves, beans, or tuna for a salad... Many cans cannot be easily and conveniently opened without a good opener.

4. Wooden spoon

At first glance, this gadget may seem useless, but it's not. A wooden spoon is a very good helper for mixing food in pots and pans with non-stick surfaces. Thanks to it, the surface of such cookware will last intact and in good condition for a long time.

5. Cutting board

Do you already have sharp knives and a vegetable peeler? Then all you need is a cutting board! It's advisable to have at least two, preferably in different colors. Why? One board should be dedicated solely to cutting meat and fish, as raw meat contains a lot of various bacteria. For this reason, other foods that will not be subjected to heat treatment should not be cut on this board. Of course, failure to comply with this rule may not necessarily lead to health problems, but why take the risk? As for the choice of material, first of all, the boards should be as scratch-resistant as possible, as scratches can harbor bacteria and microbes. The surface should also not be too hard; otherwise, the knives will dull quickly. This applies to boards made of glass or stone. A good compromise is plastic, wooden, or bamboo boards. Wood and bamboo are more decorative and environmentally friendly, while plastic offers more possibilities for color variety and design.

6. High-quality square grater

The days when a grater had only two sides: with large and small holes are long gone. Today, there are many other options available, allowing you to prepare French fries, decorative elements for dish decoration, and much more.

7. Measuring cup or measuring jug

These items are indispensable for those who love to bake, especially for less experienced cooks who still can’t eyeball the required dosage. It’s advisable to have at least one measuring cup for liquids and one for solids.

8. Colander

Agree that it's hard to do without this gadget when it comes to boiling pasta or washing berries and vegetables. Thus, the colander is a very important assistant in the kitchen! Additionally, you can also purchase a sieve with fine holes, which is convenient for sifting flour or making jelly from raspberries or currants.

9. Whisk

Of course, it is quite possible to whip egg whites without a whisk, for example, with a fork, but it takes a lot of time! Time that few would want to spend on baking a cake or pancakes. Therefore, every home cook who loves to bake pies or prepare exquisite desserts should have a whisk in the kitchen. Most models have a handle to which radially arranged wire loops are attached. Fortunately, these whisks are now sold as attachments for hand mixers, saving even more time!

10. Immersion blender (or mixer)

Some call the blender a universal kitchen tool, as it allows you to quickly chop solid ingredients into small pieces and prepare wonderful creamy soups and sauces. Moreover, modern blenders are very practical since they don't take up much space in the cupboard! It is worth noting that most hand blenders are not suitable for chopping very hard fruits and vegetables (such as cabbage leaves) and ice cubes. Therefore, if you love smoothies, it’s worth considering acquiring a good mixer or food processor.