Tell me the kitchen gadget you can't live without

RCPV

Blender/chopper for me. I have a VitaMix and use it every day. My daughter has a 1000 watt Ninja blender/chopper that she also uses every day. Chops up vegs for any use, makes hot blended soups, makes perfectly blended smoothies. If you plan on eating a lot of vegs in salads, soups, or smoothies, this is invaluable.

JennJ323

Air Fryer

Diatonic12

anglyn1

Ninja Foodi. I've used it daily for over a year now. Pressure cooker, air fryer, dehydrator, baking/roasting, broiling, steaming, and saute all in one!

earlnabby

Mine would be my Crockpot. I have had it since my parents gave it to me when I moved into my first apartment in 1981 and I still use it almost weekly (yes, same pot, just had to buy a new lid about 5 years ago).

I live alone and eat better when I have something already prepared so I make a lot of stews with 4-6 servings. I eat it a few days in a row, then freeze several portions for weeks when I am too busy to cook. I love being able to dump stuff in it when I get up and have dinner ready when I want it. It was great when I worked and it is still great now that I am retired. I also have excellent recipes for things like meatloaf and lasagna and use it as a rice cooker, it isn't just for soups and stews.

Before you decide, look at what you like to eat and how you like it fixed. I can see an air fryer becoming a staple in someone's kitchen (just not mine). The blender/chopper is utilitarian and can be very handy although I am happy using my immersion blender and a decent selection of knives. My Ulu knife is probably one of the more indispensable of those, as is the cook's utility (kind of looks like a mini meat cleaver).

My appliances/gadgets in order of usefulness (I don't see a food scale as an appliance but I do use mine daily):

1. Crock Pot
2. Decent knives
3. Immersion Blender
4. Hot Air popcorn popper
5. KitchenAid mixer
6. Toaster

Things that stay in the cupboard or garage and get used a couple of times a year:

• Regular blender
• Pasta machine
• Food mill
• Mini food processor

Things I got rid of:

• Bread machine
• Deep dish pizza maker
• Apple peeler/corer

wanttobfit2020

Using my food scale more now that I am eating healthier and want to make sure my portions are correct. I am on the fence about buying an Instapot. I have an Air Fryer and I love it! I just did french fries on Wednesday night and felt no guilt at eating my 3 ounces!

springlering62

This pull-string food chopper. It chops things to various sizes, depending on how many pulls you give it. Six or seven pulls and radishes, carrots, tomatoes or onions are very finely diced. It washes up easily, and stores small.

I am much more likely to eat vegetables if I don’t have to pull out the knife and cutting board, or a big electric device,

sammidelvecchio

instant pot

kshama2001

try2again wrote: »

nighthawk584 wrote: »

1. Food Scale
2. Air Fryer
3. Meat Thermometer

I know the OP had in mind more small appliances, but the meat thermometer was my first thought. My cooking became a zillion times better once I was able to start cooking meat to the point of actual doneness and wasn't letting things go a little longer just to be safe.

Same here re meat thermometer. I have a CDN, which was recommended by ATK five or so years back when I bought it.

I use my food scale all day long.

I use my food processor about every day late spring - early fall, and less regularly when veggie smoothie season is over. Will be using it tonight to make Cod Cakes.

Normally this time of year I use my slow cooker a lot. I work from home and prep at lunch for dinner ready the instant I get off work, but I got a nice Dutch oven for my birthday so have been experimenting with recipes for that. I've been enjoying them, but they don't lend themselves as well to week nights so moved the recipe testing to Saturdays.

windra06

earlnabby wrote: »

1. Hot Air popcorn popper

YES you just reminded me how amazing popcorn is as a diet food! Don't have the luxury of an air popper but I have a Lekue microwave popcorn popper.

lorrpb

Toaster oven #1
Also Foreman tabletop grill & spiralizer

chris89topher

1. Food scale
2. Air fryer

ritzvin

wilson10102018 wrote: »

Swing A Way was purchased by some junk manufacturer and despite an explosion of new models, none of them work right. Cheap, but junk. The patent has apparently run out and a US company is making them as the original can opener was made. Twice as expensive, but it actually works.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075X45LCC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I finally sprung for an electric Cuisinart can opener after breaking my collarbone. (I love that thing.. Should've bought one sooner.)

ritzvin

I'd have to go with the food scale and electric pressure cooker (I batch cook a lot of soups, stews, hard boiled eggs).

astidog99

My favorite gadget is my pastry blender- I hate rubbing in. Great for making low(er) calorie crumbles.

ritzvin

If you don't mind eating the same thing a bunch of times, the electric pressure cooker makes it quick to make bulk batches of soups and stews, which you can tailor to be pretty filling for the calories (and can also tailor the protein /serving pretty well). It makes quick work of cooking dried beans without any extra steps (add right in with the rest of the soup, chili ingredients). I've also done boiled, mashed potatoes or tougher cuts of meat in it. And pulled chicken, pork. (all in bulk and then stored in large bowls in the fridge, of course, because time).

fourtotwentychars

• Fridge
• food scales
• kettle
• I've set up my indoor bicycle trainer in the kitchen too

Also home beer brewing kit, but that is part of what got me into this mess in the first place. Coffee machine, dishwasher. Everything else I can do without.

cwolfman13

Induction cooktop and my HexClad pans.

mmapags

Food Scale
Food thermometer
Quality chef's knife
Honing stones to keep said knife in top shape

geraldaltman

Not having quite the grip strength as I did a younger man, this simple device has kept me sane in the kitchen 😊