Six Kitchen Gadgets That Will Change Your Cooking Game

Tired of tossing spoiled, uneaten food from your fridge each week? You’re not alone. Millions of people needlessly waste meats, fruits, and veggies each week, and it’s usually due to poor food storage habits. Help yourself preserve your uneaten food for later with a vacuum food sealer. These devices are small and straightforward, sucking the air from plastic bags and creating an airtight package to hold and store items for later. If you find yourself constantly struggling to eat everything you buy for the week, this can be a great solution.

A stand mixer, like the coveted Kitchenaid, is one of the most expensive kitchen gadgets you can invest in, but it’s one that will quickly prove its value. Combining ingredients for all manner of meals is way easier with a stand mixer, and making homemade doughs, bread, and other baked goods is a  breeze, thanks to the dough hook attachment. From shredders to grinders, there are a variety of attachments you can buy to add even more functionality to your mixer, making this one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen.

A blender is a great addition to any home chef’s kitchen. You can use your blender to combine ingredients, create sauces, and whip up beverages like smoothies that rely on crushed or blended ice. Don’t have a ton of room in your kitchen for a full blender? Consider a handheld immersion blender. These handy devices aren’t ideal for making smoothies and other beverages, but they’re easily maneuvered and should fit into your deepest pots and pans, allowing you to combine ingredients while you cook.

Whether you’re preparing a meal for the whole family or you’re cooking something quick for yourself, you want to make sure whatever you’ve cooked is actually done. Without a thermometer, most of us resort to slicing into whatever it is we’re cooking, releasing juices and leaving your food dry and less-than-presentable. An instant-read thermometer enables you to know whether or not your meal is done or if it needs a bit more time in the oven without any of the hassles. It’s a smart addition for any home cook who would rather avoid food poisoning.

Love pasta and noodles – but don’t love all the carbs? If you’re on a mission to trim your waistline or are simply looking for another way to incorporate more vegetables into your family’s diet, a spiralizer can help! This little device shreds your favorite veggies, like zucchini, into spirals that resemble, well, noodles. Since it’s virtually impossible to achieve these results without a spiralizer, you’ll be glad you have one around!

By now, you’ve probably heard of the Instant Pot. This home pressure cooker is perfect for anyone short on counter space because it can do the work of several other kitchen gadgets. This device can cook rice, bake desserts, stew meats, saute veggies, and do just about anything else you can imagine – you simply program the device, add your ingredients, and walk away until it the cooking process is complete.