Top 10 kitchen gadgets

Instant Pot

I could write a novel about how much I love my instant pot (and love is not too strong word, you can read all about it here). It’s safe to say this is my favourite item in my kitchen and I couldn’t be without it.

From cooking chilli that tastes like it’s been cooking for hours, when actually it’s been about 45 minutes from start to finish to cooking frozen chicken breast on mass for Jez’s meal prep it’s so useful. I can put it on in the morning and the keep warm function means that dinner will be ready when I walk through the door, or if I have a sudden craving for pulled pork I can pick up a pork shoulder joint on the way home and still have it delicious, melt in mouth shredded yumminess ready for dinner that night in no time at all.

Krups Burr Coffee Grinder

My fiance and I drink far more coffee than we probably should, but hey you’ve got to enjoy life right? Our coffee addiction isn’t so much about the caffeine hit but the ritual of it, it’s just one of our little things, cuddling a warm cup and chatting for hours. I’m not a coffee snob, instant or fresh I really don’t mind but having our coffee machine meant we were getting through quite a bit of ground coffee which gets expensive, instead with this burr coffee grinder I can buy big bags of beans without having to worry about them going stale and wasting anything. You can choose how many cups you grind at a time as well as changing the coarseness of the grind which I believe is important according to the method you’re using for making coffee i.e. filter machine vs French press.

Morphy Richards Filter Coffee Machine

I had a fancy espresso type machine thingy before, whilst I loved the idea of making all kinds of drinks with its milk frother attachment, in reality I maybe used it three times as it was just too much of a hassle to use and keep clean. We probably use our filter coffee machine every day, the most useful feature being the timer, I regularly set the coffee in the morning before I leave for the gym so that Jez can walk into a freshly brewed pot after his morning PT clients. It’s also particularly useful if you struggle to get up in the morning, just set it the night before and you’ll wake up to the most gorgeous smell filling your home.

Folding Grater

I find box graters much easier to use however I’m not a fan of the space they take up in the kitchen. I found my folding grater in a shop called Butlers which has sadly now closed (I think they can still be found in Germany) but there are a few similar versions you can find online including one made by Oxo (I promise they haven’t sponsored this post, I just really like some of their products!).

Oxo good grips dual salt and pepper mill

Nice, sleek space-saving design - this salt and pepper grinder has been going strong for a few years now. It’s really easy to refill, simply pop the off the top and use the handy spouts to guide the peppercorns/salt in. It has super handy windows on the side to help you see if it needs re-filling as well as stopping you from overfilling and ending up with peppercorns overflowing and bouncing all over your kitchen! You can also adjust the coarseness of the grind (though I never have) by turning the little dials underneath. My only change to this would be to add a something for it to stand in to catch any salt/pepper residue but it’s a minor complaint!

Nutribullet

We mostly use our NutriBullet to make protein shakes (bye-bye lumps!) it takes up less countertop space than a traditional blender, I’ve also used it to whip up pancake mix, various smoothies and that old school classic desert angel delight (if you haven’t had this in a while I recommend you rediscover it). There’s a separate blade for grinding things such as nuts or for making your own flours such as oat flour which seems really overpriced in shops. The noise it makes is pretty aggressive, however you don’t usually have it switched on very long so isn’t that bad.

Oxo Good Grips can opener

After having three can openers that broke in short succession, I finally discovered this one. It’s been going strong for least a couple of years now and I like the way it locks onto the top of the can making it easier to open. I imagine the design would also be a benefit if you have any grip issues, in my case it means you can act fast when your pug puppy is taking the opportunity to be naughty whilst you’re busy cooking without making a mess dropping utensils etc.

Joseph Joseph nesting bowls

Originally had the colourful version but switched it for the stainless steel set from the Joseph Joseph 100 range. It saves space and I use at least one of items in the set everyday. The measuring cups click neatly (and I must say rather satisfyingly) together, freeing up space they might otherwise occupy in a kitchen drawer. The two sizes of mixing bowls are enough for most prep jobs, the smaller one includes a pouring spout which is great when whisking up dressings and sauces. Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Masher

I don't have mashed potato often so find it annoying that such a infrequently used kitchen utensil takes up so much space in the drawer. When I found this folding masher it was the answer to my prayers (I have weird prayers, I know). Really easy to use and folds flat for storage, just make sure to wash it up as soon as you've used it as it can be a bit of a pain to clean all the little holes once the potato/veg has dried on.

Silicone Oven Gloves

A lot of my kitchen utensils are silicone as they are so much easier to clean so when I found these silicone oven gloves I knew I had to switch. When taking things out of the oven you inevitably can have the odd spill so with these you can just run them under a tap rather than having to throw them in the washing machine. They are little on the big side so if you have small hands they take some getting used to however I like that they are glove rather than mitts as I find they give a bit more flexibility.