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Throughout the years I have found a few kitchen tools that I can't live without that won't break the bank. I wanted to share these finds with you, as they make great gifts or great additions to your own kitchen!
This zester made by JOFUYU is used ALL THE TIME in my kitchen! I used to use a regular old cheese grater if I wanted to zest lemons, but the pieces came out too large and it cut too deep into the lemon. The holes on this zester are fine enough to create the perfect sized zest. Obviously I use this the most often for zesting lemons and other citrus, but I also use this for grating cheese, garlic, and nutmeg.
PRO TIP: If a recipe calls for room temperature butter but you forgot to take it out of the refrigerator, you can grate the butter to help it warm up faster!
It's also really easy to clean! I just pop it in the dishwasher and it's good as new. It also comes with a cover that easily pops on and off for safe storage. It lives in my little crock of spoons and spatulas on my countertop and it's great that the color goes with my decor! At $10.99, this is an awesome deal, especially since you'll use this often if you're an avid baker or cook.
These silicone baking mats are a true Godsend in the kitchen as I have saved a ton of money in parchment paper, aluminum foil, and cooking spray. Plus they prevent me from having to scrub my baking sheets when sugar or other food burn onto them in the oven. I bought a set of them (they come 2 to a pack for just under $15) about a year ago and I loved them so much, I bought another pack about a month later! They are easy to clean - if they aren't super dirty, I pop them in the dish washer, and if they need a little more elbow grease, 30 seconds under hot water with some dish soap and some swipes with the dish rag typically do the trick.
These mats are safe in the oven up to 480 degrees F and I've used them with a bunch of different recipes - from cookies and bread to salmon and peanut brittle - and they work like a charm every time. I have ruined many a cookie sheet from pies that have bubbled over in the oven and then the sugars caramelize and burn into the pan under the pie dish. After soaking and scrubbing, I have never been able to get all the caked on bits off. I used one of these silicone mats under a blueberry pie and I was instantly converted. The blueberry juice that spilled out in the oven peeled right off the mat once it cooled. They measure about 11x16 inches, so they fit most standard baking sheets.
I use the generic Amazon brand mats and have not had any issues with them after using them almost weekly for a year. There is a little discoloring on one of them, but I think that was from spraying additional cooking spray on top of the mat for one of my recipes (which ultimately I didn't need to do). However that mat still works fine and I use it the same as the others.
My Aunt and Uncle got me these bowl last Christmas and they are the BEST addition to a small kitchen and are freaking adorable! My current kitchen is lacking in the storage department and this is the smartest bowl set I have ever come across. They all fit snuggly inside each other with their lids so you don't have to search for the top of each bowl in another cabinet and the design is pretty enough that you can be proud to use them as serving bowls when entertaining! One surprising feature I didn't realize I would notice was the addition of a non-slip rubber ring on the bottom of these bowls. As Cole would tell you, I'm not the most graceful creature in the kitchen, so these bowls are difficult to knock over. Some reviews on Amazon state that the lids can be hard to put on, but we have yet to have a problem with the lids fitting.
I'm a huge fan of melamine and a lot of my serving platters and even my dining set is made of this material. Because these bowls are made of melamine they are incredibly light so I don't struggle taking them down from my highest shelf. However, remember they are also NOT microwave safe because of the material they are made out of, so don't go trying to heat up leftovers in them! Luckily, they can go in the top shelf of your dishwasher without a problem so clean up is a breeze. At just over $25, I think these bowls are a STEAL for the quality of the product!
OK, if you read the previous few paragraphs, you now understand that I have a little kitchen that doesn't have a ton of storage, so I've been forced to get creative. I ordered these storage containers because I wanted something clear but still eye appealing that can sit on my counter and hold a lot of my baking ingredients. They were a little pricier that what I originally intended to spend ($40), but after setting them up I can agree with the price. The containers come with labels and a chalkboard marker so you can clean off the labels with a damp cloth and re-label each container as your needs change! This has helped me keep big bags of flour and sugar and other ingredients that I use on a weekly basis from taking over precious cabinet space.
I also like how the containers are different sizes - the small ones are perfect for leftover chocolate chips or baking powder. They also sell larger containers that are awesome for cereal and potato chips. The lids are designed to have an airtight seal, but are easy open! The only downside I have for these is you can't aggressively wash the lids. Because of the way the seal is made, if any water gets inside of the lid, it's very difficult to get out. I'm glad I read the directions when I got the package or else I wouldn't have realized this. However, I have washed the lids with a soapy and damp dish cloth and haven't had a problem.
If you or someone you know is a huge bourbon drinker (*raises hand*) and uses regular ice cubes... why??? These trays made by SamuelWorld make the perfect sized ice cubes for rocks glasses. I used to have a different brand silicone tray that I got from Walmart a few years ago, but the ice cubes were a pain in the butt to get out and I rarely used it because I didn't want to fight with it anymore! I ordered these trays because the reviews said the ice was easy to get out and really that's all I cared about!
The edges are flexible enough to easily fold down to get the ice out, but still hold their shape so you don't spill everywhere when trying to refill the container with water and put it in the freezer. Each cube is about 2x2 inches, each tray makes 8 cubes and since you get 2 trays with your order, to me that justifies the $14 price tag - especially since we are big entertainers and go through ice quickly. These make the perfect upgrade to your cocktail game!
Let me know what tools you can't live without in your kitchen! I'm always looking for an excuse to try new things!
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