My Favorite Gadgets for Kitchen Efficiency

I don't know about you, but I have a small kitchen. Not only is it small, it's shared with my mother-in-law. More often than not we are cooking two entirely different dinners; bumping into one another and twirling around so much it looks like a bad version of the hokey-pokey.

Over the years we've managed to become efficient in the kitchen together by making use of every last bit of counter-space, and adding an arsenal of gadgets to our cooking endeavors. I frequently browse through catalogs to try and find something that will give us a bit more room, or cut down on time.

So here (in no particular order) are my absolute favoritest-ever kitchen gadgets that I think are must-haves for any kitchen.

(Please note that although I decided to write this post on my own, I did choose to use affiliate links in it to display the products. That means that I may earn a small commission if you buy something through one of the links listed here. For more info, please see my disclosure policy at the top!)

Anyhow. On to my super-awesome list!

• Spice Dispenser - This one from KitchenArt is great if you consistently use the same spices, don't have a lot of pantry space, and have a cupboard that you can attach it to the bottom of. No more knocking over bottles to search for your garlic powder, and no more digging around for your measuring spoons (it auto-measures in 1/4 tsp increments!). And if you really have more than 12 spices that you want to put in it, guess what? You can buy another to attach to it. Plus, it spins. I love it.

• Slow Cooker - Also called a 'crock pot', these handy dandy things can make an entire meal while you're off doing something far-more-important than sweating in a kitchen. At the end of the night, the only dishes that need washed are the ones you ate off of and the pot the food was cooked in. (If only the slow cooker would wash itself too...) There are a lot of great brands out there, I suggest grabbing one that is at least 6 quarts since that is about the size you need to make a full pot-roast for a family of 4-6.

• Whatever-this-thing-is - I guess it's called a pot spoon holder? I don't know, but I love mine. You attach it to the side of the pot and voilà! - instant spoon holder. Gone are the crusty little marks on your counter top from repeatedly setting a spoon down after stirring. (And if you're like me and constantly forget if the spoon on the counter is clean or dirty, you will no longer have to get a new spoon each time you have to stir the pot!)

• Deep Fryer - Yeah, yeah... I guess this doesn't fall under the category of things you absolutely-must-have in a small kitchen, but I'm in love with mine. When my mother-in-law is cooking, she tends to take up the entire stove-top - so if I'm making fried fish for dinner, I'm sorta out-of-luck. Since we bought a deep-fryer though I've been able to whip it out whenever we're short on space. It's also super-handy for mozzarella sticks that taste restaurant good, although I should warn you all that ONE PIECE is a serving size. (I totally learned that the hard way.) My one regret with the deep-fryer? We should have bought the one with the double basket.

• Reusable Squeezy Bottle - Far be it from me to tell you to dig through your trash and reuse an old ketchup bottle instead of buying something fancy from the store... but seriously, keep your next jumbo ketchup bottle & use it in your kitchen. And just what might you use it for? Only the most awesome pancake-batter-maker ever of course! Dry mix & liquid goes in, shake the bottle, squeeze the batter out into perfect little circles. So easy.

• Herb Scissors - I feel like there should be a little vocal intro and a spotlight and perhaps applause whenever I see these scissors. I mean, whoever thought up the idea of using scissors instead of a knife to chop herbs, I had to tip my hat to them because that little trick saves me a lot of time... but special scissors for the herbs?! Whoever was behind these really went above & beyond the call of kitchen-duty. I'm still both amazed that someone came up with it and surprised that it wasn't thought of sooner, yet ever-so-grateful.

• Angled Measuring Cup - If you don't know what an angled measuring cup is, it basically allows you to measure liquids like a normal human being. You know. Standing up. Not bent over the counter with your head practically in the sink while you try to hold the container still just so you can figure out how much fluid you've got in there. The marks are viewable from the top, which means you save time and don't have to twist yourself like a bendy straw. I've had mine for about 8 years now and I'm pretty sure that I'd freak out if it went missing.

So there you have it. These are the things that make my life easier. Do you have any kitchen-must-haves or a favorite go-to recipe when you're trying to get things done fast? Share with me in the comments below, I love hearing from my readers!

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Disclosure: I received no compensation to write this post and, as always, my opinions are purely my own.

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