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1st Lake Blog

Time-Saving Kitchen Tools and Appliances

Whether you’re cooking for a large group or just for yourself, saving time in the kitchen is a wonderful thing. It means more time spent with family and loved ones, more time for productivity, or maybe just more time for relaxing by the pool. And as the old saying goes, “time is money.” 

So we’ve put together a small list of cooking tools that will make your life easier, both inside and outside of the kitchen. 

Breakfast Sandwich Maker

Let’s start with waking up. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not treat yourself to a gadget that will help you eat a nourishing meal without missing a beat. Breakfast sandwich makers allow you to prepare a fresh breakfast — complete with eggs, your choice of meat, and other ingredients of your choice — that you can simply grab and go on your way out of the house. 

Garlic Peeler

These are small tools that will constantly come in handy. Place the garlic in its tube, roll, and suddenly you’ll have peeled garlic.

Sharp, High-Quality Chef’s Knife

This is an essential tool for any kitchen. A sharp knife will allow you to slice and dice produce quickly, saving you lots of time while preparing your meal. Make sure you know how to keep your knife sharp.

Immersion Blender

Immersion blenders are incredibly useful for quickly making smoothies, pureed soups, and sauces without leaving a mess behind. Check out this tutorial to learn more about why an immersion blender is such a useful kitchen appliance.

Colanders

A colander is a perforated bowl used for straining liquids from food. Using a colander is the fastest way to drain pasta, and they’re also a great container for washing vegetables.

Whisks

Having a large variety of whisks will allow you to specialize and expedite your whisking duties. For example, Bon Appetite suggests using large whisks for foods in large pots, medium whisks for soups and sauces, and small whisks for salad dressings.

High-Quality Vegetable Peeler

A sharp, resilient vegetable peeler will save you immeasurable amounts of time preparing any meal that calls for vegetables, and its ability to evenly remove vegetables’ outer skin will improve your presentation as well.

Heat Resistant Rubber/Silicone Spatula

Heat resistant spatulas are wonderful for mixing, stirring, and scraping pans. They are also great for quickly and evenly spreading condiments on bread, which makes for a lovely sandwich.

Scooping Measuring Cups

Measuring cups with handles attached allow you to quickly scoop ingredients like sugar and place them directly into whatever you are cooking with. Make sure you purchase a variety of cups for large and smaller measurements.

Jar Opener

Trying to open a jar that won’t budge is one of the most frustrating problems that occur in the kitchen, and even if it doesn’t affect your meal, it can certainly derail your good mood. Grab one in the kitchen aisle the next time you’re at the supermarket, and save yourself all that trouble once and for all.

If you’d like a list of even more tools, check out the official website of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Foodal, and Cooking Light. Now that you know how to save time in the kitchen, enjoy the summer with all the time you have left over!