By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Stock Your Kitchen With These Must-Have Gadgets
Kitchen Essentials
Outfitting a kitchen with the basics and then supplementing with some clever gadgets can make cooking meals at home that much easier.
The global pandemic required people from all walks of life to reassess their priorities and make changes to their daily lives. One of the changes that emerged during the peak of social distancing was an increased interest in making meals at home.

 

While the simplest of recipes can be made without much equipment, for more complicated meals, it is likely worth investing in some high-quality cooking gadgets. The following are some items home chefs will want to add to their culinary arsenal.

 

 

Spiralizer set

 

A spiralizer is a device that can turn raw vegetables into ‘noodles’ that can be substituted for traditional pasta in many popular dishes. Sets will come with blades that can produce coils, ribbons or even shorter ‘juliennes’ for various dishes.

 

 

Cookie dough scoop

 

If you like to bake, then a cookie dough scoop is a worthwhile investment. This helps ensure uniform sizing for even cooking.

 

 

Pressure cooker

 

Interest in pressure cookers has risen exponentially thanks to the previous release of the Instant Pot. This device has even spurred an entire collection of recipes that are designed to be prepared in the cooker.

 

 

Electric breakfast sandwich maker

 

Create restaurant breakfast and/or deli sandwiches quickly with an electric breakfast sandwich maker. Bacon, egg and cheese is easily created, and some of these gadgets even have spaces for English muffins or bagels to cook all ingredients at once. Because it is electric, this device can be handy in dorm rooms.

 

 

Adjustable rolling pin

 

Rings on an adjustable rolling pin help guide the thickness, and measurement markings help bakers keep track of the diameter while rolling out favorite doughs.

 

 

Smart meat thermometer

 

A wireless food thermometer can track the internal temperature of meats and poultry as well as the air temperature of an oven or grill. Those readings connect to a smartphone app so one can monitor doneness from any room in the house.

 

 

Collapsible silicone colander

 

Straining the water out of pastas and other foods requires the use of a colander. Having a collapsible version enables a person to flatten and store the colander in a cabinet or drawer.

 

 

Mandoline

 

A mandoline is used to produce slices of many different foods at various thicknesses and textures. Create crinkle-cut fries or thin slices of eggplant for frying.

 

 

Food processor

 

Food processors come in a variety of styles, from free-standing units to ones that serve as blender attachments. Manual food choppers are often cranked by a handle or may have a push-down handle to engage the chopping action.

 

 

Air fryer

 

There are many incarnations of air fryers depending on the manufacturer. These gadgets work with convection (heated air) to simulate the crispiness of oil frying without all the oil.