10 Small Kitchen Tools We Couldn’t Live Without in 2017
We like saving money (read: not spending it!) as much as the rest of you. So if we’re gonna spend it on something, it really has to be worthwhile. That’s why we get so excited about awesome products that work great and make our lives easier. With that in mind, here are 10 of the best kitchen finds we wrote about in 2017 — from a revolutionary ice tray to a uni-tasking gadget — which really deserve a second look.
1. Zojirushi Stainless Mug, $23
It’s not the sexiest travel mug out there, although the gold option is totally adorable and on-trend, but what’s most important is that it works — way better than other travel mugs out there. It keeps hot things hot for about six hours and cold things cold for about the same. And it has a safety lock you can actually trust.
Read more:
The One Travel Mug That Actually Works
2. OXO No-Spill Ice Cube Tray, $10 at Crate & Barrel
This white ice cube tray is bendy enough to make it easy to get the ice out, but you don’t have to worry about it breaking. It makes perfectly sized ice cubes. And it has one super-cool feature that other ice trays don’t: a silicone lid.
Read why the lid is so great: This Cool Ice Cube Tray Is the Best of All Time
3. Lékué Citrus Sprayer, $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond
Here’s how this works: You slice off the tippy top of a lemon (or other citrus) and then you twist the gadget into the pulp. Give the sprayer a few pumps and you get a stream of citrus juice spritzes! It basically turns a lemon into a spray bottle. And it really works! The juicier the lemon, the more sprays you get, obviously. Use it to dress a salad or keep cut fruit from browning.
Unlike other canister sets, which are really just compilations of canisters in various sizes, each BPA-free plastic container in this set was actually designed for a specific job — and there are special tools or features to prove it.
See how they work: These Are the Dry-Goods Canisters Our Editor Swears By
5. Brother P-Touch Label Maker, $25
If you’re only using your label maker in the office, you’re using it wrong. There are a bunch of places in your kitchen just begging for a label.
Start organizing: 10 Surprising Ways to Use a Label Maker in the Kitchen
This little device doesn’t look like much at first glance, but it’s the answer to any and all of your avocado problems.
7. Wooden Grill Scraper, $15 at Pampered Chef
This wooden scraper from Pampered Chef is made of one solid piece of oak and the beveled edge develops grooves over time, as the hot grates burn their way into the paddle. It essentially becomes a custom grill scraper made just for your grates.
Read more: My Favorite New Tool for Cleaning the Grill
8. GIR Spatula, $13
We love this spatula so much, we wrote about it in February and suggested it again this month as a holiday stocking stuffer.
Learn why it’s so great:
Baking with Chocolate? You’ll Need One of These.
9. OddleTips, $10 for 10
Even if you plan on only decorating a single cookie with little ones in the next year, you still need this icing bag and tip set. Heck, you need it even if you’re decorating a single cookie without kids.
10. BLANDA BLANK Bowl, $2 on IKEA
“I have the BLANDA BLANK bowls in a few sizes, but the smaller ones I use for mise bowls,” explains Ariel Knutson, our News & Culture Editor. “I use them every single time I cook; they are easy to clean and they look pretty decent. In fact, recently when I was cooking with a friend at my apartment, she asked me where I got the bowls: They’re so nice! she exclaimed. Needless to say, she was pretty shocked to learn they were an IKEA product.”
What little tool or gadget did you buy this year and instantly become obsessed with?