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Kitchen gadgets don’t have to burn your budget.
Nowadays, four out of five meals that Americans eat are prepared at home — and that’s up from just 10 years ago, according to research firm NPD Group. That means we’re likely chopping, measuring, slicing, dicing, scooping, storing and freezing things more than we have in years.
At the same time, we’re facing a pile of debt — student and auto loan and credit card debt all hit record highs as of the end of 2018, according to Experian — and probably don’t want to spend a ton to make cooking simpler.
So with all that in mind, MarketWatch scoured Amazon to find useful kitchen gadgets that were about $5 or less. Here’s what we uncovered.
Stainless steel onion holder to slice easier, roughly $4.50
One verified customer notes that while it certainly made her husband and grandson roll their eyes, she loves it: “I can slice nice, uniform slices of onions, potatoes, you name it now and no fingers get nicked.”
Simple cake slicer and server for less mess, roughly $5
This handy item allows you to cut each piece uniformly — “no more kids complaining that someone got a bigger piece,” the description reads — holds the pie together as you slide onto the plate so you don’t have to get your fingers in the cake. But one reviewer did note that it doesn’t work for tall cakes.
Angled measuring cup, so you can easily read measurements from above, roughly $5
This measuring cup is likely an upgrade from the ones you have, as it has garnered more than 1,900 reviews and gets 4.7 stars, and allows you to more easily see how full you’ve filled it.
Easy egg timer to make perfectly cooked eggs, roughly $4.50
This product helps you make an egg just as you like it — as the egg cooks, its face changes color to indicate soft, medium, hard — and has garnered more than 1,100 reviews on Amazon, though of course you can just time it yourself.
Stainless steel apple corer to core an apple in seconds, roughly $2.50
Apple corers make removing the core simple — and this particular one has gotten 4.8 stars from its 55 reviewers — but there are plenty of other options, some with more bells and whistles.
18-cup cereal storage to preserve freshness longer, roughly $5
Tired of cereal or other dry goods going stale fast? This storage container from Rubbermaid has garnered more than 600 reviews and gets 4.5 stars.
Stainless steel herb scissors, to snip herbs and veggies easily, about $5
You can more easily cut up herbs and veggies with herb scissors and these only cost about $5. But spend a little more and you may get a better pair; your options are here.)
Stainless steel set of measuring spoons, roughly $5
Sure, you probably have some of these already, but if it’s anything like my house, they’re often dirty and sometimes lost. This is just one option for about $5, but you can upgrade on this a bit with options like these.
Stainless steel peeler to easily shred veggies and fruits, roughly $5
This simple little peeler gets 4.7 stars from nearly 200 reviewers. The company recommends using it for making papaya salad, but it can be used on a variety of veggies.
Pineapple shaped ice cube tray, roughly $4
Okay so this one isn’t the most practical of items, but with summer coming, it sure is cute — and it’s hard to beat that low price.
