In the hopes of streamlining my life in the kitchen, I tried out an array of gimmick tools that are said to be a massive help while cooking.
Gimmick kitchen equipment has been around for decades, with some being lifesavers and others being complete wastes of money. Still, a lot of these devices would be incredibly useful for people with different physical capabilities.
Push whisk
As arguably the easiest contraption to use on the list, the push whisk was a quick fix to the age-old problem of whisking. Anyone who has made a cake, or even scrambled eggs, will know that constant whisky inevitably leaves you with one very dead arm.
To use the push whisk, you need to, you guessed it, push it. By pushing down on the handheld device, the whisk spins at impressive speeds and whips up your food in practically no time.
A particular favorite use of mine is for whipping up a perfect Starbucks-quality iced coffee.
Box cutter
Box cutters were all the rage on TikTok and Instagram in 2023, with countless brands releasing their own at various price points. Typically, they come with several blade sizes to cut everything from potatoes to onions, cucumber to cabbage.
If you are not the fastest chopper in the world, then the box cutter is the perfect kitchen companion.
Just be careful as the blades are very sharp. You might be screaming that this is common sense, but I knew this going in and still managed to cut myself.
Avocado slicer
While cutting an avocado for the first time can be a little daunting, largely due to the massive stone on the inside, every subsequent avo gets easier and easier to handle.
The blade is used to cut the skin and then the circular feature in the center of the device is used to de-stone the avocado. From here, use the lined scoop to slice and section the fruit.
Though useful, with minimal other applications, the avocado slicer just wouldn’t get the usage you’d be hoping for. Instead, it will gather dust next to your toastie machine, popcorn maker, and fondu fountain.
Garlic peeling tube
Garlic lovers will know that peeling clove after clove can be a dreaded task. It’s fiddly and annoying, and the skin goes everywhere!
Though simple, this silicon tube is utterly genius. All you need to do is throw a clove or two inside and roll it back and forward against a flat surface.
Bag clips
At some point, we’ve all picked a bag out of the freezer only to be greeted with a waterfall of frozen vegetables pouring into the draw. Handy bag clips make this an issue of the past.
Though you can undoubtedly reap the same benefits using an elastic band, I purchased some adjustable clips and have never looked back. They help to keep my cupboards clean and tidy, and are also a preventative measure against late-night snacking!
Egg slicer
Much like its avocado counterpart, the egg slicer is the definition of a one-trick pony. Sure, hard-boiled eggs can be mildly annoying at times, but does it really warrant its own device?
Once boiled, place the peeled egg onto the platform and then pull down the wires to slice it perfectly. It might not be massively useful, but it does give you some pretty Instagram-worthy eggs.
Multi Scissor
It might look like a Hunger Games-style weapon, but the multi-scissors could be useful depending on your everyday cooking habits. If you tend to lean for the scissors, then this handy upgrade could slice your cutting time in half due to its multiple blades.
Personally, I found these especially useful when cutting herbs, spinach, leafy greens, and even bacon. It’s arguably one of the better gimmick kitchen tools.
