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If you're the head chef of your household, you've probably found your way to some hacks to make your life easier. That's how I feel about the gadgets on this list -- in theory, none are groundbreaking inventions. Still, all of them have made a measurable difference in the way I cook (and, nearly equal in importance, how easy it is to clean up afterward).
And these little kitchen odds and ends won't break the bank -- all are under $20. Here are my favorite cheap kitchen gadgets, from one home chef (who detests hand-washing dishes) to another.
Also: 5 smart home gadgets I actually recommend, after years of testing
My 6 favorite cheap kitchen gadgets
We make a lot of pasta (and boxed mac and cheese) in my house, and between the large pasta pot, the sauce pot, and the big round colander, the sink fills up very quickly. Enter this clip-on silicone pasta strainer: You simply clip it onto your pot once the pasta is done (I've found it fits both smaller and larger pots), strain, and then throw it on the top shelf of your dishwasher. It takes up very little room, and you don't have to scrub the colander. It's been a game-changer in my kitchen.
I've sung the Fluicer's praises before, and I'll do it again: This juicer truly gets every drop out of a lemon or lime, and catches the seeds, with far less effort than a traditional clamshell juicer. It also lies flat in your kitchen drawer. If you're someone who regularly juices citrus, trust me, you need one (you can also find a lime- or orange-sized option, but I've found the lemon size works for lemons and limes).
These handy little stoppers are worth throwing in your cart if you're a wine drinker. They are leakproof and keep your opened bottles fresher for longer -- and you can store them on their side without worrying about spills (which I have done, and can confirm in my experience works). They're also much easier to pop on than trying to fit the cork back in. Plus, you can get them in different colors.
I thought everyone knew about these avocado slicers, until a friend came over and was gleefully surprised to see ours. It's a simple, one-use gadget, but it's effective: Slice the avocado with the knife end, pull out the pit with the grippers, and slice it up with the other end. It's small enough to easily keep in your drawer and super useful to have when you need it instead of fiddling with different knives and spoons.
These highly rated, all-purpose kitchen shears are extremely useful to have on hand. I've used them to cut everything from herbs to meat to pizza for my kids (way easier than using a fork and knife), as well as to slice open packages of food and anything else you need in the kitchen. You can just throw them in the dishwasher afterward. I've had mine for about four years now, and they still work great.
If your Tupperware drawer or cabinet looks anything like mine used to, it's a cluttered mess of mismatched lids and bowls that get thrown in haphazardly enough that it's considered a success when they don't spill out onto the floor upon opening the door again. Then I found this little organizer, which has finally made me keep things tidier and easier to find. It's a very simple way to keep your lids together, making it easier to sort and find the one you need. You can also adjust the dividers to whatever size you need.
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