Gadgets You Didn’t Know You Need Under $20

A banana slicer and a pink butter dispenser shaped like a woman are just a few of the odd gadgets which lie neglected in my kitchen drawers. While they indeed work, it might surprise you to learn that the co-owner of a kitchen store with a 60-foot wall of gadgets doesn’t believe you need to own most of them. The general consensus among the team at Goods for Cooks is that the tool you choose should be useful for your particular lifestyle or interests and enhance your experience of cooking. Kitchen gadgets are indeed fun, but often lose their luster over time. Single-job tools are absolutely necessary in certain situations. However, real estate can be scarce, and budgets often need minding. We prefer tools and gadgets which provide a solid return on investment through ease of use, multi-tasking ability, or quality construction. Here are some of our favorites and all are available at store located in Bloomington.

THE STAINLESS-STEEL GARLIC ROCKER
by Joseph Joseph
 

Love your garlic press, but hate cleaning it? Stylish kitchenware company Joseph Joseph has solved your problem. Their ergonomic curved design allows you to simply apply even downward pressure atop a garlic clove and then rock side-to-side. Made of quality stainless-steel, it can handle weight and will not break or crack. Press your garlic once or several times for desired consistency. The rocker can be washed by hand or thrown into the dishwasher. This low-maintenance tool will last a lifetime.

TIP: Stainless steel is known to remove garlic and onion smells from your hands, you could buy a special steel soap-shaped bar, use a spoon or simply run your hands over the ends of this tool.

Price $19.99

PREMIUM CLASSIC ZESTER AND CHEESE GRATER
by Microplane
 

If it is not broken, well, let’s not mess with it. Based on a woodworking rasp, this classic grater by Microplane truly is a workhorse in your kitchen making quick work of zesting without the pith, plus it grates ginger, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, hard chocolate and cheese. It’s slim profile and blade cover make it easy to store in a crock or drawer. We can’t remember ever having to take one of these back at our shop which is telling and feel you get a lot of bang for your buck!

Price $16.99.

SILICONE TIPPED TONGS
by OXO Good Grips
 

If you don’t have a set of tongs, we can’t recommend them enough. This tool is the definition of multi-purpose and they see the light of day in our kitchen, every single day. Use them to toss roasted vegetables, serve salads, for precision in reaching, adjusting food in pans on a back burner, removing items from boiling water and reaching the sock that fell behind the dryer. . . you get the idea. OXO’s no-slip handles provide stability and the silicone tips handle high-heat while protecting your pans from scratching. We fight over these when cooking dinner, so we happen to have second pair in our kitchen.

Pick up the 12” length for $16.99, varying lengths and tip styles also available.

THE ORIGINAL SWISS PEELER
by Kuhn Rikon
 

You know a tool is great when your local line and prep cooks come in over and over again asking for more of them. Kuhn Rikon’s Swiss Peeler is a favorite of professionals and best of all? The carbon-steel -blades stay incredibly sharp, and its shorter ergonomic handle allows for both right and left-handed control.

It comes in 8 colors that are easy to spot in your drawer or in a commercial kitchen and at $4.99, what’s not to love? As apple season is here customers snatch these up 3 and 4 at a time.

HONORABLE MENTION: PIG TAIL FLIPPER
by Jaccard
 

This one is a bit out of the box but hear us out. Jaccard’s Original Pig Tail Flipper is a truly handy tool. It’s extremely sharp curved tip and ample length allows for efficient flipping. A favorite among grill masters, the fine point easily grabs meat from even the furthest reaches of the grill and flips without damaging the meat or squeezing out juices. Once you get a hang of it, you’ll be flipping bacon, roasts, even pancakes. Fans report the Pig Tail easily moves from BBQ focused into a multi-use tool in no-time. Coming in at $19.99 it makes a nice weapon (kidding, not kidding – be careful) or an ideal gift for BBQ enthusiasts and cooks who seem to have everything.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, when customers ask for a tool to do this or that job well, in my head, 99% of the time, I’m answering “a knife.” A good knife is essential, and why I finally found the courage to get rid of my banana slicer. In all seriousness when picking from the sea of tools and gadgets on the market, look for multi-purpose items with good construction made of materials that will hold up to heat and long-term use, such as wood, stainless steel, and silicone. Over the years, you’ll discover these materials patina well and will be reached for over and over.

All of these items and thousands more are available at:

GOODS FOR COOKS
115 N. College Ave.
Bloomington.
Visit them at GoodsforCooks.com

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