5 Kitchen Gadgets You Didn’t Know You Needed

I have every single kitchen appliance and gadget, and I’ve found that some of the ones you wouldn’t think to get are the ones that make all the difference in the world. Here are my top five that I simply can’t live without right now – and you won’t be able to either once you know about them!

Epicureanist Aerating Funnel Set
Forget your regular aerator. This aerator with a sediment filter is the best thing to happen to wine. You want wine to be exposed to as much air and surface area as possible. For this reason, a sommelier will pour into a tilted decanter, so that the wine runs along the interior wall. This aerator does one better with small spouts that create a wonderful fountain of wine that runs along the entire interior surface of the decanter. It also has a filter at the top to catch sediment and broken cork. On Amazon for $19.95.

Why you can’t live without it now: You’ll impress your guests and drink better-tasting wine. Why go back to the alternative?

ThawTHAT! II
Through scientific molecular something of anodized extruded aluminum (huh??), the ThawTHAT! II will defrost a totally frozen steak in 18 minutes without electricity or microwaving. And fish fillet takes even less time! The product causes the item resting on the plate to defrost without any loss of nutrients, and its process is four times faster than if you leave the food out in room temperature on its own (for reference, the ThawTHAT! works best for steak or fish, rather than chicken). Choose thinner meats for the quickest results. If you want to understand the science, this warming is possible with the use of a bio-safe thermo reservoir that actively draws cold away. You don’t plug it in at all. So the next time you need dinner in a hurry, by the time you get that salad made, your ribeye or salmon fillet will be perfectly defrosted and ready to go onto the grill. On THAT! for $59.95.

Why you can’t live without it now: Instead of serving mac and cheese again out of desperation, you’ll always have dinner defrosted and prepared from now on.

Rachael Ray Cucina 2-Piece Lazy Tools Set
Yes, we all leave the ladle to rest on the counter next to the stove, but once you use this, you’ll not be able to go back. Instead of causing the usual mess, this ladle and spoon set rests on the lip of your pot for quick access and drip-free cooking. This is especially handy when whipping up pasta sauce, which requires extra stirring and provides extra messiness. The silicone is resistant to heat of up to 500 degrees, so there’s no worry about the tools melting. Plus, they come in fun, bright colors! On Amazon for $15.56.

Why you can’t live without it now: Resting your ladle on your counter just feels so archaic and sloppy.

Water Week Water Bottles
I bought this set because of the cute designs. What I didn’t realize was that it would cause such a big change to my everyday habits. It’s hot, I’m thirsty, I’m late, and I’m running out of the house. Instead of grabbing bottled water out of convenience, I grab one of these out of my fridge. I’ve made a habit of refilling each one after use, but because there are five, there would always be one handy anyway. Now my water drinking is done with these, and I’ve stopped buying bottled water altogether. Road trips, hanging by the pool, the kids’ soccer practice, everyday and everywhere, it’s all about these bottles. The pretty patterns help, the handy fridge tray helps, the fact that there are five bottles helps…the way we drink is so easy to change with just the right mix of conveniences. At Crate & Barrel for $15.95.

Why you can’t live without it now: You’ll never buy bottled water again, and you can take credit for helping to save the Earth! For more info on the effects of bottled water manufacturing on the environment, check out this video.

Nut Milk Bag
Did you know that making your own almond milk is super easy, and all you need is a nut bag? Go ahead and snicker! I already made all of the nut bag jokes with my sister and husband. If your kitchen is missing one of these, get on it and stop paying for inferior, expensive nut milk that’s chock-full of preservatives. Once you taste true, all-natural, unadulterated, homemade almond milk, you’ll be wondering what that other thing you were drinking really is.

The bag comes with instructions, but basically it goes like this: Soak nuts overnight, pour out that water, add fresh water, blend (Vitamix works best, but any blender will do – put it on high speed), and strain in the nut bag. Voilà! On Amazon for $8.99.

Why you can’t live without it now: You’ll feel like Martha Stewart, and all it takes is 10 minutes of prep time.

If you’re looking for a flour mill to add to your kitchen appliance collection, Millpower is India’s best atta chakki manufacturers.