5 Kitchen Gadgets That Are Well Worth Having

1. KitchenAid

This one is one of my oldest, and yet my favorite and best kitchen gadgets. I have had it for over twenty years, and I have used it a lot, and it is still going strong.

The thing I really like about the KitchenAid is it is a stand mixer. You can turn it on and allow it to do its work while you go and get other ingredients or do something else in the kitchen. It is great for kneading bread, mixing up any kind of baked goods or making butter.

One of the great things about having a KitchenAid is that you can have all of these extra attachments that allow the KitchenAid to take the place of a multitude of different kitchen gadgets or kitchen appliances, which does wonders for a minimalist kitchen.

For example, I have an attachment that will slice or grate different foods, such as cheese or vegetables. It is so easy to use and makes for a simple cleanup.

2. Progressive chopper

If you like homemade French fries, potato fries or vegetable trays, this is truly a game changer. It does take up a bit of space, but it is so worth it.

All you have to do is put your potato into the grate on the top, take the lid and press it down. In just one movement, you have turned a whole potato into a bunch of little French fries.

I normally just spread these on a pan, toss them with some olive oil and some salt, or sometimes rosemary or Italian seasoning, and bake it in the oven at 425 F for about 20 minutes.

And then I have a pan full of fresh oven-baked French fries!

It was zero trouble to chop all of them up, and this is easily cleaned in the dishwasher. Definitely check out the progressive potato chopper, it definitely goes on my kitchen essentials list.

3. Keurig coffee maker

I love coffee and one of the very first things that I do every morning is go and get me a cup of coffee.

This coffee maker allows you to brew a whole pot of coffee if you need a larger amount, but if you do not need so much, you can also use a K cup or make your own individual K-cups in the little reusable filters. A regular K-cup comes out as a really good cup of coffee, and it makes a great pot of coffee, as well.

This has been our go-to coffee pot for several years now, and it has stood the test of time. It is definitely good quality, so if coffee is as important to you as it is to me, consider investing in a Keurig coffee machine.

4. Dutch oven

I use my Tramontina Dutch oven so often. It is a great size, and even though it is not a high-end brand of Dutch ovens, it is still really well made and I feel like it could not really be any better in the way that it works and cooks the food. I like to make my sourdough bread, soups and roasts in it.

Whether you get this brand or any other brand out of the huge diversity that you can find on Amazon, I do highly recommend that you set aside a little bit of money to purchase a good Dutch oven. It costs around $40, and you will most certainly get your money's worth.

5. Iron skillets

As someone who has invested time into decluttering and tried to get rid of a lot of extras in the kitchen, iron skillets were something that I really struggled with, since I have too many and I did not want to let go of any.

Those are the only things that I cook with when I need a pan, and sometimes they will even take the place of a pot. Most of the time, I am either cooking in my Dutch oven or in one of my skillets.

I have a couple of stainless steel pots but I do not love them, and I really do enjoy cooking with these cast iron skillets. I have a lot of different sizes and one of the great things about iron skillets is the versatility and the many different options.

As a new mom, I used to struggle to understand how to use cast iron skillets without making a mess. However, after years and years of experience and learning I have discovered that using cast iron is not hard as long as you keep in mind a couple rules.

First, use some cooking oil. I like coconut oil or olive oil, but you can choose whichever. Those two are pretty high heat oils, so things do not start smoking.

Second, let the oil heat up before adding your food. As soon as it has, you can go ahead and put your food in without worrying that it is going to stick and make a big mess.

Third, do not use detergent cleaners on your skillets. It is not good for the finish and it removes the non-stick coating that you are building up as you use the skillet, so try to just clean it out with hot water and a rag, and then dry it off with a towel or on the eye of a stove.

Kitchen gadgets

These are my all-time favorite gadgets that make my cooking so much easier. What are yours? Also, which of these do you not have but would love? Let me know in the comments!