Best kitchen gadgets: Save time and transform your cooking with these handy tools

Featuring some of our favourite tried-and-tested tools, here you’ll find all the best kitchen gadgets and small appliances from across all of our kitchen-related guides, as well as an ever-increasing number of not-to-be-missed items. We’ve tried, tested and chosen kitchen gadgets that are designed to make your life just a little bit easier in the , no matter your skillset or budget.

We think every single product here is an indispensable bit of kitchen equipment, regardless of whether it’s a high-tech appliance or a simple, time-saving tool that costs less than a tenner. So, whether you’re looking for the perfect way to make grease-free gravy, whip up a delicious soup, or perfectly measure the temperature of your food, you’ll find a unique selection of our recommended kitchen gadgets right here.

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The best kitchen gadgets to buy in 2023

1. Microplane Grater: Best fine kitchen grater

Price: £23 | Buy now from AmazonAvailable in fine, coarse and extra-coarse versions, Microplane graters are sharper than any other. This makes them a breeze to use, and they seem to last forever – even if you do regularly wash them in the dishwasher. The fine one is perfect for zesting citrus fruit or finely grating Parmesan, chocolate, spices, garlic and ginger. We prefer the coarse one for carrots, onions, apples and cheese.

They are comfy to hold and a joy to use, making them an absolute must for anyone who loves to cook. Each one comes with its own protective plastic cover so nobody cuts their knuckles by accident when opening the drawer.

Key specs – Material: Rubber and stainless steel; Size (WH): 7.5 x 31.5cm (including handle); Dishwasher safe: Yes (plastic sleeve hand wash)

2. Joseph Joseph Rocker Garlic Crusher: Best mess-free garlic crusher

Price: £12 | Buy now from AmazonStandard garlic presses have one major drawback. Once you’ve used them, you always need to fish the remnants of the clove out of the chamber, and it’s hard not to end up with garlic under your fingernails.

With the rockable garlic crusher from Joseph Joseph, however, the crushed fibres are left on the chopping board. No mess, no whiff of garlic on your fingers. The only disadvantage is that you’ll need to peel the garlic clove before using this crusher.

We’ve also seen some reports of the handle snapping, but ours is still going strong after several months of use.

3. Joseph Joseph Tri Scale: Best kitchen scales

Price: £34 | Buy now from AmazonThe Tri Scale will appeal to those who are serious about measuring ingredients with an accurate and reliable bit of kit that will handily store away into a kitchen drawer afterwards. Folding away into a minuscule version of its unfolded self, it has a remarkably small footprint, yet is refreshingly free from compromises. Durability is beyond reproach, the touch-sensitive buttons are responsive, the screen easy to read – and it couldn’t be simpler to use.

One CR2 battery is required for these scales but handily, one is included when you buy them. We genuinely love the look and feel of these scales and think they’re a sensible and stylish addition to your kitchen arsenal.

Key specs – Screen type: LCD; Size (WDH): 21.3 x 12.2 x 21.3cm; Material: Plastic; Measurements: gm, lbs, oz, fl oz and mls

4. Mountain Grillers Bear Claws: Best meat shredders

Price: £9 | Buy now from AmazonWhen cooking certain kinds of fatty and gamey meats, it can be a challenge to tear through them in a quick and satisfactory fashion. Many knives are unable to strip flesh from bone efficiently, especially if they’re in need of a sharpen. These meat shredding claws are ergonomically designed to make ripping open stubborn steak, tough turkey and fattier foods easier. What’s more, they’re heat resistant and dishwasher safe too.  

Key Specs – Dimensions: 15 x 12 x 3cm; Weight: 136g; Material: Plastic

5. Crockpot Express: Best pressure cooker for speedy suppers 

Price: £88 | Buy now from AmazonWidely becoming more commonplace on our kitchen countertops are items such as pressure cookers. This is because they can cook items faster and often in a healthier way than a conventional oven. The Crock-Pot Express features four main cooking modes: pressure cooking, steaming, slow cooking and sauteing, making it an impressively versatile appliance.With Crock Pot’s selection of smart features, you can be sure that your food is always cooked perfectly. The airtight locking lid prevents excess steam from escaping when cooking dishes like rice and grains. While a digital timer and automatic keep-warm function means you won’t run the risk of your food being burnt or undercooked. It’s large enough to cook an entire chicken or beef joint too.

Key Specs – Dimensions: 34.4 x 30.8 x 34 cm; Weight: 5.8kg; Capacity: 5.6L; Wattage:1,000W

6. Thermapen Classic: Best food thermometer

Price: £40 | Buy now from Amazon

This is by no means the cheapest food thermometer out there but we think it’s the best. With temperature readings from -49.9 to 299.9 degrees centigrade and accuracy of ±0.4°C, this will transform how you cook your meat, heat your oil for deep frying and more.

Batteries are included with the Thermapen and have a minimum life expectancy of 1,500 hours, giving you months – or if you don’t use it very often – years of accurate temperature reading. There’s also a handy auto switch-off feature, to preserve battery life for longer. In the box, you get a handy booklet with tips on how to accurately use your Thermapen, ideal temperatures for a variety of meats and instructions on how to recalibrate it, though you shouldn’t have to very often.

Key specs – Size (WDH): 153 x 19 x 47mm; Material: Antibacterial splashproof plastic and stainless steel

7. Magimix Mini Chopper: Best miniature food processor

Price: £55 | Buy now from AmazonIf you want a smart looking machine that can squeeze into tight corners, but will do you proud when it comes to chopping and pureeing at speed, the Magimix Mini Chopper is a steal. It races through herbs, as well as the likes of onions and garlic – and although you’ll need a little more patience with harder items like nuts, it still gives evenly chopped, lump-free results.

You’ll have it set up in no time and it’s very easy to use and to keep clean, thanks to the dishwasher-friendly parts. You can even use it to make sauces like mayonnaise. Shame it’s so heavy and loud, though.

8. Cuisinart Cordless 4-in-1 Opener: Best cordless automatic wine opener

Price: £79 | Buy now from VeryThis impressive device from Cuisinart might be on the pricey side but it’s the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life – whether that’s yourself or a friend. Its main function automatically detects and opens wine bottles once the head is placed over the cork, but it’s so much more than just a cordless, automatic opener. There’s also a pick to quickly and easily removed pesky foil lids, as well as an aerator and vacuum-sealed bottle stopper too.

It’s a bit tricky to get the hang of the first time you use it – you have to hold the device still as it’s drilling into the cork or it just spins around menacingly. Once you’ve got this down though, it works incredibly well and opens up to 50 bottles of wine on just one two-hour charge. What’s more, it’s not too bulky and the slick silver design looks fab in modern kitchens.

Key specs – Charge time: two hours; Uses from a single charge: 50; Accessories: aerator, dated bottle stop

Buy now from Very

9. Dishmatic Classic Dispensing Brush: Best dish brush

Price: £6 (3 pack) | Buy from AmazonYou wouldn’t think that a washing up sponge could be revolutionary, but combining a handle with a sponge will change your whole attitude to the chore. The handle of the brush is hollow and can be filled with washing up liquid, which is then dispensed via the sponge. This is not only incredibly effective at cleaning dishes, but also keeps your hands at a distance from the water and suds, preventing them from getting dirty and irritated.

It’s also cost-effective, as once you’ve bought the handle, you just have to buy replacement sponges and refill with your favourite washing up liquid. The screw cap can be a little fiddly to get on and off, but overall, this is a kitchen essential for those who hate doing the washing up or find dishwater uncomfortable.

10. Lurch Super Vegetable Spiralizer: Best spiralizer

Price: £40 | Buy now from AmazonWhile there are plenty of good spiralizers that come in under the £30 mark, if you’re serious about courgetti and veggie noodles, we’d recommend investing a little more on this one from Lurch. This design is its best yet and even comes with a tornado function, instantly making vegetables more appealing to kids, and adjustable blades so you can choose your tornado thickness.

The Lurch Super Spiralizer is more aesthetically pleasing than many of its plain white rivals, but its good looks come at a price. That said, consider its trio of stainless steel blades are as sharp as they come and it’s unlikely to let you down, you’re sure to use it far more than you would a cheaper option.

Key specs – Size (WDH): 27 x 13 x 22cm; Material: Plastic and stainless steel; Blades: Three (spaghetti 2mm, spaghetti 6mm, spirals); Manual or automatic: Manual