Clever Kitchen Tools for the Busy Frugal Cook

I don’t know about you, but if someone asks me to think of what I’d like to get for a gift, I’m at a loss. Maybe you have that problem as well. Perhaps you need some gift ideas for someone you know who likes to cook. Here’s a list of fun kitchen items for any budget. As a bonus, these clever kitchen tools will help you save money!

Strawberry Huller

Years ago, a friend from high school and I used to get together and cook for fun. She always brought along a little kitchen gadget as a gift. Over the years, these little kitchen tools have gotten used exhaustively. The strawberry huller, above, is something I use every year during berry season. This gem saves me tons of time. If you count your time as money, this is a great addition to any kitchen collection. It’s an inexpensive, simple tool, and very easy to use. Quickly hull strawberries with this handy item, which comes in a pack of two for gift-giving convenience.

Egg Separator

I would be a stressed-out mess if I had to separate eggs without an egg separator. Although I avoid using recipes which necessitate the separating of eggs, sometimes it’s just unavoidable. This fabulous little kitchen tool makes egg-separation easy. Again, saving time is saving money for me. Outfitted with a little hook, you can place it over a small bowl or cup for ease of use.

Garlic Press

One of the things which grows faithfully in our garden is garlic. Every year, I can count on being able to nip outside to gather some fresh cloves. Why pay for minced garlic when you can mince your own? This set includes a handy roller for peeling the cloves.

Cherry Pitter

I love to dry fruit in my trusty food dehydrator. I save so much money if I can make our own dried fruit snacks. This cherry pitter quickly pits six cherries at a time. Pits are gathered in the clear compartment underneath and may be easily emptied as needed. I now dry cherries every summer because of this awesome tool.

Canning Set

I used to dread canning. I made such a mess. Even though I wanted to save money by canning vegetables and fruit we had grown, I found ways to avoid it. No more! My set of canning tools, similar to this one, has made all the difference. Our pantry is now lined with glass jars filled with canned produce. What a great feeling, and a fabulous way to save money.

Mini-Chopper

Need to chop a small amount of nuts for a recipe? This little beauty is just right for the job. Process small amounts of food quickly and easily with this handy gadget. Make your own baby food by chopping up whatever the rest of the family is eating. A fantastic time-saver and money saver for sure!

Silicone Pinch Mitts

One of my friends hosts the staff Christmas party at her home every year, and I always admire these silicone pinch mitts. I have a sad history of ruining oven mitts. No matter how careful I try to be, they end up getting scorched. My family got smart, though. I now own a pair of heavy-duty, black oven mitts. No more scorch marks! What I’d really like to try are these little pinch mitts. Does silicone get scorched? I hope to be able to find out for myself sometime soon. Maybe you can test them out for yourself. If I owned a pair of these, I’d save money by not having to constantly replace my oven mitts. That would be wonderful!

Immersion Hand Blender

I love to make homemade applesauce. It used to be kind of chunky, which some people don’t mind. I wanted to make a smoother applesauce, and this year, I did. Using this amazing hand-held immersion blender, I made the smoothest applesauce I’ve ever created. I like the little bag which comes with this set. As I grow my kitchen tool collection, it’s nice to be able to store this small appliance in a compact space. This tool is also useful for pureeing soups. Save money by making your own smooth applesauce to enjoy.

Food Dehydrator

One of my favorite kitchen tools is our food dehydrator. This item has been a huge money-saver for our family. I have made beef jerky, dried fruit, and made many healthy snacks. I even wrote a post about some of my favorite foods to dry. In fact, as I write this, I have some of the last of our apples drying in the food dehydrator out on the back porch. I love the way this saves money and also freezer space. We are blessed to have an abundance of berries. I’ve written about ways to use frozen berries, because many of them go in the freezer. The food dehydrator keeps me from running out of freezer room.

Easy Ice Cream Maker

While we’re on the subject of frozen items, this easy ice cream maker from Cuisinart is unbelievable. The secret is  the removable freezer bowl. I keep the freezer bowl in our freezer year round. We can have delicious homemade ice cream or gelato in about 20 minutes. There is no need for rock salt or endless churning. It’s a huge money-saver, especially if you have some big ice cream fanatics in your family. This kitchen tool is genius!

What Are Your Favorite Clever Kitchen Tools?

Have you gotten some good ideas from this post? Did I leave out any of your favorite kitchen tools? If so, I’d love to know about them. If you like what you’ve read today, please consider subscribing. Subscribers have access to free printables, including free recipe cards for all of your awesome kitchen creations. Happy cooking!

More Food Inspiration

It’s always nice to have a plan when it comes to meals. If you’re looking for a way to get more organized with your meal planning efforts, I’ve got something for you. Free, editable meal planners! The templates can be used over and over, as often as you need them. You can make as many duplicates as you like, and you’ll be able to save old meal plans for future reference. I hope it simplifies things for you.

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I hope you enjoy using these smart kitchen tools. May all of your cooking endeavors meet with great success!

 

 

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to create and share recipes, often using fresh ingredients from her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. To learn more about what this website has to offer, click on over to the Welcome page.

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