Collecting and using kitchen gadgets is our superpower. Herb scissors? Check. Microplane grater? Check. Garlic press? Check.
Our kitchen drawers are full of handheld cooking utensils. And we still have room for more. And we're not the only ones. We found out when we asked our friends on the NEO Foodies Facebook page. Inspired by their favorites (and our favorites), we've compiled the following list of relatively new and useful tools to consider adding to your kitchen.
The Air Fryer Cheat Sheet can be used as a fridge magnet or you can stick it to a non-magnetic surface with the adhesive exposed. (Courtesy of Amazon)
We plan on buying multiple Air Fryer Magnetic Cheat Sheet sets ($11.45) for our siblings, parents, and boyfriend. We all love the results of the air fryer, and this sheet has cooking times, temperatures, and food sizes for popular dishes. We're also looking at other cooking cheat sheets because we love magnets.
Chop basil, chives, cilantro, and other leafy greens with five sharp stainless steel blades. (Courtesy of Amazon)
In the summer, the Five-Blade Herb Scissors ($13.95) are great for cutting fresh chives into uniform pieces, and I also use them to finely chop fresh cilantro leaves whenever I'm making salsa or guacamole.
Easily remove leaves from rosemary, thyme, etc. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Kale stalks and herb stems can be cooked to give a crunch that resembles a layer of mulch, and we use the Kale and Herb Stripping Tool ($10.99) to remove kale stalks for green smoothies and tiny leaves of thyme and tarragon for our favorite scalloped potato recipe.
Reusable air fryer liners are environmentally friendly.
We don't own these (Reusable Silicone Air Fryer Liners, $11.95 for a 3-pack) yet, but we plan on getting some soon. Lining your baskets with parchment paper is a big no-no if you don't want to start a fire in your kitchen. Don't ask me why I know. These silicone liners are easy to work with and clean.
The pineapple corer allows you to quickly clean and eat fresh pineapple. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Fresh, ripe pineapple is sweeter than the canned fruit, which is why we're looking at the Pineapple Corer and Slicer Tool ($12.99).
Salad scissors can be used to quickly slice iceberg or romaine lettuce. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Kitchen-chasers love tearing lettuce leaves to make a salad, but why? Kitchen Salad Scissors ($14.98) make it so much easier. And fun.
A Microplane is a must-have item in every kitchen drawer. (Courtesy of Amazon)
The Microplane Classic Zester/Grater ($14.99) is one of our favorite tools. We use it to zest lemons, which we then use to add vibrant flavor to everything from pie crusts to pasta to vegetables. It's also perfect for grating fresh nutmeg, hard cheeses, and ginger. We even use it to drizzle chocolate shavings on our homemade tiramisu.
A silicone pastry mat makes cleaning up your pie crust a breeze. (Courtesy of Amazon)
My friend Lisa recently told me how important a silicone pastry mat ($8.49) is when making pie crust: The mat absorbs all the flour messes.
A hand blender is much less messy than making soup in a blender or food processor. (Courtesy of Amazon)
We have two hand blenders: one for soups and sauces and one for soap making. The KitchenAid Variable Speed Hand Blender ($59.99) is Amazon's top pick for this versatile tool.
This bacon grease strainer/container comes in three colors. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Forget the debate about the health benefits (or healthiness) of leftover bacon grease. We use it to fry eggs, sprinkle on roasted halved Brussels sprouts, and make a dressing for spinach salads. This ceramic bacon grease jug with strainer ($24.99) is a staple in our kitchen.
These handy tools are great for removing corn kernels from the cob for cooking or freezing. (Courtesy of Amazon)
My mom taught us to freeze and can our summer harvest, and when local sweet corn is in season, this corn stripper tool ($8.99 for a two-pack) makes it easy to shell and prep it for winter enjoyment.
