If adulthood has taught me anything thus far, it’s that we’re all just looking for things to make life easier. Maybe it’s a gentle eye cream that works the wonders of an esthetician alone, or an iconic Y2K top that keeps you from hitting a wardrobe slump. Whatever your fix is, you simply can’t deny that cooking for yourself is simultaneously the most gratifying yet frustrating part of being an adult – it’s hard to manage recipe measurements, keep the food you have from going bad, and not burn whatever you’ve got going on in the oven *all* by yourself – no matter your skill level, we could all use a little help from time to time.
Though there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to solo kitchen work, I’ve luckily found some gems that’ve immensely aided those woes. Here are the best appliances and tools I added to my mealtime workflow that have seriously made cooking *lightyears* more enjoyable.
Farberware Salad Spinner ($22)
Yes, I did in fact fall victim to the untamed TikTok hype. The amount of times I’ve had a batch of strawberries turn rotten in a matter of days is actually appalling, so I had to see what it was all about!
And the girlies were right – the hack of all hacks using a salad spinner to clean and dry your produce kept my precious store-bought berries fresher for *so* much longer, stretching my dollar a little bit further, and making breakfast time all the more satisfying. Beyond berries, I’ve started using the spinner to get veggies ready for weekly meal prep sessions.
I, of course, would be missing the point if I didn’t use this thing for actualsalads. I found that it was just as helpful in forming a big bowl of greens. Thanks to this salad spinner, I’m forever saying “bye bye, soggy lettuce.”
OXO Citrus Juicer ($12)
I went sans-juicer for making margaritas or salad dressings for the longest time, just because I simply thought I didn't need one – my buff forearms and hands were enough to get the goodness out! That’s exactly what I thought – until I had a transformative experience with a friend’s juicer one day. It was so much easier to use! The juice didn’t seep into my papercuts! *And* it measured the liquid! What a delight.
I opted for this one with a grip design that eliminates frustrating slips or spills. The best part about it is the roomy measuring cup attachment that keeps track of how much juice you’re juicin’. No more sore arms and stinging cuts for me.
Hamilton Beach Electric Kettle ($37)
Where I live, it reaches bone-chilling, teeth-chattering levels of cold in the wintertime. And though a solid jacket or scarf does me well, nothing properly warms me up like a steaming mug of tea. This electric kettle *tremendously* changed my hot beverage game, thanks to its speed and convenience!
Growing up using a traditional stovetop kettle, it took me a while to realize that eclectic kettles were… actually a thing. They can boil water so fast, it puts the OG kettles to shame. Beyond tea time, I like using this appliance to preheat my pasta water, so it doesn’t take literal eons to reach a rolling boil on the burner – a personal life hack of sorts.
Maxcocola Mug Tree ($13)
For me, it’s extremely hard to enjoy cooking in a crowded kitchen. And though this pick isn’t an appliance by definition, it’s certainly helped me organize my dishes and clear some counter space for prepping food more efficiently.
This mug tree fits up to 6 mugs (admittedly, not enough for this thrift store mug hoarder) and exemplifies that utilizing vertical space is *the* absolute move for kitchen organization. Besides being a practical tool, it’s also a fun way to display only my cutest mugs in an easy-to-see place!
Steamer Basket ($30)
I’ll admit that heating up frozen dumplings in the microwave is a complete atrocity to tradition – but that’s the old me. Thanks to a gracious gift from MìLà, their Soup Dumpling Experience, I’ve seen the light in a *properly* steamed dumpling.
Using a bamboo steamer gives those little pockets of food some actual life – every variety I’ve made thus far (the MìLà Soup Dumplings, Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza Potstickers, and bao buns from H-Mart) has turned out juicer and softer than the sad, microwaved dumplings I was tolerating before.
If you haven’t given bamboo steamers a chance, I urge you to try one out. The next time those Asian food cravings hit, you’ll thank yourself for making dumplings the *right* way.
Ninja Creami Breeze ($200)
Baking *is* fun and all, but sometimes I want a sweet treat to magically appear in front of me without any real work. And though I’m no stranger to the gelato shop down my street, it’s hard to avoid the thought that indulging in a frequent double scoop isn’t all that healthy for me.
The Ninja Creami Breeze is a well-rounded winner in my kitchen. It’s *ridiculously* easy to use, making healthy, protein-packed frozen desserts (to replace my pesky gelato habit) in seconds. I didn’t fully understand the wonders TikTokers spoke of until I really got my hands on it. After trying a handful of recipes, I’m all the way in.
What are the life-savers in your kitchen? Let us know @BritandCo!
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Header photo by Angela Roma / PEXELS
