These few items in my kitchen are non-negotiable. Some of them I've had since I was in high school and still living at home, others I was gifted for our wedding and didn't realize until very recently I couldn't live without them!
Rice Cooker: https://amzn.to/36nWQSD
We didn't have a rice cooker as a kid. We would just make minute rice on the stove so I didn't really understand the hype of the rice cooker until VERY recently...like two weeks ago when I realized I use it one or two times a week. Our rice cooker is nothing special but it gets the job done! We use it most when we make our homemade fried rice or make rice as a side with Trader Joe's Orange Chicken! It's also great for making rice for homemade sushi!
Egg Cooker: https://amzn.to/3HUotR4
Our egg cooker is something Taylor's mom got us for our wedding shower. It seemed like a cool gadget but not a necessity but I do love hard boiled eggs so we'd use it to make eggs for deviled eggs on holidays and during the summer for salads. Grady recently started loving hard boiled eggs - our whole family does - and it is so easy to just throw how ever many you want in the cooker, turn it on, and walk away. They peel easy, there's no pot to dirty or water to boil. It is amazing! I make 12-14 on Sundays and keep them in the fridge for the week. Our egg cooker is also a great conversation piece. You'd be amazed at how many people have never heard of or seen an egg cooker! Whenever someone asks us, it's the first thing we tell people they need to get!
Cookie Scoop: https://amzn.to/3JAeiBx
I've linked the most basic cookie scoop you can find on Amazon. This is the one most similar to the one I have. Yes, there are cool, modern cookie scoops, available but I have only ever used the basic ones and the one I have has been in our house (okay, the Smith house) since a LONG time ago! I remember when my mom gave me my cookie scoop and its something I'll always keep because it was my grandmas. Everyone tends to underestimate the importance of a cookie scoop. Ditch the spoon method or having to use your hands, get one of these! All your cookies will be the same size and cook perfectly! (This can also be used for cupcakes, muffins, and brownies!)
Garlic Press: https://amzn.to/34MPCqI
I like to buy garlic to keep the vampires away. Okay, I'm kidding but I do love cooking with fresh garlic! One of the most frustrating things when you're cooking with fresh garlic in my book is when a recipe says to chop the garlic. Why chop when you can mince or press it and its the perfect consistency for a recipe!? Excuse me if I'm being naive and there's a major difference between chopped and minced garlic but I'm all about easy clean up!
Meat Chopper: https://amzn.to/3BrMcpv
I've lived approximately 3 months (in my life that I was able to cook) without a meat chopper. Not to be dramatic, but it was the longest three months ever. :P Honestly though, we don't have a potato masher, either, so we use this to mash our potatoes! Two tools in one! Taylor is way better at using it than I am but it really is the best way to break up your ground meats while cooking! If you can buy one thing off this list, I would say buy this!
Avocado Tool: https://amzn.to/3JyznMO
My brother and I are BIG avocado/guacamole fans so when Mama Lis came home with this tool, it was like the gates of heaven themselves had been opened. It's got a knife to cut the avocado on one side, a pit remover in the middle, and a slicer on the other side. You don't need three different tools to break into your avocados anymore! These are super affordable and make for easy clean up in the kitchen whether you're making guacamole or avocado toast and beyond!
Clear Containers: https://amzn.to/3gVD42Y
My mother in law got me these when we moved to our house back in 2019 and I love them! They're aesthetically pleasing if they're out but they keep ingredients very fresh as well. Not necessarily a kitchen tool, but something I love having, which is why I included them!
Soda Stream: https://amzn.to/3GRtxV6
Unfortunately, Taylor and I love a good LDC (Large Diet Coke, thanks Daryl-Ann) at the end of the day. Since the pandemic, the price of pop is one thing we noticed has gone up so much. My sister had some Kohl's cash a a coupon to use and didn't have a use for it herself. We had contemplated getting a Soda Stream because I LOVE sparkling water and with the rising cost of pop, I knew getting one would save us money and help us (at least me) drink more water. We went ahead and took my sister's offer to use her coupons and everything and got our Soda Stream for a whopping $35!! We got an extra bottle at Target as well as the Bubly Brand flavor drops to start. We ended up not liking the Bubly drops as much as the Bully brand cans! We decided just lemon juice or lime juice is best. After this experience we found out they had Cola, Dr. Pete (Dr. Pepper flavor,) and energy (Red Bull flavor) flavors for the soda stream! We were a little hesitant, as the Bubly tasted very chemically but we started the the Diet Cola, thinking that was safe to at least try! Long story short, we now have four bottles, two CO2 cylinders (gotta have a spare!), and we keep Diet Cola, Diet Dr. Pete, and the energy flavors on hand! We save a ton of money by doing this and would HIGHLY recommend a Soda Stream!
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