These 15 Cool Kitchen Gadgets Are As Fun As They Are Functional

Generally speaking, kitchen supplies can be sorted into one of two camps. You have your essentials (like chef’s knives, measuring cups and cutting boards) and you have your non-essentials—think single-use kitchen tools. And while it’s certainly more worthwhile to invest in the former category, don’t discount the latter: Once you sort through all the gimmicky tools, you’ll find tons of actually cool kitchen gadgets that not only make cooking easier, but also a lot more fun.

Among our favorite kitchen gadgets: A bear-shaped tool that keeps brown sugar from hardening, a corn ... [+] peeler and a whisk wiper.

Sure, you probably don’t need a lot of these tools—but many are genuinely useful and highly affordable. To help distinguish the actually great gadgets from the ones that would only clutter your drawers, we asked chefs and cookbooks about the tools they love (and relied on our own expertise, as well). From an ingenious wine preservation system to a magnetic trivet for hot pots and pans, these 15 cool kitchen gadgets are guaranteed transform the way you cook, eat and clean.

Amazon

Save prep time with this stainless steel accordion cutter, which is designed to cut even strips of cookie dough, pasta dough, pastry and more. “I love this cutter because it helps create perfectly even slices of brownies, blondies or any other treat you have to cut into portions,” says Jesse Szewczyk, food stylist and author of Cookies: The New Classics. “You just pull the cutter into the exact width you're looking for, then roll it across your baked goods like a pizza cutter. I will never fuss with using a ruler in an attempt to make perfect slices again!”

Sweetening the deal, the Oleex set also comes with a multifunctional dual-blade cutter: One side is fluted for cutting ravioli while the other, flat side is ideal for slicing pizza and pie.

Amazon

Removing pesky stains from inside the microwave can feel like an impossible task. Enter: the GB Quality Angry Mama Microwave Oven Cleaner, a $7 gadget that can cut cleaning time in half. To use, fill the base with a combination of water and vinegar, then place in the microwave. As the appliance heats up, this little lady releases steam, which loosens stains, making it easy to wipe them away with just a towel or sponge—no elbow grease needed.

Crate&Barrel

This cushioned mat isn’t a gadget per se, but it’s a kitchen accessory that makes standing while you cook and clean much enjoyable. Thanks to its thick, non-slip construction, this linen floor mat provides comfort and support to your feet as you chop vegetables, stand over the stove and work through piles of dirty dishes. Plus, its anti-microbial properties mean it’s a breeze to keep clean. Choose between two sizes (3 x 2 feet or 6 x 2 feet) and 13 neutral colors.

Amazon

You know when you want to open a new bottle of wine to savor a glass but you’re hesitant, as you know you won’t be able to finish the entire bottle before it loses its freshness? With the Coravin Pivot, you’ll never have to face such a maddening scenario again. This ingenious tool can preserve an open bottle of wine for up to four weeks—and your last sip is guaranteed to taste just as crisp as your first. Here’s how it works: After you open a bottle of wine, remove the cork or screw cap and pop in the Pivot bottle stopper and preservation device; as you pour through the stopper, press the device’s button, which injects food-grade argon gas into the bottle to protect the wine from oxidation. Once you’ve imbibed enough, just remove the device, close the stopper and store the wine.

If this sounds confusing, don’t stress—you don’t have to fully understand the mechanism behind it. Just know that, for $120, you won’t find a better wine preservation system.

Amazon

Short on freezer space? This 2-in-1 ice tray and storage box will be your new best friend. We love it for a few reasons. First off, the ice tray (which doubles as the container’s lid) is made of soft silicone, so popping out ice cubes is a breeze. The plastic container, meanwhile, is large—it can hold up to 132 cubes. Together, the two parts provide an airtight space that locks out odors, meaning you never again have to worry about a funky-tasting cube spoiling your drink.

Pela Earth

No bigger than a toaster, this sleek composter from Lomi reduces your carbon footprint and looks far more stylish than the average bin. But that’s not the only reason this option is so special. With the push of a button, the Lomi composter can turn all your food scraps—banana peels, coffee grounds, apple cores and more—into nutrient-rich dirt for gardening. Better yet, it can do all of that in as little as four hours.

Target

While a traditional food processor probably wouldn’t qualify as a kitchen gadget, this 5-cup KitchenAid model sure does. “This small-but-mighty food processor doesn’t have the ol’ ball and chain—it’s cordless,” says Alyse Whitney, food editor and TV host. “If I remember to charge it, it can get me through all my prep needs, whether I’m blitzing onions and garlic into a quick paste for meatballs or blending silken tofu into my miso eggplant dip.”

Along with a charger, this chopper (which is made in partnership with Target exclusive home brand Hearth & Hand with Magnolia) comes with a stainless steel multi-purpose blade and a whisk accessory, both of which are dishwasher-safe and can fit inside the 5-cup container.

Williams Sonoma

A cleaner alternative to the garlic press, this pretty grinder can pulverize garlic with just a few twists. To use it, simply place peeled garlic cloves in the chamber, cover with the lid, and twist back and forth until the allium is minced to your liking. Once you’ve popped the minced garlic into your recipe, the grinder (which is made of BPA-free nylon and silicone) can go in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Williams Sonoma

Whether you’re an aspiring mixologist or an experienced home baker, a juicer is a must-have gadget for creating citrus-infused bites and beverages. If you’re in the market for a manual option, you’ll find no better than Williams Sonoma’s Dual Citrus Juicer. It comes with two ridged cones of different sizes to accommodate a variety of citrus fruits, as well as a BPA-free plastic container to catch all your seed- and pith-free juice. Once you’ve got all the fresh OJ you need, all parts of the juicer can go in the dishwasher.

Amazon

Sure, you can use a sharp chef’s knife to cut corn off the cob, but the OXO Good Grips Corn Prep Peeler can perfectly remove every kernel perfectly—and in one fell swoop. It’s also easy to hold and maneuver, thanks to its sharp stainless steel blades and ergonomic, non-slip handle. (When )

Amazon

Made of beautiful long-grain acacia wood, this moden trivet from Le Creuset not your average trivet. Its secret: It’s constructed with a magnet that instantly attaches to the bottom of metal pot and pans, making it easier than ever to carry hot cookware from the oven to the dining table.

“My favorite journey (and a well worn path on my floors) is from my stove to my dining table—always with a hot vessel of something delicious,” says recipe developer Dan Pelosi. “For years, I would have my trivet tucked under my arm on said journey, awkwardly releasing it onto my table in advance of the hot vessel of food, hoping it lands remotely where I want it to...then sort of shimmying the pot and the trivet to the right spot. But with this genius magnetic trivet, I can carry my trivet on the bottom of my vessel straight to the table and land them exactly where I want!” (The trivet can withstand temperatures up to 482 degrees.)

Uncommon Goods

When a recipe calls for continuous stirring or whisking over heat, no need to roll up your sleeves and prepare to sweat. Instead, you can turn to this automatic pan stirrer, which will give your arm a rest while it does the hard work for you. All you have to do is select the speed and runtime. Then, this funny gadget will get to work, rotating in the saucepan for up to 3.5 hours if you buy the battery-powered option and up to 9 hours if you opt for the pricier rechargeable option. (Just note that this stirrer cannot be used with boiling liquids.)

Amazon

Accident-prone home cooks, listen up: So long as you’re wearing this pair of cut-resistant gloves, you’ll never again have to worry about slicing your fingers or jamming an oyster knife into your palm. Made from a blend of spandex, fiberglass and polyethylene, these Amazon bestsellers—which are covered in tiny grip dots to prevent slippage—provide a thick layer of protection between sharp kitchen blades and your skin. Just make sure your pair fits well; the gloves range in size from extra-small to extra-large.

Amazon

Cleaning a whisk that’s covered in sticky batter and buttercream is nothing short of a pain, but this two-piece set (which includes an 11-inch stainless steel whisk) makes it easy. When you slide the whisk into wiper and pull away, whatever’s clinging to the wires will fall away, leaving behind a spotless whisk. Another option: You can leave the gadget halfway up the loops and use it to prop the whisk on the counter or inside the mixing bowl. (Just note that the Whisk Wiper isn’t compatible with all whisks; it fits other 7-wire models best.)

Amazon

Brown sugar hardens in a snap—that is, if you’re storing it without this adorable clay bear that can maintain the soft sugar’s moisture level for up to six months. But that’s not all this extremely affordable gadget can do: If you soak it in warm water for 20 minutes, you can pop it into a sealed container with hard cookies or dried fruit and it’ll restore their moisture.