You can sink a lot of money into your kitchen without even realizing it.There’s no doubt that some of the best kitchen gadgets are on the pricey side, but there are also plenty of budget-friendly tools that can make your time meal prepping, cooking for a party and reheating leftovers much easier.All the recommendations on this list are either products I use currently, or more affordable versions of something I decided to splurge on after years of food prep.
You may not consider every single item an essential for your kitchen, but all of them can save you time when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.Quick OverviewAcacia Salt Cellar$15 at Crate and BarrelBenriner Super Slicer$57 at AmazonOXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons SetMore options$33 at Amazon$33 at BelkOXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food ScaleMore options$48 at Amazon$56 at Macy's$56 at Sur La TableMicroplane Professional Series Grater$35 at AmazonZyliss Y Shaped Peeler$10 at AmazonVictorinox Swiss Classic Honing Steel $28 at AmazonZwilling Fresh & Save Handheld Vacuum SealerMore options$57 at Amazon$70 at Wayfair$250 at Macy'sZulay Kitchen Silicone Utensil Rest$8 at AmazonVitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender + Whisk, Black$100 at AmazonSee 5 moreBest cheap kitchen gadgets for 2025Crate and BarrelAcacia Salt CellarShortly after reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and learning the importance of salting dishes from within, I bought my first box of kosher salt.I didn’t have a good way to store it at the time, so I used a small bowl whenever I went to cook.The problem with that approach was that the salt would clump up if I left the bowl out.
A salt cellar solves that by adding a lid to the bowl.Crate and Barrel makes a nifty (and attractive) acacia wood model that comes with an attached lid so that the two parts never get lost or separated.$15 at Crate and BarrelBenrinerBenriner Super SlicerThis past Christmas, I was given a Japanese mandoline.
After slicing my finger the first time using it, I’ve been obsessed ever since.The precision and speed with which you can cut vegetables like cucumbers into different shapes is unparalleled and totally beats chopping with a knife.Benriner’s Super Slicer is beloved for good reason.
It’s easy to use, easy to clean and will last you for years.It also comes in a lovely mint color.$57 at AmazonOXOOXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons SetI’ll admit, sometimes it’s not practical to use a food scale to sort out ingredients, and you need to turn to a measuring spoon.
After owning a few different models over the years, I’ve come to swear by magnetic ones.They’re easier to separate and subsequently easier to clean and store.OXO makes an affordable set of stainless steel measuring spoons that have a nice divot to make leveling a breeze.
$33 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$33 at BelkOXOOXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food ScaleAfter an instant-read thermometer, one of the few items I think everyone should have in their kitchen is a food scale.I know what you’re thinking: aren’t food scales only useful for baking? The answer is no.They will streamline every aspect of your cooking, especially meal-prep, by allowing you to do away with measuring cups, while also giving you more accurate measurements overall.
A scale is also essential if you’re calorie counting or tracking your macros.After trying a few different scales, I like this OXO Good Grips stainless steel model.At under $60, the OXO model is a bit pricier than other food scales but it comes with a few features that set it apart.
The first is a handy pull-out display that makes it easy to read the scale even when you have a large bowl on top.Plus, it also comes with an imperial/metric toggle.It’s handsome, too, with a design that’s easy to clean.
$48 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$56 at Macy's$56 at Sur La TableMicroplaneMicroplane Professional Series GraterIf you’re like me, you probably bought a box grater at the start of your cooking journey only to find out it’s terrible.I’m here to tell you there’s a better way to grate cheese and zest limes, and it’s called a Microplane.There are a few different variants, but they all offer the same advantages over a box grater.
Being smaller, a Microplane is easier to maneuver over bowls and other dishes.As for what model to buy, I like the Professional Series line for its wide blade and clean design.For zesting, you want to go for the “Fine” model.
The “Ribbon” variant is also great if you want to shave chocolate and cheese.$35 at AmazonZylissZyliss Y Shaped PeelerPeeling vegetables is one of the few kitchen tasks I absolutely dread.Over the years, I’ve tried a few different peelers to find the one that makes the job the easiest.
I’ve found Y-shaped ones do the best job, so whichever brand you go for, make sure you’re getting a Y-shaped peeler.I find they’re the fastest and most comfortable to use.I like this Zyliss one that was recommended to me by my local kitchen supply store.
It’s dishwasher safe and has a blade guard to protect your fingers.$10 at AmazonVictorinoxVictorinox Swiss Classic Honing Steel Whether you're dicing vegetables on a cutting board or slicing kernels off of a corn cob, there are few things worse than cooking with a dull chef’s knife.It’s unsafe and a waste of time.
You need a way to maintain your blades, and a good place to start is with a honing steel.Contrary to popular belief, a honing steel won’t sharpen your knives; instead, it will realign the blade.With consistent use, you can get away with actually sharpening your blades once every six months to a year.
Almost any model will do the job, but for an affordable option, consider the 10-inch Swiss Classic Honing Steel from Victorinox.It comes with a comfortable handle that makes mastering the motion of honing a knife easy.Best of all, it costs less than $30.
$28 at AmazonZWILLINGZwilling Fresh & Save Handheld Vacuum SealerIn the last few years, vacuum sealers have become affordable enough that most home cooks can add one to their kitchen.They’re a great way to reduce waste since meat and produce stored in airless bags will last longer.The right one can also help you reduce plastic waste.
Zwilling makes an affordable handheld model that is great for a small kitchen and supports an ecosystem of reusable bags and containers that are also on the budget-friendly end of the spectrum.The bags are freezer- and dishwasher-safe, so you can easily sanitize them after storing meat in them.The only thing to complain about the Zwilling vacuum sealer is that it charges over micro-USB(!).
$57 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$70 at Wayfair$250 at Macy'sZulay KitchenZulay Kitchen Silicone Utensil RestBefore moving to Portugal, my neighbor gave my partner and I a silicone utensil rest.Since then, this simple tool has been an indispensable part of my kitchen arsenal.Once you start cooking at the stove, it helps to have all your tools right in front of you.
A utensil rest helps with that while reducing the amount of cleanup you have to do afterward.Once you’re done, you can just toss it into the dishwasher.Best of all, you can buy one for about $10.
$8 at AmazonVitamixVitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender + Whisk, BlackVitamix makes the best blenders money can buy, but even when on sale they’re still expensive.If you want to see what all the fuss is about on a budget, the company’s Immersion blender is relatively affordable at $130.It’s also powerful, with a 350-watt motor, and easy to use, thanks to a simple two-speed control layout.
Short of making nut butters, it will cover almost all of the tasks you would want a blender for, including making smoothies, sauces and soups.$100 at Amazon