7 Time-Saving Kitchen Gadgets for $20 or Less

My philosophy in the kitchen is to spend exactly as much time cooking a dish as it requires. Working on a creamy polenta that needs to be stirred for an hour? I’ll happily queue up an album I love and grab a stool. Making a colossal sandwich with four separate components? No problem — I’ll clear my afternoon. But if I’m in a rush, like when I’m trying to toss up a quick salad between meetings or whip up some tasty pasta before running out to a show, it helps to lean on a few gadgets that streamline simple tasks.

Whether I’m using my Chinese cleaver to quickly chop root veggies, my Microplane to zest a lemon for a fast dressing, or a spider ladle to help move pasta quickly from cooking to its saucy home, I’ve come to rely on plenty of hacks to speed up cooking. And amazingly, most of those time-saving tools I rely on daily clock in at well under $20. Here are some of my favorites.

Best Under-$20 Time-Saving Hacks

• OXO Good Grips Chef’s Squeeze Bottle Set, $12
• Winco Chinese Cleaver, $14
• KitchenAid All-Purpose Kitchen Shears, $9, originally $12
• Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, 3-Pack, $14
• OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer, $19
• Microplane Grater, $18
• Hiware Solid Stainless Spider Ladle, $9, originally $10

OXO Good Grips Chef’s Squeeze Bottle Set

Squeeze bottles are incredible game-changers. I use these not only for quickly oiling pans and ingredients (as well as putting finishing olive oil on a dish before serving), but also for keeping soap handy at my sink for fast cleaning. These are $6 each and will not only immensely speed up your whole kitchen routine, but make you look like an absolute pro while doing it.

Winco Chinese Cleaver

When I worked the prep station in a kitchen in my younger years, this cleaver was my best friend. It helped me very quickly process big veggies like sweet potatoes and squash, but was also sharp and nimble enough to chop and mince garlic, slice peppers, and even chop onions. Even in my home kitchen full of top-quality knives, this is often my go-to for quick prep.

KitchenAid All-Purpose Kitchen Shears

Kitchen shears can speed up cutting herbs and greens, trimming protein, and portioning finished dishes, among many other things. There’s a reason this unassuming tool has over 68,000 five-star ratings at Amazon. You need one in your kitchen.

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, 3-Pack

I happen to be a skin-on guy when it comes to potatoes and carrots, but never mind that — whether you’re peeling one of those veggies, preparing citrus for a cocktail, or prepping some fruit for dessert or a smoothie, having a high-quality peeler is an absolute necessity. This banger from Kuhn Rikon has a sturdy base and carbon steel blades, letting you slice, peel, and skin at lightning speed.

OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer

Need to whip up some quick sliced onions, shredded cabbage, or thin-cut veggies for a dish? A powerful mandoline will help you get there in mere seconds. I can’t count the number of times I’ve turned a cabbage or an onion into a pile of shreds for a slaw or stir-fry in under a minute. 

Microplane Grater

The Microplane is one of the most important tools in my kitchen. So many dishes improve with some quick lemon zest or grated garlic or ginger, and this simple tool helps you get there quicker than any other.

Hiware Solid Stainless Spider Ladle

Simply put, if you make pasta or boil or blanche foods in any way, you can’t not have a spider ladle. Put your days of precariously pouring hot water into the sink behind you and enter the realm of quicker cooking (and no hot water burns) with one of these.