You know I love product reviews so here are 5 of my most-used kitchen items under $30. These are all products that are tried and true in my home. They work. They’re used often. And, they’re inexpensive. Kitchen gadgets can get ridiculously pricey… some of it is worth it while some of it, is just unnecessary in my opinion.
THINGS I SPLURGE ON: we have this nice set of Calphalon pots and pans. I’ve had inexpensive ones in the past and these really are worth it if you like to cook a lot. I also think kitchen staples with good warranties and things you actually use are worth the splurge.
For example, we don’t own a mixer because I don’t bake or use one. I was eyeing this absolutely gorgeous metallic mixer when we got married but for the money, I said to myself “wait until you actually need it.” 2 years later, I’ve still never had a need; it would have been money taking up space in a cabinet.
THINGS I SAVE ON: basically everything else haha. I have a set of nice dishware from Pottery Barn but I also purchase inexpensive ones from Target which tend to get used more often. I always buy inexpensive kitchen linens so I can change them up often.
Now for the good stuff. Below I’m listing my 5 favorite, most-used, most loved kitchen products that are under $30.
If you follow my Instagram stories or Snaps you’ve likely seen me use these many times. I linked the exact models I have because it drives me nuts when bloggers show a product but then link a similar version (I understand doing that if you want to link a less expensive option or if yours is sold out but that’s just a pet peeve of mine so I won’t do it to you lol)
1. MINI FOOD PROCESSOR ($29 mine)
I purchased the mini version when I moved into my first apartment thinking it would take up less cabinet space and that I would buy the larger one when I had more room. I am still on the mini version and love it. Maybe when I cook for a full family I would want the bigger one. I make all sorts of quick sauces and soups in here as well as riced cauliflower.
2. PANINI MAKER ( $29.99 mine)
I really enjoy warm sandwiches/grilled cheese and am always finding ways to health-up my favorite options. I didn’t want to deal with butter when making these myself, so I purchased this when I created the Warm + Toasty Cookbook as part of the Meal Plan. About fifty Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese and Pizza Sandwiches later, it’s a product that sits on the top of my list! If you have like the sandwiches in that cookbook, I would highly suggest this panini maker. It is inexpensive, works well and is light-weight and compact.
2. SINGLE SERVE BLENDER ($17.99 mine)
My girlfriends from college would recognize this one because I’ve used it since 2011. In this blog post, I talk about how important it is to switch up your food style to help promote fat loss but I cannot break my AM smoothie habit. I have that for breakfast 75% of the time because it’s quick and easy.
In college, I began using this single serve blender because I was just “cooking” for myself but I haven’t stopped using it. We also have a more expensive, more substantial Ninja blender that comes with a single serve cup option. Still, I find myself using this. I like that the base is small and tucks away (stuff all over my counter tops is another pet peeve of mine haha). Plus, it has a cap option so I literally blend, put on the cap and take it with me.
4. GARLIC PRESS ($10 mine)
I loveeeee garlic. I put garlic in my egg scrambles. I constantly top my fish with garlic. Real talk… I can’t think of a day in the past week that I didn’t cook with garlic. Mincing garlic is so time consuming to someone who like meals with just a few minutes of hands on prep. I purchased this garlic press a few years back and have loved it since. I do find it works best with thin garlic cloves so I do press down on the clove with the flat side of a knife first.
5. KITCHEN SCISSORS ($17.99 mine)
For the same reason I love my garlic press, I love kitchen scissors… it speeds up my prep time. This is probably the OCD in me but I like tiny pieces of chicken in my meals: not bite sized, but tiny lol. It drives my husband bonkers so I typically end up dicing up the chicken. For some reason, cutting it with a scissors makes it go so quickly and it’s very easy to trim the fat this way too. I could list 20 things I use my kitchen scissors for but once you have a pair, you’ll find yourself using them all of the time.
Any kitchen gadgets you love? Leave your favorite in the comments because I would love to check them out.
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