Kitchen Items You Need and Why

What's in your kitchen? What your kitchen lacks (or has in excess) can make the difference between a functional kitchen and a head-scratching one. Learn the essentials your kitchen should have, and find out if you have all the right things to keep your kitchen running smoothly as possible. Does your kitchen have all the right essentials? Find out what gadgets you may need!

A slow cooker doesn't seem like a must until you have one. Slow cooker, crock pot, you need one, and if you don't think you do, then you've never come home to a perfectly moist batch of pork chops simmering in their own juices after a day of running errands. Slow cookers are great for whipping up a great stew or soup and then letting it cook on its own while you forget about it for a few hours, and in the winter months, this great gadget is a must-have. As a great bonus, with a slow cooker, you can make those tougher meats nice and moist, and you can scrape off risen fats for a healthier meal! And they take up minimal space in your kitchen and come in a variety of sizes!

Kitchen scissors, or at least a pizza cutter are kitchen essentials as well. Such a simple thing, but something many people don't even think about. When you go to slice your pizza or other pastry and you only have a bread knife, then you'll see why these gadgets are so essential in your kitchen. Kitchen scissors are a godsend for people who hate slicing raw meat, as these buggers will slice right through nasty raw chicken for even, easy cuts. You wouldn't think such a small item is so great, but it can make all the difference in your kitchen.

I wouldn't have thought of a salad spinner to get water off of lettuce leaves, but this handy gadget proves its point- with drier greens, you don't have to pile on the salad dressing, which makes your greens healthier. Just an every-now-and-then salad eater? Then flip your greens around in a colander instead and dab dry with a paper towel. Same results without the gadget. Oh, and if you don't have a colander, get one. Also known as a spaghetti strainer, you absolutely need one for straining veggies, pastas, and all sorts of foods.

Never run out of tin foil, wax paper, parchment paper (for your baking needs- never clean a cookie pan again!), and always keep these items handy in your kitchen. Not gadgets, per se, but super essential all the same. Equally essential are plastic and paper bags, sandwich baggies, and twist ties. You don't want to run out of storage items when you need them.

A garlic press is an awesome kitchen gadget to have, and you don't have to go all out to buy one. You can get one at your local dollar store (along with that pizza cutter or even kitchen scissors) and use it to press out precious garlic oil and not stink up your hands. Don't forget to check out the spices in the dollar store aisles as well- you can get a super steal for a great price!

And finally, a potato peeler and cheese grater. You wouldn't think of these as essentials, but these type of items often get overlooked because they are so expected in a kitchen to begin with. However, you may not actually have any of these items at all, which go far beyond just potatoes and cheese shredding. Garlic, chocolate, carrots, and more can be sliced or shaved with these essential kitchen gadgets that are so seemingly simple in nature.

Does your kitchen stack up? I know mine could use some updating. Oddly enough, the items I am lacking are the most simple (of course...). Potato peeler and pizza cutter, these I don't have. And after struggling with kitchen knives to try to accomplish these same results, I can see entirely how these essential kitchen items are truly a must-have gadget.

Sources:

what is missing in my kitchen

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/11-gadgets-every-kitchen-should-have/