Kitchen Gadgets That Really Work

This alien-looking gadget from Fusion Brands is my new best friend. It corrals food items to be blanched, boiled, steamed or microwaved. And I'm talking eggs (up to a dozen), tomatoes, seafood, potatoes, veggie flowerets and whatever else your fertile imagination can come up with. The grip-clip lets you lower food safely into boiling water, attach it to the side of the pot during cooking, and use it to lift food out to drain.

I don't know about you, but I'm always knocking over my nested funnels. Starfrit's silicone collapsible funnels come two to a package, are dishwasher safe and fold up neatly for storage. I'm all about neat and space reduction, so the new collapsible tools everyone's coming out with are a boon.

I've always been in love with the iSi Cream Whipper, but now the Creative Whip accommodates both cream chargers and soda chargers. So you can still make all the wonderful whipped creams and mousses your heart desires, PLUS foams and sodas! The original cream whipper has been such a timesaver for me in the kitchen and, now, with this dual action tool, I'm over the moon.

OK, so I have just a touch of OCD and I like consistency in my tomato slices. I almost lost a thumb trying to cut even slices of kiwi on a meat slicer in culinary school, but I digress. This tool accommodates most tomatoes -- from Romas to beefsteaks -- plus hard-cooked eggs, onions, mushrooms, oranges and, yes, even kiwi. The knife is included!

I was completely blown away by the products from this young Australian company that sells its products worldwide. In particular, I loved the silicone egg poachers (because I like perfectly shaped eggs for my Eggs Benedict) and whimsically shapes like an airplane, lady's pump, big foot, and others egg rings, which can also be used for pancakes. The silicone gingerbread house mold and the square grill pan are other winners. There's lots more from this up-and-coming company.

The whole line of Curious Chef products is a winner in my book. Geared toward kids, these tools REALLY work. No toys here. The easy-grip handles, skid-proof bowl bottoms, snub-nosed shears, plastic knives and more are all made for kids' hands (and grownups' hands) and designed to last.

This item from Chef Gadget is just plain fun. Take a warm, peeled hard-cooked egg and gently squeeze it into a square shape. No more deviled eggs rolling off the tray. Square eggs are a guaranteed show stopper on a buffet table. It's a great way to get kids to eat protein-rich eggs, too.

I'm a clean-as-you-go kitchen person. That's why the dilemma of where to put a mixing spoon or peeler or other gadget that will be used again without messing up countertops has been the bane of my existence. Until now. Tovolo's standing kitchen gadgets are fab. And there's just about one for every task.

There's a lot to love about Wilton's Better Baking Tool line. The Cyclone Whisk has a center spiral that adds more air into batters and creams. The Stand Mixer Scraper with its angled head is designed to be used to move dough, icing and such to the bottom of a stand mixer bowl with the attachment still in place. Best of all, all of the tools, except the three-piece bowl set and rolling pin, are less than $10 each.

This is a "smart" line of gadgets. Some of my favorites include the Spoon Tongs. They're two tools in one -- a spoon for sauces and soupy ingredients, and tongs for chunkier items. The slotted Jar Scoop makes olive diving a reality, and the Turning Tongs, which is one spatula hinged on top of another spatula, makes fish and other fragile food turning a breeze.

If your kids are Hostess Cupcake fans, they can make their own with this kit from Cuisipro, and probably make a healthier version, to boot. Sorry Hostess! What I especially like about this kit that features a corer and decorating tips are the innovative squeeze bottles to which the tips are attached. So instead of small hands trying to manage cumbersome pastry bags, all they have to do is SQUEEEEZE out the frosting.

Trudeau has a great line of gadgets, but the most recent one I love is the pot lid rest. Clip it to any size pot and nest the lid in the groove. In the past, I've always done a little dance figuring out where to put the stockpot lid while I stir my soup. Ha! No more.