Grinding spices
A heavy-duty pestle and mortar is often a staple in kitchens. Though it can take a fair amount of muscle-power to grind up herbs and spices for a dish, it’s the perfect tool for the job. Jamie Oliver’s flavour shaker gadget may not offer the same opportunity for the therapeutic grinding of spices, but it does do all the hard work for you – all you have to do is fill it with your chosen ingredients and shake.
Tesco Finest granite pestle and mortar, £9.99 VS Jamie's Flavour Shaker, £10
Salt and pepper sets
Are we getting lazy, or is it a fabulous invention? It’s not remotely strenuous to sprinkle salt or pepper into a dish, but it seems it’s the novelty we all love. An electric salt and pepper mill, which comes complete with a light for aiming correctly, will at the very least, be a talking point at the dinner table.
Zodiac jumbo condiments set, £3.87 VS Salter electronic light-up mills, £22.97
Coffee
This authentic cafetiere will add a touch of Italian style and a gorgeous aroma to any kitchen. The easy pod-style machine is perfect for those who feel speed is of the essence and it makes a unique statement on the work surface too.
Le cafetiere Bialetti Espresso maker, £29.99 VS K-fee Podpronto coffee machine (available in-store and online), £69.50
Kitchen scales
These mechanical scales are a perfect choice for those wishing to add a vintage feel to their kitchen surface with some key accessories. However, accuracy can be a tricky thing to achieve, so a digital alternative is a useful tool for serial bakers.
Mechanical scales, £3.79 VS Digital slim kitchen scales, £16.94
Food preparation
A traditional grater is a streamline tool that has the added extra of offering those taking on the task a sneaky taste. Freshly grated cheese anyone? The Tefal Fresh Express is more of a multi-tasker, quickly grating or slicing your ingredients in five different ways, though will take up a bit more room than a grater box.
Grater box, £4.16 VS Tefal Fresh Express (available in-store and online) £40
Can openers
The manual opener will always be a handy back up to have in the drawer, but chances are most of us have been unable to crack open a can with it at some point. Battery-operated openers have the added power for any tricky situations and are a must amongst gadget-lovers.
Butterfly can opener, £4.98 VS Culinare one touch can opener, £15.97
Citrus press
Using a reemer to squeeze a lemon or lime into a dish is a well-loved practice for hands-on cooks. However, if you’d rather avoid the odd stray pip or squirt, this Kenwood machine extracts citrus juice quickly and contains a filter to draw out pips and pulp… a hands-off experience!
Beech lemon reemer, £2.50 VS Kenwood citrus juicer, £29.97
Utensils
A classic set of stainless steel utensils is the perfect, indestructible adornment to any kitchen. Simple, silver lines ensure it matches any décor. Colourful silicone versions will brighten up a room and have the added bonus of a soft texture to help avoid scratching pans whilst cooking.
Stainless steel utensil set, £10 VS silicone utensils, £14.44
