There is a robot on the market that will cook full-fledged meals for you. While this bad boy is a dream come true, there's a catch. The current retail value for this nifty tool is about $15,000. While pretty much no one in their right mind would spend that kind of money on a kitchen tool, here are 10 tools that won't break the bank and are very handy.
1. A Frozen Fruit Ice Cream Maker
There's nothing quite like fresh ice cream, especially when it's made mostly out of frozen fruit. This machine takes about five minutes to create a whole bowl full of ice cream, and it definitely beats going to Walmart at 2 a.m. when you get late night cravings. It's easy to clean, it makes photogenic ice cream and your roommate will probably be envious. Although there are several brands, here's one for $19.99.
2. A Lemon Squeezer
joyosity on Flickr
I know, I know—you could just use a fork and get all of the juice out of the lemon. But this thing is $7 and it'll do all of the heavy lifting for you. You just cut that sucker in half, and slip it into the bottom layer and press. This thing will even catch all the seeds.
There's even an electric one for those of us who don't have...finger muscles? You can also use a manual one, too, which is cheaper and in my experience (not much, but still) just as effective.
3. A Handheld Milk Frother
Phil Sheard on Flickr
Let's all agree right here and now that Starbucks is great and its drinks and snacks are definitely magical, but it's expensive. Somehow every time I walk into that place I walk out at least $5 poorer, which is where this handy little thing comes into play.
Everyone loves fresh frothed milk. It's fancy, it makes coffee look sophisticated and overall it's just fun to make. You can find this kitchen tool here and it doesn't look like it takes a rocket scientist to operate, so go get it because I know you want it.
4. A Cookie Dipper
We've all been in this situation. You have some nice cold milk and a few (who am I kidding, a whole plate full) of freshly baked hot cookies and you go to dunk a cookie in and it falls apart. Now you're left with a weird cookie and milk mixture, and you try to scoop out the cookie, but the milk spills everywhere and all hell breaks loose.
To prevent this, use this handy little contraption. It's cheap and it'll save you the heartache of dealing with spilled milk mayhem.
5. Pineapple Peeler and Slicer
bchow on Flickr
If you're like me, you buy fruit like watermelons and pineapples and can never seem to find the time to sit down for half an hour to hack away at the other layers to get to the good stuff. This tool is a total game changer.
Say goodbye to pineapples that grew mold because you didn't cut them soon enough and say hello to a pineapple peeler. It's sleek, it does all of the hard work for you and even leaves you with nicely sliced pineapple pieces that look like they came out from a Dole can, except they're fresh. You can find a pineapple peeler and slicer here.
6. Vegetable Spiralizer
It's a new year and maybe that means a new you, but that doesn't mean you have to give up pasta—or carbs for that matter. This kitchen tool makes it really easy to make pasta that's not only fast, but healthy. If you're looking for a slightly cheaper option, I would go with this machine, which is only a few bucks and does the same job.
7. Mini Crockpot
EatLiveGrowPaleo.com on Flickr
Don't let this little one's small size deceive you—it does a whole lot without costing a ton. Not only will this mini crockpot cook your food, but it also can be brought with you on the go to ensure that your food stays warm. Throw away your multi-colored sandwich bags because lunch is about to get hot.
8. Food Chopper
Takanori Ishikawa on Flickr
I know I can't be the only person who hates chopping vegetables. Little pieces fly everywhere, and it ends up being extremely messy and time consuming. Someone finally came along and invented this kitchen tool, and my life hasn't been the same since. It's cheap and cuts all of your vegetables and spices into nice little pieces, while keeping everything all in one place.
9. Clip on Pasta Strainer
lisaclarke on Flickr
Yes, there are indeed two pasta-themed items on this list because the Italian in me can't stress enough how amazing pasta is. This neat kitchen tool completely eliminates the need to take out a strainer. In fact, this handy tool clips onto the side of the pot, collects all of your precious pasta and then drains the water out.
10. Avocado Slicer
I hope out of all 10 of these tools you found something that'll make your life easier. I own quite a few of these, and they've saved so much time and energy, especially on major holidays.