At home: Kitchen gadgets you didn't know you needed

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If you’re like me, you have a kitchen drawer filled with gadgets that seemed like a good idea when you bought them on impulse. Over the years, they gathered dust because they were too specialized, too hard to use or just plain weird.  

However, not all cooking tools are created equal. Some items you might not even know exist could become the most useful things in your kitchen.  

Here are some handy gadgets that I recently spotted in two Ottawa shops, Kitchenalia and Grace in the Kitchen, with help from the store’s managers. 

 Silicone garlic peeler 

These days, silicone is used to make everything from spatulas and bowl covers to baking mats and slow-cooker liners. It’s flexible, colourful and easy to clean. What’s not to like? 

The latest silicone addition to my kitchen is a little tube about the length of my index finger. Pop an unpeeled garlic clove into it, roll it back and forth on the counter a few times, tip the clove out and voilà—the skin is either completely gone or loose enough to remove easily. You should be able to find one for under $10. 

Microplane and cut-resistant gloves 

Microplanes are like Pokémon: Once you have one of these easy-to-use flat graters, you’ll want to collect them all. 

I started with a zester, which I use constantly. Then I picked up a slightly larger Microplane for grating veggies.  

At Grace in the Kitchen, I couldn’t resist an even larger one, perfect for shredding hard cheese. A metal ridge on the end makes it easy to rest the gadget on top of a bowl and grate horizontally, or you can stand the Microplane on its end to grate vertically. 

If you’re as prone to nicking yourself on sharp surfaces as I am, invest in a good pair of cut-resistant gloves to wear while using Microplanes, mandolines, sharp knives and similar tools. You can find them at most hardware stores, as well as kitchen boutiques. 

Wood fibre cutting boards 

Wood fibre is the latest thing in cutting boards, says Alejandra Maldonado, manager of Kitchenalia in Westboro. Among its many advantages, it’s antibacterial, it resists cuts and stains, it’s made from recycled materials, and you can put it in the dishwasher. And, unlike traditional wooden cutting boards, you don’t need to oil it regularly to prevent cracking. “It’s a good alternative for people who don’t want microplastics,” she explains.  

 Jar and can openers 

Gadgets abound for opening jars. I swear by a plastic doodad called a Jarkey, which you can insert under a tricky lid to lever it upward, breaking the vacuum seal. Again, you can pick one of these up for under $10. 

At Grace in the Kitchen in Kanata, store manager Allison Nicholson draws my attention to Danica’s line of jar grippers in pretty patterns. They’re small squares with easy-on-the-hands cotton on one side and PVC mesh on the other. Just lay them over your stuck lid and twist.  

For people with arthritis and other issues affecting grip, standard can openers can pose a challenge. If you don’t want an electric can opener cluttering up your counter, consider the GoRound easy-open can opener from Joseph Joseph. Unlike manual can openers with small handles that you twist, this one has a large, flat handle that you spin. 

Flat juicer 

Traditional juicers are awkward to store and always seem to take up more room than they merit. The Fluicer, which comes from Australia, folds flat. And, as a bonus for those who have trouble with their grip, you extract juice by squeezing fruit inside the juicer, rather than twisting and pressing down on your lemons and oranges.  

Easy-care cookware 

In the bad old days, non-stick cookware was coated with materials containing PFAS, chemical compounds linked to a host of health problems. Nicholson says newer pans inlaid with non-stick ceramic, such as those made by Zwilling, are a popular, non-PFAS alternative. They work on electric, gas, halogen, induction and ceramic cooktops. 

Similarly, Grace in the Kitchen sells cast-iron pans with enameled interiors, which are easy to clean, don’t rust and don’t require seasoning. 

Swedish dishcloths 

“One of our number one sellers is the Swedish dishcloth,” says Nicholson. Made from a blend of wood cellulose and cotton, these absorbent cloths—not all of which are made in Sweden—are an eco-friendly replacement for paper towels. They can be machine washed many times and, once they’ve reached the end of their useful life, they’re fully compostable. 

Knife sharpener 

If you have top-of-the-line knives, you may be in the market for a premium knife sharpener. Maldonado recommends the rolling knife sharpener made by Edmonton-based Cinq Your Edge. It’s a splurge at $199.99, but it allows you to check the exact angle of your blade, then use a series of grit discs to sharpen it precisely. 

Just for fun 

Sometimes, a gadget is too cute to resist. In that category is the Meow oven pull from Joie. “This one is really nice,” says Maldonado.  

The $9.95 silicone tool is shaped like a curved cat’s paw on a long handle. Hook the paw around a hot oven rack and you can pull it toward you without messing around with oven mitts.