The best cheap kitchen gadgets in 2023

 The best kitchen gadgets make certain cooking tasks easier without taking over your drawers. What’s more, some of the most useful ones won’t break the bank. All the recommendations on this list are either products I use currently, or more affordable versions of something I decided to splurge on after years of cooking. Not every kitchen tool on here essential, but they’re all things I’ve come to appreciate when I need to get dinner on the table quickly.

Quick Overview

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  Victorinox Swiss Classic Honing Steel

  $28 at Amazon
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  Lavatools PT12 Javelin Digital Instant Read Thermometer

  $27 at Amazon
• 

  OXO Good Grips Food Scale

  $56 at Amazon
• 

  Prepworks by Progressive Magnetic Measuring Spoons

  $22 at Amazon
• 

  Microplane Professional Series Grater

  $22 at Amazon

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Victorinox Honing Steel

Victorinox Swiss Classic Honing Steel

Victorinox's 10-inch Swiss Classic Honing Steel comes with a comfortable handle that makes mastering the motion of honing a knife easy.

$28 at Amazon

Whether you're dicing vegetables on a cutting board or slicing kernels off of a corn cob, there are few things worse than cooking with a dull chef’s knife. It’s unsafe and a waste of time. You need a way to maintain your blades, and a good place to start is with a honing steel. Contrary to popular belief, a honing steel won’t sharpen your knives; what it will do is realign the blade. With consistent use of one, you can get away with actually sharpening your blades once every six months to a year. Almost any model will do the job, but for an affordable option, consider the 10-inch Swiss Classic Honing Steel from Victorinox. It comes with a comfortable handle that makes mastering the motion of honing a knife easy. Best of all, it costs less than $30.

Lavatools Javelin

Lavatools PT12 Javelin Digital Instant Read Thermometer

Lavatool's thermometer may not be the fastest on the market, but it’s accurate to within a single degree Fahrenheit. The Javelin is also magnetic, so you can stick it on your fridge or knife holder for easy storage.

$27 at Amazon

If you cook meat, you need to get yourself an instant-read thermometer. It will take all the guesswork out of braising, searing and roasting animal protein, making those dishes safer to eat and more delicious.

There are plenty of affordable instant-read thermometers out there, but I like the $27 Lavatools Javelin. It’s not the fastest thermometer on the market – taking about four to five seconds to deliver a temperature reading – but it’s accurate to within a single degree Fahrenheit. The Javelin is also magnetic, so you can stick it on your fridge or knife holder for easy storage. Best of all, the casing is IP65-certified against water and features an antimicrobial coating Lavatools claims will inhibit 99.9 percent of pathogen growth. Oh, and you can buy the Javelin in nine different colors, including a cheerful “Wasabi” green hue.