9 Kitchen Tools That Will Cut Prep And Cleanup Time In Half
Let's face it: As fun and beneficial as cooking at home can be, cleanup is, well, a chore. Fortunately, we did a little digging and discovered an assortment of clever kitchen utensils that can help cut your prep and cleanup time in half. From clip-on colanders to cutting boards with built-in storage containers and more, here are nine cooking tools that will make prepping meals and post-prep cleanup a breeze.
1. Kitchen Gizmo Snap N Strain Strainer, $12.99
Amazon
Stuck with little to no storage room in your small kitchen? No worries. This clip-on silicone colander is designed to fit almost any size of pot, pan, or mixing bowl — so you can strain your foodstuff without devoting an entire cabinet to a full-sized strainer.
2. OXO Good Grips 7-Piece Spiralize Grate and Slice Set, $19.95
Sur la Table
Sure, fancy graters and spiralizers are great to have, but cleaning them can be tricky. This handy grating and slicing set comes with a mini slicer, medium grater, coarse grater, and measuring cup in one compact storage container, so you can slice, dice, and spiralize to your heart's content with minimal mess and clean-up.
3. Bin 8 Multi Kitchen Tool, $12.99
Amazon
Why waste valuable kitchen storage space on a slew of random kitchen tools when you can buy a single, multifunctional utensil instead? This clever 8-in-1 gadget features everything from an egg separator to a cheese grater to a lemon squeezer, that simply stack on top of one another in a bottle-shaped measuring cup when not in use.
4. Szresm 2-in-1 Clever Food Chopper, $22.99
Amazon
Looking for a utensil that saves time, energy, and space in your kitchen? Designed with a stainless-steel knife and a detachable mini cutting board, these multifunctional kitchen scissors allow you to safely chop, cut, and slice fruit, meat, cheese and veggies with one hand — and hardly any cleanup afterwards.
5. VSADEY Collapsible Cutting Board Dish Tub, $16.98
Amazon
The only thing better than a good cutting board is one that moonlights as a dish tub. This savvy dish tub boasts a built-in drain plug for easy straining, and folds down into a condensed cutting board for simplified cleaning and storage.
6. RMDLO Collapsible Strainer and Steamer, $29.95
The Grommet
Looking for a colander that won't take up half a rack in your dishwasher? This collapsible contraption is designed with metal leaves that fan out to form a rounded strainer or steamer, and folds down to a tenth of its size when not in use.
7. Vannyster Bamboo Cutting Board with Containers, $55.99
Amazon
A cutting board with built-in storage drawers can be a game-changer for your kitchen. This natural bamboo board features four plastic sliding drawers that allow you to quickly store meats, cheeses, and veggies after chopping them — no messy kitchen countertop or storage containers necessary.
8. Freshlink 7-in-1 Multifunction Fruit and Vegetable Tool Set in Green, $24.99
Bed Bath & Beyond
Finding (and washing) a slew of cooking utensils in a pinch is no easy feat. This genius multipurpose gadget has everything you need to prep fruits and veggies, including a slicer, grinder, grater, peeler, juicer, and more, in one stylish pocket-knife style package.
9. Chop 2 Pot Cutting Board, $16
MoMA Design Store
A multifunctional cutting board can save you space and cleanup time. This stylish board lays flat whenever you want to slice, chop, and dice up fruits, veggies, and meats on the fly, and then folds up into a convenient scoop so can quickly transfer any ingredients to a pot or pan without them ever touching your countertop.