15 of Amazon’s most unique kitchen gadgets that actually work — and they’re all under $30

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There’s no doubt that 2020 included spending more time in your kitchen than ever thanks to stay-at-home orders. And with new food trends dropping almost daily — think sourdough and banana bread-making to whipped coffee — there’s a chance you tested out some new recipes at home over the last year.

If you want to be more efficient when cooking, one of the best places to look is Amazon’s under-the-radar unique cooking gadgets section.

Not only is this section filled with some kitschy, almost too-weird-to-use tools, but these gadgets can actually be useful despite their somewhat adorable or odd looks. (Yes, there’s a chick-inspired egg separator and a set of pulled pork shredder claws).

These tools will definitely remind you of something you’d see on an infomercial, but they all have hundreds to thousands of customer reviews to back up how well they work.

Below are some of the most unique kitchen gadgets from Amazon that should be on your radar. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they are all less than $30 right now.

1. Kitchen Gizmo Snap N Strain Colander, $15.99 (Orig. $29.99)

Credit: Amazon
  • Number of Reviews: 10,704
  • Top Feature: This colander snaps onto any pot for easy straining. It can replace a traditional strainer, which is great if you’re tight on space.

2. BUTEFO 8-in-1 Kitchen Tool Bottle, $12.99 (Orig. $15.99)

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  • Number of Reviews: 471
  • Top Feature: This stackable, space-saving gadget eliminates the need for eight different kitchen tools cluttering a drawer.

3. Zulay Premium Quality Knife Sharpener, $12.99

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  • Number of Reviews: 3,555
  • Top Feature: This countertop sharpener works after just one swipe, and you can use it for knives and scissors.

4. Jenaluca Herb Scissors with 5 Blades, $15.99 (Orig. $21.97)

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  • Number of Reviews: 2,603
  • Top Feature: Finely chopping herbs can be a time-consuming task. Luckily, just one cut with these five-blade scissors equals 10 knife chops.

5. OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, $9.99

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  • Number of Reviews: 19,431
  • Top Feature: With this one tool, you can precisely split, pit and slice any size avocado.

6. Al Dente The Singing Floating Pasta Timer, $24.97

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  • Number of Reviews: 127
  • Top Feature: Drop this timer in your boiling pasta water, and it will sing four different tunes after three, seven, nine and 11 minutes.

7. Sparrow Decor Mason Jar Measuring Cups Set, $15 (Orig. $19.99)

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  • Number of Reviews: 1,136
  • Top Feature: If you’re going for “country kitchen” vibes, this measuring cup set will fit right in. It’s perfect for measuring dry ingredients and includes sizes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 cup.

8. Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker, $24.99 (Orig. $29.99)

  • Number of Reviews: 15,359
  • Top Feature: Customize a sandwich for breakfast or lunch in just minutes with this sandwich maker. And for an easy cleanup, all of the appliance’s removable parts are dishwasher-safe.

9. Starfrit Electric Rotato Express, $25.49

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  • Number of Reviews: 8,793
  • Top Feature: Never peel a potato by hand again. With this genius machine, you won’t waste any of the food you’re peeling. It peels just the right amount of skin off cucumbers, zucchinis, eggplants, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, apples, onions and more.

10. Whisk Wiper, $16.95

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  • Number of Reviews: 672
  • Top Feature: Now you can finally clean any whisk thoroughly thanks to this small, but mighty tool. Plus, it works to help add any excess batter or dough back to the bowl so you’re not wasting a single drop.

11. Beauty and the Beast Burned Wooden Spoons Utensils Set, $14.99

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  • Number of Reviews: 5,792
  • Top Feature: Not only does this spoon set come in 13 different designs including other Disney patterns, but it also includes all of the basic cooking utensils you’ll need for any recipe.

12. Zoie + Chloe 3-Piece Dough Press Set, $8.49

Credit: Amazon
  • Number of Reviews: 5,029
  • Top Feature: Make homemade dumplings, empanadas, pierogis and more with this three-in-one tool that comes in three different sizes. It cuts out the perfect dough circle, folds the dough and creates a crimped edge for a professional look.

13. Gorilla Grip Original Oversized Cutting Board, $22.99 (Orig. $39.99)

Credit: Amazon
  • Number of Reviews: 26,000
  • Top Feature: Not only does this set include three different size boards, but because the boards are made with nonporous material, they won’t crack or splinter. Plus, they’re safe to put in the dishwasher.

14. Clever Tongs 2-in-1 Kitchen Spatula & Tongs, $8.81 (Orig. $9.99)

Credit: Amazon
  • Number of Reviews: 1,469
  • Top Feature: Say goodbye to your traditional tongs. This pair acts as tongs and a spatula in one. It easily flips, cradles, grabs, grills, serves or scoops basically anything you’re cooking, from pancakes to tacos.

15. JTX Kitchen Timer, $13.99

Credit: Amazon
  • Number of Reviews: 351
  • Top Feature: If you’re a fan of baking, this 60-minute kitchen timer is the perfect nod to the ultimate baking tool: the stand mixer.

If you liked this story, read about the best cleaning supplies on Amazon that actually work.

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