The Best Single-Use Kitchen Tools, According to Eater Staff

Chopping garlic is the bane of my existence, but as someone who cooks a lot of Indian food, it is a necessity. And sorry, I’m not a jarlic girlie. So this Christmas present has already gotten a lot of use in my household. It minces garlic and ginger quickly, it’s easy to clean, and the ratchet crank gives you great control over just how finely you want things chopped. Also, it’s fun to use, which should absolutely be how you judge unitaskers. — Jaya Saxena, correspondent

Spaetzle is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, and I used to love watching the little dumplings fall into the boiling water as a kid. This bundle gives you everything you need to make the egg-based pasta, including the noodle-maker and spider strainer. If you have never tried making spaetzle at home, the device is a great gateway unitasker for getting kids excited about cooking. — Francky Knapp, commerce writer

I like to think that I’m not that picky about coffee, but that’s probably because I always try to make sure it’s freshly ground. Maybe it’s all in my imagination, but I just feel like even the stalest or most mid-quality beans taste infinitely better when they’re ground on the spot. I have longstanding fealty to Bodum, because it really delivers on cool, minimalist Nordic design at an affordable price point. The brand’s grinder comes in a few color options (including a color-popping blood orange shade), and I also appreciate the no-slip grip effect of the textured sides. — FK

I’m into special drinks, be it a fancy little cocktail or Fee Brothers bitters (of any sort) with tonic. So tea, as you can imagine, is one of my favorite drinks. Yet for far too long I had been using those fill-your-own tea bags, which have about as much appeal as putting a wad of toilet paper in your piping hot mug. Behold the tea strainer, many of which are under $10. Skip the ones with the handles that open like JAWS: Those are also too much trouble and don’t deliver. Instead, go for the kind that hang over the side of your cup. They’re easier to use and easier to clean up, and are perfect for an individual cup of tea — when you’re not going all out, gongfu style. — Melissa McCart, lead editor, Eater Northeast

A funnel is one of those items I used to try and MacGyver with butcher paper — and sometimes, that trick works — but it sure is a godsend to have a dishwasher-safe, stainless steel funnel on-hand for sauces, grains, and all the lovely drippings from turkey roasting pan that I want to save. I’m also not the most coordinated person, so using a funnel to transfer olive oil into my aesthetic olive oil dispenser is key to avoid making a mess. — FK

I have always been a fan of beautiful olive oil and vinegar dispensers, but I recently fell in love with the way Mallorcan glass vessels present the liquid gold. Some olive oil purists may prefer to store their EVOO in a UV light-proof container, but for those of us ripping through olive oil on the daily, a charming little dispenser such as this is clutch. Most of all, I appreciate the lip around the spout for catching drips. — FK

For a long time, I didn’t really understand the point of a cake tester. After all, toothpicks (and forks) exist and largely serve the same purpose. Then I got a cake tester and saw how it was far superior — the holes left by a toothpick are way too large to risk on any cake where appearance is important, and the cake tester tends to come out much more cleanly and clearly in terms of done-ness. What really sealed the deal was when I misplaced my cake tester — every time I baked, I found myself itching to grab it and upset that I wasn’t able to find it. When I found one in the office giveaway box a while later, I quite literally jumped for joy. Plus, I hear cake testers are just as great for testing the done-ness of meat and fish, too. — Stephanie Wu, editor in chief