Kitchen and Bath

Counter Culture

Cheap Kitchen Tools

There are lots of fancy gizmos for your kitchen out there but, generally, it’s the little things that most of us rely on from day to day that keep dinner on track. Here’s a selection of kitchen helpers from the dollar store that fit that description and are fun as well as useful. 

Silicone can take the heat, up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s 260 degrees Celsius for the Canucks among us, which is why it’s become popular in the kitchen. And whatever becomes popular will eventually find its way into dollar stores in some form or another. Pictured is a silicone potholder, which also serves as a trivet or a jar opener, an assortment of spatulas (minis sold in sets of two), a set of three pinch bowls, a mini muffin pan and a spoon rest. 

If we must scrub peel and cut, we might as well have some fun with it. Hence the carrot vegetable peeler, the spud potato scrubber and wavy chopper with potato grip. I’ve been using my carrot vegetable peeler for several months now and can attest to the fact that it works as well as any I have ever had. 

One vegetable scrubber is as good as another. The only limitation this one has is that it should not be put in the dishwasher, the reason being that the glue holding the bristles to the handle won’t take the heat. The wavy knife is a new addition. I tried it out on a carrot and it sliced through that veggie quite easily. The package states that it’s not dishwasher safe either. 

One of these things just doesn’t belong here. One of these things just isn’t the same. That’s an electronic kitchen timer sitting there among the faux veggies. It’s easy to use and can be sat on the counter, attached to the stove by way of a magnet or clipped to your apron pocket so you can check the laundry without fear of burning the chocolate chip cookies. It runs on a replaceable button battery.