Question of the Week

So I've been slacking on posting a question each week. Back on the horse though, right?

This week I would like to talk about kitchen gadgets. What can't you live without?

These are my top three must-have kitchen gagdets. Other than the regular spatulas, knives, etc., these are three things I can't live without in the kitchen.

First: the olive oil mister



This thing is great. I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond (follow the link here to the product page) a few years ago, and it's been the best addition to the kitchen. I like it because I don't have to pull out the whole big bottle of olive oil (or vegetable oil, which isn't as good for you anyway) to coat a pan before cooking, and I don't have to use butter, either. You fill it halfway or so with olive oil (by the way, it would work with other oils, lemon juice, etc.), and when you need to use it, you pump air into it, thus creating pressure, and then spray the pan or whatever.

Second: the garlic press



This is actually the same garlic press as the one I have. It has a press for mincing as well as one for slicing. While I've only had occasion to use the slicer function once or twice, I love being able to use fresh garlic for everything I cook. I have never in my adult life purchased a jar of minced garlic. Basically, you just peel the "paper" off of a clove of garlic, put the clove inside the press, and close it. The hammer pushes the garlic through the tiny holes, and then you scrape it off with that black scraper. Mmmm...I can almost smell it now.

Third: scissors

I have two pairs of scissors in my kitchen. The first is a pair of fairly typical kitchen shears.

These are good for myriad uses. The thing I use them for most commonly, perhaps, is slicing green onions. I can't remember the last time I did that with a knife. It is the most inconvenient way to slice green onions, but with a pair of scissors, it's a snap.

The second pair of scissors I have is a basic three-for-ten-dollars pair. I don't use these for cooking/preparing purposes -- they're not built to stand up to it. They are, however, very convenient for opening plastic packages, cutting ties, etc. All those things that you don't want to use your NICE shears on, thus wearing them out faster.

Do you have any must-have gadgets? What are they?