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When I shop at Target or Walmart, I often make unnecessary detours to the kitchen section to check out the latest tools and gadgets. But since I already have limited kitchen storage space, I know that bringing any of those cool gadgets home would only create more clutter!
Instead, I do my best to make do with the kitchen tools I already have, which I’ve found to be mostly a matter of creativity! If you’re willing to think outside the box, you can dream up dozens of ways to use the cooking tools you already have at home.
9 (More) Cheap Alternatives to Kitchen Gadgets
1. Use a Bottle as a Rolling Pin
If you don’t have a rolling pin or yours is out of commission, use a glass bottle instead. They’re both heavy and smooth enough to make short work of any dough.
2. Use a Glass as a Cookie Cutter
Can’t find your cookie cutter? Just use a drinking glass (or mason jar), turn it upside down, dip the rim in a bit of flour, and press. A glass is about the same size as a cookie cutter, and it works well for biscuits too.
3. Use Canned Beans as a Meat Tenderizer
You don’t need a fancy mallet to tenderize meat. You can use a can of beans instead! Wrap some plastic wrap around the bottom of the can first, then pound away. The weight of the beans in the can will help break down the tough muscle fibers in the meat. You’ll have deliciously tender and juicy meat in no time!
4. Use a Funnel as a Cherry Pitter
Even the most avid eaters of cherries don’t need a special cherry pitting tool, because a small funnel does the job just fine! Place the funnel upside-down, put a cherry on the small opening, and push. The pit will stay in place, and you can enjoy your cherries pit-free.
5. Use a Waffle Iron as a Quesadilla Maker
Even though waffle makers seem like a “uni-tasker” kitchen tool, they’re quite versatile! You can use a waffle iron to make delicious quesadillas, paninis, and more. (Check out the post below for even more things you can make in a waffle maker!)
Related: 15 Surprising Foods You Can Make in Your Waffle Maker
6. Use a Slotted Spoon as an Egg Separator
A device that separates egg whites from egg yolks? That’s about as specific as kitchen tools get. But you can do the same thing with a slotted spoon. Place a slotted spoon over a bowl and crack the egg into the spoon. The whites will slide through the slots leaving the yolk behind.
7. Use Tongs as a Citrus Reamer
Use your kitchen tongs to juice lemons and limes! Just cut the fruit in half, clamp it in your tongs, and squeeze over a bowl. The added pressure from the tongs will help get more juice out than squeezing by hand. Just make sure to strain out any pulp or seeds!
8. Use Cookie Cutters as Napkin Rings
Want to impress your dinner guests? Use small cookie cutters as fancy napkin rings! They’ll elevate the look of your table, and they won’t cost you a thing.
9. Use a Pizza Cutter as Herb Shears
I once bought a pair of herb shears that looked like scissors with too many blades, and I don’t think I ever figured out how to use them successfully. (I mainly just gummed up the blades and made a mess of my herbs.) Luckily, a pizza cutter works like a charm here — set your herbs on a cutting board and roll the cutter over them. Simple!
What’s your favorite “alternative” way to use your kitchen tools?
