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It's worth investing in essentials like the best cookware sets or pricy appliances like the best air fryer, but not all things need to be from luxury brands. Plenty of kitchen tools are under $10 and will serve you well, from making cocktails to preparing avocados. Essentially, we recommend splurging on nice bottle of wine, but getting the best wine opener on a budget.
We rounded up 16 small kitchen gadgets and multi-purpose tools that make it easier to work in the kitchen. And, if you need a replacement pan while you're at it, check out our collection of the best budget cookware tested by Insider Reviews.
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A muddler for perfect cocktails Hiware Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler A stainless steel muddler with a nylon head brings out the flavors of citrus, herbs, and spices. This set also includes a swizzle spoon, so you can stir drinks like a professional.- Staff Pick
A uniquely shaped spatula Rachel Ray Nylon Fish Turners A fish spatula is not just for fish –you can use it for eggs, stir fries, and burgers. The triangular shape means it can get fully under food and still is easy to maneuver. 
A tool to stop water from boiling over Tovolo Farm Animal-Themed Pot Lid Lifts These silicone farm animals raise lids slightly off of pots and pans, which allows steam to escape, and reduces the chance of anything boiling over.
A scraper for sticky doughs Amazon Basics Multi-Purpose Stainless Steel Scraper/Chopper A simple bench scraper is a great multi-purpose kitchen tool. I use mine to manage sticky bread dough, smooth icing, and cut up logs of cookie dough.
A set of reusable cupcake liners Amazon Basics Reusable Silicone Baking Cups With reusable baking cups, you'll always be cupcake-ready. Plus, this set is dishwasher safe and is stable enough to be used on a cookie sheet, even without a muffin tin.
A durable peeler OXO Good Grips Prep Y-Peeler A sharp peeler will save you time and effort during food prep. OXO has a peeler for every style cut or slice you could dream of.
A tool for cutting shapes out of dough Norpro Pastry and Ravioli Wheel This ravioli wheel lets you cut pasta shapes quickly and easily. You can also use it for pie crusts and plenty of other pastries.- Staff Pick
An essential corkscrew Truetap Double-Hinged Corkscrew Insider's favorite budget wine opener is a must have for any kitchen. The TrueTap corkscrew has a bottle opener, foil cutter, and an easy-to-use double hinged corkscrew. 
An oven thermometer defull Oven Thermometer If you have an old oven, you may be surprised how far off the internal thermostat is. An oven thermometer is a cheap way to make sure you're cooking at the temps you want to be cooking at.
A whisk for making gravies OXO Good Grips Flat Whisk I love a flat whisk for making gravies or rouxs because it's suited to using inside a pan while you're cooking. The flat shape means optimal mixing and limited mess.
An herb stripper Chef'N Looseleaf Plus Herb Stripper An herb stripper speeds up the prep process of fresh herbs – just pull the herb through one of the holes to strip the leaves. This also works for kale and other greens with a tough stem.
A 3-in-1 avocado prepper Cuisinart Avocado Prep Tool Easily remove the pit from every avocado with this stainless steel blade, and then cut perfect slices with the fanned blade end.
A patterned pot holder Lodge Hot Handle Holders These clever pot holders from Lodge make handling your cast iron skillets a lot less perilous — and the bandana design is super cute too.
A tea infuser with surprising versatility Sur la table Mesh-ball Tea Infuser A tea ball infuser can be used for more than just brewing your favorite loof leaf. You can also use it to hold spices when mulling wine or infusing a rich sauce.- Staff Pick
A hand-held frother Zulay Milk Frother You can use the Zulay frother to whisk a matcha latte or blend a protein shake, and it takes up less space than a standing foamer. 
A reusable honey jar CB2 Swarm Glass Honey Pot This sweet glass jar comes with a beechwood honey dipper, so you can drizzle over toast and into tea without dirtying a spoon.
Lily Alig Editor, Home and Kitchen
Lily Alig is an editor on the Insider Reviews team, covering the home and kitchen verticals. She helps run the kitchen section, working with in-house and freelance writers to build out coverage of small appliances, kitchen tools, and gourmet food. Since joining Insider as a fellow in August 2020, Lily spent a year and a half as a full-time reporter before becoming an editor. As a writer, she spoke with independent spice houses and professional chefs, as well as tested products by making 50 waffles in one day and searing 7 steaks in a week. In her role as editor, Lily tracks stories from pitch to publish, maintains the kitchen publishing calendar, and edits every story for copy and content. Lily is an avid home cook and baker, so she knows what consumers are looking for in kitchenware products. After work, you can find her watching sports, reading fantasy novels, and finding new recipes to try. Reach out to Lily at lalig@businessinsider.com. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products. Read more Read less
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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