5 Kitchen gadgets that make vegan cooking easier

If kitchen gadgets are your thing, you may already have the following kitchen tools on hand. However, if you’re looking for essential kitchen gadgets that make vegan cooking easier, head to your nearest kitchen store and pick these up. You can also order all five of these kitchen gadgets on Amazon.com.
If kitchen gadgets are your thing, you may already have the following kitchen tools on hand. However, if you’re looking for essential kitchen gadgets that make vegan cooking easier, head to your nearest kitchen store and pick these up. You can also order all five of these kitchen gadgets on Amazon.com.

5 Kitchen gadgets that make vegan cooking easier

1. Citrus zester 

My favorite citrus zester is the comfy-handled choice from OXO ($8). Citrus zesters remove only the colorful, flavorful, oil-rich peel of citrus fruit, leaving the bitter white pith behind. Adding citrus zest to your recipes results in a bolder, brighter citrus flavor compared to just adding the juice. Some zesters, including the OXO model, have a feature that allows you to make eye-catching zest twists to garnish food and drinks.

2. Melon baller

There is no other way to create perfect little melon balls than by using a melon baller. I have an affinity for Calphalon’s Easy Release Melon Baller ($9) for two reasons: it lets you make two different sizes of melon balls and it is designed so the melon balls don’t stick to the baller once they’ve been scooped. Melon balls are fun to include in fruit salads or as garnish for savory meals and sweet desserts.

3. Garlic press

Though I am a fan of using my kitchen knives for every slice, chop, and mince task, a garlic press comes in particularly handy when you don’t want to mess up a cutting board or need a lot of finely chopped garlic. The Trudeau Garlic Press ($12) gets two thumbs up because it not only feels good in your hand, you can reverse the press so it easily cleans itself. No need to use a small brush to get garlic particles out of the small holes.

4. Mandoline

Mandolines are another short-cut kitchen gadget that makes slicing a breeze. Progressive International’s Folding Mandoline Slicer ($18) features six different cutting options, a non-skid base, and grooves on the bottom so it fits over a bowl. You can make uniformly cut, sliced, or julienned veggies and fruit. Bonus: The mandoline is dishwasher safe, making clean up a snap.

5. Oil mister

I’ve had my Misto Olive Oil Sprayer ($10) for years and use it daily. Fill mister with your favorite cooking oil and use it to oil cookware for nonstick cooking, spray vegetables before cooking, and mist salads before serving. I prefer an oil mister over a can of aerosol nonstick cooking spray anyday.

More helpful vegan lifestyle tips!