15 Kitchen Finds That Make Weeknight Dinners Faster, Easier, and Less Stressful

When it comes to cooking during the week, the dull knife and the pan that needs scrubbing are part of the misery. The colander is precariously balanced in the sink. Most of the issues with cooking can be fixed, usually pretty easily.

The 15 products in this article help take a little of the stress off the 6 p.m. scramble. Garlic tools, improved containers, and one genius cutting board are what help take the stress off cooking. Nothing will make cooking a passion, but it can make Tuesday tolerable.

1. A Rocking Garlic Press That Minces in Half the Time

Vantic Garlic Press RockerSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Most people lack the grip strength to use traditional presses at 6 pm on a Tuesday. That’s why this one is different. The stainless-steel rocking mechanism uses an arc motion and crushes the claw inside with a back-and-forth motion (think smaller mezzaluna), so rather than squeezing a hinge, you are using all your body weight to crush the garlic. The rinse is also easier because you won’t need to wash the curved surface as a garlic collection container. The top silicone grip and bottom food-grade steel are rust-free. There is a brushing cleaning, scraping, and silicone tubing peeling accessory included in the set. It’s dishwasher safe and has a small footprint. It’s an upgrade you won’t regret if your current press is an artifact from your college days.

2. An Onion Slicer That Keeps Your Eyes Tear-Free

ZOKXOIY Premium Onion SlicerSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

A kitchen tool that can make working with onions a little easier is this onion slicer. It can be used with tomatoes, avocados, hard boiled eggs, and more. The stainless steel prongs hold the item(s) in place while you make even cuts. Your fingers will be kept safe and out of the way at all times. The handle is designed to be more comfortable to use and prevent cramping. There is a cover to protect the prongs as they can be a hazard in drawers. It works on potatoes, kiwi, lemons, and meats too! If you find using knives in the kitchen stressful, this tool will really help!

3. Tongs That Hold Lemons and Tomatoes Steady While You Slice

Lemon Tomato Food TongsSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

The cherry tomato can often lead to chaos on the cutting board. The annoying little fruits can make you lose a fingertip just to catch them. This simple yet effective tool grips these slippery tomatoes (and other things) so that you can slice them easily. It has vertical slots that allow you to slide a knife through to slice them. Every time you use this tool you’ll save yourself from having to squish juice from the tomatoes all over. This tool can also be used for other things like olives, small fruits, cheese balls and anything that is small and rolls easily. Overall, it’s a simple little tool that can save a lot of time during salad prep.

4. Ten Stainless Prongs That Grip Onions, Tomatoes, and Avocados Steady

304 Stainless Steel Needle (1 Pieces)See price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Ten steel prongs, one handle, no more excuses for uneven onion rings. The purpose is simple: stab the veg, the prongs hold it, and a knife glides between the tines. No fingers are in danger. The 304 stainless steel will not rust after a few washes, and you will definitely toss this in with the cutlery. It does not crush tomatoes, it halves boiled eggs without ruining the yolk, it makes lemon wheels that actually look like wheels. The handle has a nice weight. Not flimsy, not heavy. Just enough to feel like a real tool, not a promo from the checkout line.

5. A Magnetic Cheat Sheet That Decodes Your Instant Pot in Seconds

Instant Pot Magnetic Cheat Sheet MagnetSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

If you own an Instant Pot, you know the struggle: what are the cooking times again? *30 seconds* … *I think the beans take 35. I’ll Google it.* Well, now you don’t have to! This chart is 7×6 inches and has over 100 entries across 6 different categories. It includes liquid ratios, cooking and pressure time for each food, and steam release time. All of the details are printed in large enough font so you can read them from across the counter. The tear-resistant plastic is splatter-proof AND you can stick it to the fridge or hang it up…. whatever is easier for you. There are extra notes for cooking at high altitudes, or if you’re vegan or gluten-free. Little things like this can be the difference between a successful weeknight dinner and a disaster. This is the information you need! No more searching for it.

6. Melissa Clark’s One-Pan Cookbook That Makes Weeknight Dinners Doable

Dinner in One: Exceptional & Easy OneSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

As a longtime food journalist for The New York Times, Melissa Clark knows the pain of seeing a pile of dishes waiting to be washed after cooking dinner. That explains why she’s come out with a book of recipes designed to be made using just one of a couple cooking tools, whether that be a sheet pan, a skillet, a Dutch oven, or using a sheet of foil. Think of recipes like crispy gnocchi with sausage, salmon, potatoes, and capers, and chicken with caramelized lemons. The spiral binding is an underappreciated detail: It allows the book to lie flat on the counter without propping it up, avoiding greasy fingerprints on a paperback spine. Clark’s recipes are practical for weeknight dinners without going too far into the beige category, and her headnotes are conversational enough that you can imagine a friend explaining to you that she substituted the rosemary for thyme. This book is great for both beginners and seasoned cooks.

7. Six Interchangeable Blades That Slice, Grate, and Spiralize in One Tool

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for KitchenSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

There are six interchangeable stainless steel blades, a safety glove, and a 5- cup catch tray that will – let ‘s face it – do what mandolines do to your fingers. With a single mechanism, blades can be switched out in seconds! You can go from waffle-cut potatoes to julienned carrots to zucchini noodles. Non-slip means this grip goes and stays put. For easy clean-up load this baby in the dishwasher. Most slicers ignore blade groove cleaning. Not this one! It also breaks down flat for easy storage. Anyone trying to be low-carb for a week, a dinner party garnish, or weeknight cooking that calls for uniformly thin slices of cucumber will benefit from this slicer. Don’t forget to wear the glove – it’s a non-negotiable!

8. Five Beveled Blades That Crumble Ground Beef in Seconds

Meat Chopper, Upgrade Hamburger Smasher, Premium HeatSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Using a wooden spoon to brown ground beef is both frustrating and ineffective. Meat sticks together, the spoon scratches, and the texture often ends up uneven. A pinwheel head with five wide, beveled blades solves that problem in about 10 seconds. The nylon construction can handle temps up to 447°F, so you can leave it in a hot skillet without warping or scratching your non-stick. Just press, twist, and repeat. It works for ground turkey, sausage, and even potatoes if you want to mash them. The ergonomic handle does the wrist work for you, and that really matters when you are breaking up a pound of beef for taco night. It’s also dishwasher safe, BPA-free, and the aqua color makes it easy to spot in the utensil drawer.

9. Exceptional Sheet-Pan Recipes That Dirty Exactly One Dish

Dinner in One: Exceptional & Easy OneSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Melissa Clark has a new cookbook, and, frankly, I’m here for it. One pan. Dinner. That’s all I need to know about it. She divides the book by main ingredient— chicken, beef, fish, veggies, grains— so the decision tree starts with whatever is in the fridge. The skillet section alone is worth the shelf space: harissa chicken with chickpeas, crispy gnocchi with sausage, and a shrimp recipe that simmers the shrimp right on top of the shrimp. The pictures are clean and helpful and not intimidatingly styled. Each recipe tells you the size and material of the pan you should use, which is helpful until you ruin a fond because you grabbed the wrong skillet. It’s good for weeknights, weeknight-adjacent dinner parties, and for what I specifically call “the category of cooks who want to do fewer dishes but also want to actually have flavor in their meal.”

10. An All-in-One Chopper With 12 Blades and a Catch Container

12 Blade AllSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Onion tears are a real thing, this 12-blade system is a way to skip them completely. The kit features blades made from interlocking stainless steel that slices, dices, juliennes, and spiralizes, all landing in a container that holds 1.7L with a non-slip rubber base so the whole thing doesn’t slide around the counter when you chop. The blades snap into place with an audible click. In under three seconds, cucumber discs are ready. Carrots, peppers, and tomatoes are prepared without the mess of a cutting board spread. The body is made of ABS plastic that’s BPA-free and the blades are sharp enough to justify the finger guard that comes with it. Everything is dishwasher safe. Meal prep just got easier!

11. A Two-Handled Twist Tool That Shreds Chicken in Seconds

Chicken ShredderSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Shredding chicken with two forks takes forever and can get really annoying. This new BPA-free plastic tool can do it in four seconds: just place your cooked chicken (or pork shoulder, or brisket) between the two discs, and twist the handles. You’re done! The best part? You can see the chicken through the clear plastic. This means you can keep the lid closed to avoid any mess, and still peep to see whether the meat is shredded to your liking or still in chunks. Plus, the handles are designed so that the base won’t slip while you twist it. It might seem small, but this is really useful for taco night or for anyone who makes a lot of pulled pork.

12. A Glass Oil Sprayer That Mists or Pours on Command

TrendPlain 16oz/470ml Glass Olive Oil SprayerSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

When pouring olive oil straight from the bottle, a greasy puddle tends to happen because you never know how much is going to come out. The good news is this glass dispenser helps solve that issue by having 2 different ways to pour. You can do a fine mist spray to give an even coating to your air fryer baskets, salads, etc. Or you can do a stream pour for sautéing. Each spray is about 0.15 grams which is helpful when tracking your intake or when you just don’t want your roasted veggies to be soggy. You will not have to refill the bottle often because the glass is also heat resistant and is BPA free. It holds up to 16 ounces. Black hardware, clear body. It looks like something you’d actually leave on the counter instead of hiding it in a cabinet. The weight feels substantial in hand, not flimsy. A small upgrade with real payoff at dinner.

13. Magnetic Stackable Measuring Spoons That Nest Into One Tidy Stack

ChefAide Pack of 8 Stainless Steel MagneticSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

Tangled measuring spoons in a drawer are annoying. Those annoying days are over. These dual sided stainless steel spoons snap together with a magnet, so you can grab the half teaspoon without detaching the entire set. One end sits flush and has a narrow oval exit that will fit inside a spice jar, allowing you to avoid the dilemma of shaking cumin onto the counter. And the other end is round and meant for liquid measuring. Each spoon also has a leveler and metric measurements stamped in, making the spoon last years of dishwasher cycles, unlike the rub-off markings. These spoons are a solid weight, no flex, and are worth the space in a drawer.

14. 8 Interchangeable Blades That Replace Half Your Knife Drawer

Mueller ProSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

The product features eight blades, two chopper sizes with small and large dice, and six inserts that are interchangeable for slicing, julienning, grating, or shredding. The only thing you need to do is push down on the stainless steel grid, and in about two seconds, a whole onion will be turned into even cubes. The base snaps into place so you can chop peppers without making a mess on your counter. It has a finger guard, which you will find to be more useful than you think. Since 2013 restaurant kitchens have been noticing the advancements Mueller has made. For anyone who says they would cook more often if prep work didn’t take so long, that excuse has been taken away.

15. Five Curved Blades That Break Down Ground Beef in Seconds

Meat Chopper, 5 Curve Blades Ground BeefSee price on AmazonSee on Amazon →

The standard way of breaking up ground beef with a spatula is a losing battle. The meat clumps together, and you have to chase it all around the pan. This spatula is designed to fix that problem. The five curved bevel blades are set like a pinwheel that slice through a pound of beef in a few twists. It is heat resistant up to 430°F, so you don’t have to worry about it warping while you leave it in a hot skillet while you stir. The handle feels weighted to give you more control and prevents it from slipping in your hand. It can be used for ground turkey, chicken, and sausage, and it won’t scratch your non stick pans. It is dishwasher safe, and this is great to have on a small utensil that needs to earn its drawer space.