These days, there is a bewildering number of kitchen gadgets and utensils out there. While a lot of them may be unnecessary and take up extra space, quite a few of them can make life a lot easier and help prepare food faster. Here are my favorite seven kitchen tools and why I like them.

Bread Maker: Imagine getting up in the morning to the smell of freshly baked bread, ready for you to take out of the machine and slice up for toast or for lunch sandwiches. And all you had to do was load the ingredients the night before, then set the timer.

Automatic Coffee Maker: This goes well with the bread maker. Add coffee grounds and water, set the clock and have coffee waiting for you when you stumble out of bed in the morning. Rise and shine!

Kitchen Knife Set: I used to make do with an old set of mismatched knives given to me without a knife block. Some of the handles were loose, and they had to be stored in a drawer. The new set sits on the counter top. The edges stay sharp longer, and the set contains knives for most needs. More room in the drawer, too.

Plastic Food Containers: With a set of containers for food storage, saving leftovers is much easier. Many have lids with vents, for use in microwaves. Another way to use them is to freeze food for future use. They look better than old margarine and yogurt containers, too.

Hand Held Immersion Blender: Just like the name says, you hold these in your hand and put the business end into pots, mixing bowls or even drink glasses. For small blending jobs, a hand held blender is fast and easy to clean.

Toaster Oven: A quick way to toast sandwiches and smaller items, these little ovens don’t replace a regular kitchen oven. They make great garlic bread and work well for mini pizzas.

Sandwich Grill: I love the way my grilled cheese sandwich comes out with the edge sealed when I use on of these. That way I can use more cheese!

So there you have it, my favorite kitchen gadgets. Before running out and buying all of these items, think it through and make sure you will actually use it. It might end up like that food dehydrator I have stored in the closet, wasting space. Our bread maker, coffee maker, knives and food containers are always being used, while the sandwich grill and toaster oven are a once a week kind of item. In general, they are all a good investment for my kitchen.

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