There’s no shortage of multi-purpose kitchen gadgets promising to revolutionise your home cooking. What you might not know is that many of them end up messy failures or dust-gatherers at the back of your kitchen shelves. But that’s not to say that every kitchen gadget is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s all too tempting to believe the hype and invest heavily in the near-legendary banana slicer to change up your kitchen routine. Okay, it really isn’t. There’s an enormous quantity of kitchen gadgets that fulfil the most arbitrary of uses and quickly become kitchen clutter. However, several gadgets can genuinely make your food preparation easier, quicker and a lot more fun without wasting your money. Here are the gadgets that should make the chore of producing food into a fun and enjoyable culinary adventure. Sick of burning all your cookies and roasts? It’s time to invest in a nice lil’ kitchen timer. We’re the first people to stick something in the oven, then jump on Netflix and totally forget about it, so if you set this baby before leaving the kitchen, it’ll ring when you’re dinner is ready. Bonus points for being made of magnets so you can stick it up on the fridge (that way, it’ll never go missing). Where to buy: eBay ($18. 99) While many people tend to just eye up their ratios and ingredients, it’s common knowledge that if you want to begin your foray into baking, then you’ll need a scale to tell you the appropriate measurements. You’d hate for those cupcakes to fall flat in the oven, right?! This cheap (but efficient) one gives you the option of measuring in ounces, grams, millilitres and more. How’s that for a bargain win? Where to buy: eBay ($15. 99) You can spend a lot of money on a food processor, but even the more affordable models can usually do an excellent job. The Sunbeam MultiProcessor features a 1. 75-litre bowl capacity for liquids and a 1. 5 litre capacity for solids such as dough, and an 850W motor with five speeds and a pulse function for your more direct slicing and blending jobs. It’s also designed and engineered in Australia if you’re looking to shop local. Where to buy: Amazon ($119, usually $129), The Good Guys ($129), eBay ($154 with code ‘HOMEFY’) You can make everything from tomato sauce to pavlova in a slow cooker, but why stop with simple slow heat application? The Philips All In One covers the bases of slow cooking and pressure cooking with seven modes of operation, searing functions and a hard ceramic bowl to keep it going for years (and meals) to come. Where to buy: Amazon ($174, usually $249), Myer ($199. 20, usually $249) A good set of knives is an absolute kitchen must unless you plan on serving entire sides of meat and uncut vegetables to your family and friends. You can buy much cheaper sets than this, but you typically get what you pay for, and a top-quality set of knives can literally last a lifetime. Where to buy: Amazon ($496. 46) While we’re on the subject of knives, there’s no point investing in a good knife set if you don’t have a knife sharpener to keep them in tip-top shape. This two -stage sharpener will get even your bluntest knives back into slicing and dicing. Where to buy: Amazon ($6. 95), eBay ($19. 99) No, it’s not just for cheese. Although, mmm… cheese. But still, a good grater is an essential kitchen gadget for preparing fine quantities of all sorts of ingredients. This isn’t a low-cost grater, but it’s backed by a solid warranty and reviews indicate that it’s extremely sharp – so be careful with your fingers! Where to buy: eBay ($50. 49) A good wok opens up a world of cooking adventures that you just can’t get quite right with a conventional frypan. If you’re a beginner, the Souped Up Recipes Carbon Steel Wok could be a good choice, with an included instructional video to take you through properly seasoning and caring for your new Wok so it’ll last you for years of tasty meals. Where to buy: Amazon ($65. 99) Properly and safely cooking meat isn’t just a matter of how well done someone might want their steak – it’s an important health and safety issue. A meat thermometer is a quick and easy way to assess the internal temperature of your BBQ steaks, oven chooks or any other cooked material, making it easier to provide healthy and tasty meals without having to intrusively cut into the meat to check. Where to buy: eBay ($32. 48 with code ‘AFTERPAY10’), Amazon ($34. 99) Honestly, believe the hype. A new air fryer will become your number one go-to in the kitchen, cooking everything from chippies to a roast chicken to crispy perfection without all the oil. You don’t have to spend all your money either, we love the oven-style ones like this one that fries, r oasts, bakes and grills. Where to buy: eBay ($235 with code ‘HOMEFY’), Amazon ($239, usually $349) Not only do these handy silicone lids turn just about anything into a food container, but they’re also reusable so Mother Earth will thank you for giving up the cling wrap. This pack of 13 comes in round and rectangular shapes and a bunch of different sizes. Where to buy: eBay ($17. 99 using code ‘AFTERPAY10’), Amazon ($48. 85) Stick blenders might actually be heaven-sent. You don’t have to do that tricky dance of pouring things from the pot to the blender, just shover your stick blender in and away you go. Where to buy: eBay ($29. 99 with code AFTERPAY10), Amazon ($35. 99) Editor’s note: Descriptions and features are as taken from manufacturer/seller claims on Amazon. This post has been updated since its original publication. .