DIY Housewarming Gift - Your Most-Used Kitchen Utensil?

pigpen

tuna squeezer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TUNA-DISC-STRAINER-FRUIT-ETC/dp/B003VV0KA0

cheese slicer..


http://www.amazon.co.uk/iNeibo-Slicer--Stainless-Ergonomic-Perfect/dp/B0142HCV0S/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1455456413&sr=1-5&keywords=cheese+slicer

Dustyblinds

How about a set of measuring spoons? We have about 3 different sets so we don't have to keep cleaning the most popular sizes when baking and cooking.

Islandmaid

Another vote for silicone spatula here, used more than anything else, but do have a massive fondness for micro plane grater, I use it for garlic, ginger, Parmesan, chocolate, nutmeg - all sorts

LameWolf

The gadget I could not manage without is my jar opener. It belonged to Mr LW's grandmother, and I don't think you can get the exact same design now - it has a long handle for the extra leverage needed, with holes to fit the little metal pin thingy in to make it adjustable to fit anything from a bottle to a wide-necked jar (sorry I'm carp at describing things) - but I think there are modern equivalents on the market.

ETA: This is fairly close to mine, the main difference being mine doesn't have the white handle, it's all metal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SWING-A-WAY-JAR-OPENER-COMFORT-ADJUSTABLE-GRIP-USA-/321981961488?hash=item4af79ed510:g:XKUAAOSwUV9Wnvey

theoretica

Has knife sharpener been mentioned?

VfM4meplse

What a brilliant idea for a thread!

JIL wrote: »

So good I have three, £4.99 each and worth every penny.

Me too, but mine came from Poundland, 3 items for £2 range . Having said that one is so well used the handle snapped off when I was stirring a particularly heavy cake mixture

Aside from that, most of my kitchen gadgets are items for life.

Islandmaid wrote: »

but do have a massive fondness for micro plane grater

theoretica wrote: »

Has knife sharpener been mentioned?

Great minds, these were the 2 suggestions I was going to make

Pollycat

LameWolf wrote: »

The gadget I could not manage without is my jar opener. It belonged to Mr LW's grandmother, and I don't think you can get the exact same design now - it has a long handle for the extra leverage needed, with holes to fit the little metal pin thingy in to make it adjustable to fit anything from a bottle to a wide-necked jar (sorry I'm carp at describing things) - but I think there are modern equivalents on the market.

ETA: This is fairly close to mine, the main difference being mine doesn't have the white handle, it's all metal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SWING-A-WAY-JAR-OPENER-COMFORT-ADJUSTABLE-GRIP-USA-/321981961488?hash=item4af79ed510:g:XKUAAOSwUV9Wnvey

I think an all-encompassing jar opener is great.
My ex-MIL bought me one when my then-husband went to work away.
That's over 30 years ago & it's still in my kitchen gadget drawer & it's never let me down.
I still think of her with fondness every time a new jar of picallili or gherkins is being difficult.

PenguinOfDeath

I was also going to mention a knife sharpener, I picked one up for under a fiver and has kept some mediocre knives to top condition for years. I've never got on with serrated knives for slicing and dicing, only used for bread and steak in this house!

splishsplash

All great ideas so far, I can only think of a few other things:
swivel veg peeler, pizza cutter, sieve, flat whisk, zester.

Great idea for a housewarming gift.

misfire

Measuring Jug - where you can actually see the measures! had a cheap wilco one but could never see the lines on it (the numbers are same colour as the plastic!) Bought a pack of two new ones from an independent pound shop - makes measuring stuff so much easier (the cost me a whole £1 for the pack of two).

Second many of the above items too!