10 Best Kitchen Tools Under £5

Money doesn’t grow on trees, MOB. We know that it’s not easy sticking to a budget in this day and age and we know that not everyone has got a spare £200 knocking about to invest in Le Creuset. Though that would be nice, wouldn't it? That old adage of “you get what you pay for” might well be true in many respects but budget kitchen equipment doesn’t have to be poorly made.

There’s actually plenty of affordable kitchen tools out there that get the job done and give you, and forgive me for dusting off another old adage here, “bang for your buck”. From a squeeze bottle that’ll make you look like a bonafide Ballymaloe graduate to a pair of neon pink chopsticks that’ll take your Instagram noodle pulls to the next level, these simple kitchen gadgets and tools can all be yours for £5 or under. Happy bargain hunting, MOB.

Plenty of recipes out there (like our very own Citrus Miso Salmon) will call for a bit of citrus zest. Adding the zest of an orange or lemon can really liven up a meal and there’s no easier way to do that than with this peeler/zester from Kitchen Craft. All you have to do is run this little fella along the skin of your fruit and Bob’s your uncle. The skin-piercer function is also great for getting the peel off your fruit, too. Chuck that peel into a deliciously bitter negroni and Bob’s your uncle with a stiff drink in his hand.

PRICE: £3.99

A plastic squeeze bottle is one of the cheapest (and most effective) ways to make it look like you know what you’re doing in the kitchen. Fill it up with olive oil and you won’t just look the part, but you’ll also be able to apply that oil far more liberally to your dishes. Having a couple of these bottles in your arsenal, for all of your different oils, is a great way to keep your mise en place on point while also concealing whatever brands you’re using from nosy guests. The 750ml option is the way to go for optimal oil-ing.

PRICE: £2.99

A good pair of chopsticks can be a real difference-maker come mealtime. And, look, I don’t mean to be judgmental here but there’s no need for you to keep reusing that laksa-stained pair you got from a takeaway that one time when this snazzy pair costs just £5. These top drawer chopsticks from Made in Japan should absolutely be in your cutlery drawer. They also come in red, yellow, deep green, and white.

PRICE: £5

I’m not usually a huge advocate of single-use devices in the kitchen but I’ll make an exception for this handy single-egg poacher. Why? Because I, for the life of me, cannot poach an egg. With this affordable kitchen gadget; however, it really couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is hang this bad boy on the inside rim of your pot or saucepan and pop your egg in for a pleasant little jacuzzi session. Wait for a few minutes and BOOM: perfect poached egg.

PRICE: £4

It’s time that you retired that bottle of Barefoot Wine as a makeshift rolling pin, MOB. This 50cm tapered rolling pin is crafted from premium-quality beechwood and is guaranteed to upgrade your bakes and cakes to the next level. Ideal for rolling everything from wafer-thin pie pastry to fresh handmade pasta, this rolling pin more than does the job considering it's super affordable price.

PRICE: £5

I know you need a new can opener. You know need a new can opener. Everyone who’s ever been to your place and seen you struggle to open a tin of chopped tomatoes knows that you need a new can opener. You’ve had that cheap plastic one since you left uni and it’s time you tossed it aside like the edgy wall hanging you had above your bed. Buy this slick, sexy and very adult stainless steel can opener from John Lewis as a worthy replacement. It only costs £5 and won’t tell any embarrassing stories of what you got up to in halls.

PRICE: £5

We get through a lot of spaghetti in the MOB Kitchen studio, so rest assured that we’re never going to be too far from a trusty spaghetti server. While it might look like the sort of thing that the Romans would use to self-flagellate back in the day – when that was still a socially acceptable thing to do – this wooden server is actually a budget kitchen tool that’s used by Romans today to serve up bowl after bowl of lovely spaghetti vongole.

PRICE: £3.99

Timing is everything when it comes to cooking and smearing your iPhone with butter as you try to stop it from making the same sound that your morning alarm makes isn’t the most efficient way to manage your time, is it? This simple kitchen timer is a breeze to use and even has a little magnetic strip on the back so you can chuck it on your fridge while you get to work. It’s the little things that make all the difference and this, MOB, is one of those little things.

PRICE: £5

A slotted spoon is one of those kitchen tools that you never knew you needed until you get one in your possession. After that, there’ll be no separating you from its hole-y usefulness. Need to fish out the hot and golden cutlets of a spicy chicken katsu? The slotted spoon is the tool for the job. Need to, er, fish out some fish you’ve been simmering in milk for a banging fish pie? The slotted spoon is the tool for the job. Need to remove a perfectly boiled egg from its hot and angry water bath? The slotted spoon is the tool for the job. Get one, MOB.

PRICE: £5

Peeling potatoes is not a fun task; it’s an arduous one; a boring one; a relentless, Sysphian challenge of might where the “to peel” pile never seems to get any smaller no matter how hard you try. We’re not saying that this Victorinox potato peeler will turn potato peeling into an all-inclusive trip to Bora Bora, but it will make it a quicker and far more painless experience. Which, to be honest, is all you can ask for from a kitchen tool that costs under £5.

PRICE: £4