1. A Hand Blender…

Yep, a hand blender is definitely one of the essential kitchen gadgets for lazy people. You can use them for everything from smoothies to soups, sauces to mashed potato, and you can even whip cream with them. There’s whole meals that this gadget can create! The really great hand blenders can even be thrown in the dishwasher afterwards, to really minimize your workload.

2. A Box Grater…

Box graters have different graters on each side, with a side for coarse grating, ribbon cuts, zesting and a straight slicer, making any type of grating easy. You can use it to ribbon carrots for posh meals, grate cheese over pasta, zest lemon for a fresh chicken flavor…the options are unlimited. And there are even electric versions that require very little help. Oh yes.

3. A Big Knife…

The right knife makes cooking easy. You don’t need to worry about having the right blade size, or the right handle, or how to clean it…it’s just there, ready to slice up meat for a main course, or limes for a cocktail. Go to some kitchen stores and demo a few of the knives. You are looking for one that is comfortable and suits you, and doesn’t feel like a samurai sword!

4. A Big Colander…

Colanders are essential for cooks who like easy meals such as pasta, salad and boiled vegetables, and the right ones will do almost all of the work for you. I love the classic Oxo designs, with non-slip handles and a bowl big enough for a whole family meal, but you can even get colanders that ‘shake’ to remove more water, dry the food or add seasoning. Clever.

5. A Skillet…

A skillet might feel like something that only an established cook would have, but in reality, they make your life so much easier. Good skillets are durable, easy to use and perfect for everything from cooking meat to making stir-fries and even scrambling eggs. They can even go in the dishwasher straight away. Amazing.

6. A Dutch Oven…

Invest in a big, beautiful and well-made dutch oven, and you’ll never use your stove top again. You can use them to make soups, sauces, one-pot meals and to slow cook meats, and they’ll last forever. They practically guarantee tasty meals with minimal effort. Yum.

7. A Mini Food Processor…

Go for a four-cup version so that you only have to prepare the amount of ingredients that you actually need, and give up the energetic practice of mixing furiously. A food processor can whip up sauces, pestos, hummus, salad dressing, spice mixes, soups…and they often come with recipe books that are full of wonderful recipes. You’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without one; mini food processors make amazing kitchen gadgets for lazy people!

There are a whole range of kitchen gadgets for lazy people, ranging from automatically-stirring bowls to use-for-everything tongs and spatulas and multiple-use garlic presses…cooking is definitely getting easier! Give these great options a go, and don’t forget to leave your tips on how to make cooking great, even for lazy people.