The 8 best gadgets to save you money in the kitchen

Possibly the most talked about cost-saving gadget of all, the slow cooker gets rave reviews because it uses a small amount of energy over a long period of time and therefore much less electricity than a traditional oven.

But it saves money in other ways too. Slow cooking means you can use cheaper cuts of meat (which become meltingly tender after a full day of cooking at a low temperature) and you'll relinquish that takeaway as you have a lovely home-cooked meal waiting when you arrive home.

This budget-friendly Lakeland slow cooker was the best we tested, outperforming models with far higher price tags. It's easy to use and cooks evenly, resulting in tender meat and a glossy, rich sauce.

Available from Lakeland (£29.99)

2. Mini chopper

Cuisinart compact mini food processor

You might be surprised when we suggest that a mini chopper is also a great thrifty buy. But it allows you to grind your own spice mixes (so much cheaper and nicer than anything bought) and whizz up the ends of bread to make crumbs to freeze.Mini choppers are great for making pastes too. You could say that buying all the ingredients is more expensive, but if you're anything like me you'll have six different half-used jars of ready-made pastes at the back of the fridge at any one time.

We like this Cuisinart compact food processor as it has one of the largest capacities of the 'mini' food processors we tested, yet it barely takes up any space on your worktop.

Available from Cuisinart (£50)

3. Reusable cake cases

Wilko silicone cake casesDo you bake a lot of cupcakes or muffins? Then consider buying a set of silicone baking cups. Since they can be washed and reused again and again, it'll do away with the need for paper liners.

We've tried lots over the years and this set is a real bargain. The silicone is thick enough so you get a sturdy case; you get even heat retention (a problem with some I've tested) and when your bake is done, turn the case upside down and the muffins will just drop out.

Available from Wilko (£2.50)

4. Coffee machine

Krups Citiz coffee machineIf you drink two cups of chain shop coffee each day, you'll spend around £110 a month. For that amount you can kit yourself out with some serious coffee apparel. You can buy a coffee machine for as little as £24.99 (namely Curry's Logik coffee maker) or as much as £500, but there are lots of options in between, including cafetières, stovetop pots, drippers, grinders and much more.

This Krups coffee machine is compatible with Nespresso pods. It's a big outlay, but one of the more reasonable coffee machines out there.

5. Bread machine

Russell Hobbs compact fast bake bread makerWe concede it's better to make it entirely from scratch, but if you don't have time to bake bread by hand, a machine can save a lot of hassle.

There have been studies on how much it actually costs to make a loaf in a machine and generally it works out at around 40p for a 10-slice loaf. It takes no time at all to pop the ingredients in and push the button. You just have to plan for it.

This Russell Hobbs compact bread maker is simple to use and produces 1kg of bread with ease. Like a coffee machine, the upfront cost is high but it will pay off with regular use.

6. Hand blender

Kenwood Triblade HDP406WH hand blenderSoups are a brilliant way of using up all those bendy carrots and past-it potatoes. But sometimes the thought of having to wash up the food processor as well as everything else might put you off. Hence why a handheld blender is a good option as it involves relatively little washing up and you can stand over the pan and do it, which saves time too.

When we tested hand blenders, we found paying a little more was worth it with this Kenwood blender set. Included is a standard blade, plus attachments for soup-making, chopping, whisking and mashing.

7. Stainless steel saucepans

Wilko five-piece stainless steel saucepan setEnergy saving is key to frugal cooking. Wasted heat means wasted energy, which is why cheap stainless steel pans aren't my first choice, as they don't conduct heat as well as copper or aluminum. However both of these options are really expensive. A good compromise is to go for stainless steel, sandwiched with an aluminum layer.

This super thrifty five-piece set from Wilko is excellent value for money. The pans are lightweight and heat very quickly.

Available from Wilko (£22)

8. Food containers

Lakeland 10-piece stack-a-box set

Resuable plastic food containers are more economical than tin foil and cling film, and if you're not fussed about looks they can work out really cheap too. This stackable set from Lakeland works out at a pound a pot. They can be stacked when full or nested when empty, come with colour-coded lids and are just the right size for a lunchtime portion of soup or salad.

Available from Lakeland (£9.99)

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This review was last updated in December 2019. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

What's your favourite money-saving piece of kitchen kit? Leave a comment below...