17 Unexpected Uses for Your Kitchen Tools

Appliances like food processors and salad spinners are often the underdogs of your kitchen. While the microwaves, fridges, and ovens do many different things, these smaller appliances maybe have one specific job – or maybe they don’t do anything at all for you. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a couple appliances mainly for show. Ask me how many times I’ve used my electric skillet. The answer is once…and then I almost burnt the apartment down. The point is, there are a lot of appliances we have lying around that we probably don’t even realize we can put to good use! For example, check out these 17 surprising uses for your unassuming kitchen tools.

  1. Immersion Blender

    If you’re anything like me, you’re probably like…what’s an immersion blender? And if you’re significantly smarter than me, then you knew that an immersion blender is a high-powered, hand blender that is perfect for making purees, smoothies, and homemade mayo. Who knew? Right, you did.

    Well, bakers rejoice! There’s another handy reason (ha) to use this random appliance: making whipped cream. You can get the fastest, creamiest batch of whipped cream you’ve ever tasted, just by using this hand-held blender that I’ve never heard of before.

  2. Waffle Iron

    The real question is what CAN’T you make in your waffle iron? Your waffle iron isn’t just for the fluffy morning treats it’s named after, it can also make cake, cinnamon rolls, hash browns, fried cheese, pizza, cookies, brownies, quesadillas…need I go on? Good, all this waffle iron talk is making me hungry.

  3. French Press

    Your French press isn’t just for brewing the best cup o’ Joe you’ve ever had at home, it’s also great for brewing loose-leaf tea! The built-in strainer makes it perfect for the job, leaving you with all tea and no pesky herbs or leaves floating in your drink.

  4. Toaster Oven

    Your toaster oven can do a lot more than, well, toast. Just check out all the settings that thing has! You can bake, broil, and make some really surprising meals in your toaster oven. Our favorite little hack? You can roast nuts in your toaster oven – and they make for some delicious holiday gifts, if you ask us.

  5. Dishwasher

    While your dishwasher isn’t so much an “underdog” (considering you use it probably almost every day), it does have a hidden talent that will surprise you. You can COOK things in your dishwasher, at least things that need to be cooked at low temperatures, like asparagus and poached pears. Put them in a tight container and go about your business!

  6. Turkey Baster

    Odds are, you only use your turkey baster on Thanksgiving. I know I do. But you can actually use your baster in a really cool way – to make mess-free pancakes! This is a great way to get perfectly round pancakes or even have some fun and make cool shapes out of your flapjacks.

  7. Pizza Cutter

    If the closest you get to making homemade pizza is ordering from the pizza place next to your home, then your pizza cutter probably needs some love. Use it to easily cut up delicate herbs, like basil.

  8. Keurigs

    Your trusty one-cup coffee maker has a lot more potential than just supplying your morning brew. Basically anything that requires hot water (tea, ramen, oatmeal, ect.) can be made just by using the Keurig’s boiling water. And so quickly, too.

  9. Slow Cooker

    There are a lot of brilliant things you can make in your slow cooker; bread, wings, cake – pretty much whatever you can dream up! But our favorite way to use a Crockpot is making a simmer pot. This basically means that by adding delicious smelling things (cinnamon, citrus, ect.) to a little simmering water in an open slow cooker, you can spread amazing, customized smells through your whole house.

  10. Muffin Tin

    Few things are as secretly handy as the muffin tin. With this unassuming tin plate, you can make ready-to-breakfasts, mini-tacos, pizza bites, and even corn dogs! Basically, the world is you oyster with a muffin tin at your side.

  11. Kitchen Aid

    Your mixer (usually a Kitchen Aid brand) is usually only used to mix up dough for baking right? Well, you can actually use it to make one of your baking ingredients, too! Homemade butter, anyone? Just imagine, you can whip up your own butter and even flavor it however you’d like. You are so fancy.

  12. Salad Spinner

    For those times when you’re too lazy you toss your own salad, you bust out your salad spinner. But if you find that ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear that you can also use salad spinner to wash delicate clothing, like your bras! Weird, but so efficient.

  13. Egg Slicer

    Why…why do we have egg slicers? I’m sure there’s a totally legitimate reason, but we’re much more concerned with this hack – using your egg slicer to perfectly chop garlic, something that is so often the bane of our existence.

  14. Food Processor

    Poor food processors, so random. So underused. But now, you know the truth! You can use food processor for just about anything. Making pesto, making nut butters, making ice cream, even! The world is at your fingertips, friends.

  15. Ice Cube Trays

    Pop out those boring ice cubes and start using these trays the way they SHOULD be used. How, you ask? Why to freeze sauces, baby food, coffee, smoothies, and so many other surprising foods! Try to contain your shock and awe, please.

  16. Rice Cooker

    If you don’t have a Crockpot, you might have have a rice cooker hanging around your kitchen. And if it’s collecting dust between your race-making sessions, consider using it to make a delicious omelette, bacon, pancakes, bread, or homemade hummus. That’s a lot of option for just one, humble rice cooker.

  17. Coffee Maker

    Like your dishwasher, this isn’t one of your less frequently used appliances. In fact, you probably use your coffee maker every single morning – at least. But we were shocked to learn that you can also cook with your coffee maker, especially when steaming various veggies. Who knew your coffee maker wasn’t just a one-hit wonder?

Do you use a kitchen appliance in an unorthodox way? Share your hacks in the comments section below.