14 quirky kitchen gadgets that make great last-minute gifts, starting at just $12
Quirky might not be your first thought when it comes to holiday gift-giving, but these kitchen gadgets will put a little fun into an otherwise stressful time. Anyone — from expert to novice — can appreciate these innovative ideas because they're practical tools as well. Plus, they're all available on Amazon, so you can get them in time. Don't wait too long though, you only have a week left!
This Magic Mushroom looks like a mushroom, but actually turns inside out to become a funnel! It fits either wide mouth jars or skinny bottles, so it's good for transferring liquids, cooking oil, ground coffee, and more.
"This is the cutest little funnel and I love it," said an Amazon reviewer. "The "mushroom cap" folds up in order to make a funnel, then folds back when not in use. The funnel hole isn't super big, and you'll want to only use liquids in this...but it's perfectly adorable sitting on the kitchen counter..."
No need to be crabby with this cute gift! You can use this adorable red silicone crab as a spoon rest or a steam releaser — simply position it to keep the pot lid open as you cook.
It's a hit with this Amazon reviewer: "One of the best of the best purchases I've made! I love this little guy so much. He fits on saucepans and skillets perfectly and can hold spoons (and scissors) when sitting on a flat surface. He's so victorious! So pleased with his culinary skills!"
Have a tea drinker in your life? Consider this Cup of Nessie tea infuser mug. Just fill Baby Nessie's "body" with loose tea, and then add hot water. It looks like a Loch Ness Monster floating in a teacup. Cute!
One Amazon shopper calls it the perfect gift. "This is the perfect gift for anyone who has ever even HEARD of the Loch Ness Monster! Or TEA! The tea infuser is not only adorable, it’s fun to use and easy to clean! The tin cup makes you feel outdoorsy, like you’re sitting in from of a loch in Scotland."
Now this is a bear you actually want in your kitchen. Barry the Bear is a box grater not just for cheese, but also for carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, or anything else you want to shred.
"Barry the grater is wonderful," said this five-star review. "Works great for zesting, grating garlic, and a small amount of cheese. He’s great for small jobs. His belly only holds about a cup of volume, that’s plenty for a one/two person meal prep. Bonus he’s cute and easy to clean."
Add even more fun to pizza night with this amusing axe-shaped pizza cutter. It's a great idea for kids and lumberjack wannabes alike.
This Amazon shopper agrees it's a fun gift: "It's super sharp, cuts well and definitely it is a super cool gift, affordable, that will put a smile on everyone's faces. Only having as a decoration already worth the money! We absolutely love this pizza cutter!"
Keep the vampires away with this amusing garlic crusher. It peels and crushes multiple garlic cloves in seconds without a knife. Perfect for the garlic lovers in your life!
One Amazon shopper said it's actually bought it as a joke, then fell in love with it. "THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PURCHASES I HAVE EVER MADE!!! This little buddy handles about 3-5 cloves at a time (depending on size) and is the easiest garlic-processing-item to clean IN THE HISTORY OF EVER!!"
This Hello Kitty ramen bowl set comes with a pair of chopsticks built right in. Perfect for noodle soups of all kinds.
"Ordered this for my Granddaughters 9th birthday," said this happy buyer. "She has only just discovered non-US foods and she loves Ramen style soups...This is a nice weight bowl, the graphics are very clear & bright."
Imprint Baby Grogu on every grilled sandwich you ever make with this clever panini press. Perfect for the Mandalorian fan in your life, or anyone who can't get enough of baby Grogu.
"I bought this for Christmas, everyone loves it," said a five-star review. "It’s super easy to use and clean up is easy too. Every Wednesday (when new Boba Fett episodes come on) is officially grilled cheese night."
Separating yolks from egg whites just got easier — and more fun. This adorable silicone egg separator will bring a smile to the whole family.
"This thing is a time and egg saver," said this enthusiastic shopper. "This little frog gets the job done efficiently and prevents the waste that happens when the yolk breaks. Plus, it's just plain fun to use in the morning. Wish it were a bit easier to clean, but otherwise, a great purchase."
With the Marna Pink Piggy Steamer, you can microwave leftovers without making a big mess. Simply place it over your food and nuke it for a few minutes. It's also great for steaming veggies!
One Amazon shopper said it was life-changing. "I wish I'd bought this long before I did, it's so useful. It's perfect for covering a bowl of soup or other leftovers. (We use the IKEA 365+ soup bowls and it fits exactly.) It holds tight to the bowl and I've never had any spillover...One month after getting this smaller size, I ordered the larger one."
Take your tea bags out of that boring ol' box and place them in a house of their own! It's a TEA-riffic treat for any tea lover in your life!
This shopper loves it! "Bought this for myself as a cute treat for my tea bags. Definitely a good buy. It’s super cute and I would have loved to have received this as a gift. The plastic mars it easy to clean but does not look cheap. I would buy this again as a gift or just another one to have in my kitchen."
Spaghetti night is about to become a whole lot more fun with this Monstrainer! The two eyeballs clip on to any pot, which you can then use to drain pasta, veggies and more!
This five-star review says it's equally cute and functional! "This was the first product I bought from them because I often make a batch of pasta and will throw everything into one pot since I live alone and only need to feed myself. Colanders were too much of a hassle since they’re so bulky sometimes and I only need a quick strain. I came across this and thought it would be perfect since it fit my needs exactly and I was happily surprised that it did just that! It was really easy to use and I didn’t lose a single noodle plus it’s adorable look fits my style!"
Ever struggle with scraping the last bit of peanut butter from the jar? Well, struggle no longer if you have the Splatypus Jar Spatula! It'll let you rescue every drop for any sized jar, plus it's adorable to boot.
"First of all this is the cutest!" raved this five star review. "You may be thinking, well it's cute but does it work? YES YES, the "bill" of Splaty is flexible which makes him perfect for scraping jars, making sandwiches, buttering toast, frosting a cake... He is super easy to clean, store and use... just be careful, your other kitchen tools will be jealous."
Poaching eggs just got a whole lot easier. Simply pour in some oil and then crack an egg into this tiny island-themed egg poacher and float it in a pot of boiling water. In a few minutes, you'll get a perfectly poached egg! It'll make an egg-cellent gift too!
"Works just as I expected," says this Amazon shopper. "I like it! When it starts to sink, keep an eye out for that. It means it's ready. Mine always come out good."
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
Looking for great Amazon auto + home deals? Check these out:
Auto
Vacuums
Kitchen
Bedding and home
Find more expert picks like the best tech gifts on Engadget, the best gift ideas for car lovers at Autoblog, gifts for the young (and young at heart) at In the Know, and picks for just about everyone else on your list (moms, dads, teens, nurses, you name it!) in Yahoo’s holiday gift ideas section. On AOL, you'll find for gift ideas for seniors shopping for moms, dads, teens and toddlers.
