20 Favorite Kitchen Gadgets, Accessories, and Essentials Under $30!

Favorite Kitchen Gadgets from Amazon, Etsy, and Elsewhere

While some of my top 20 under $30 are generalized or for aesthetics, most are kitchen gadgets that are used hard and often. Some were discovered after seeking out to solve a problem or better meet a need; others were stumbled upon and tried out of curiosity. The thing they all have in common — they’re all now mainstays in our kitchen.

1. Tray for a Pretty Soap Setup

Whether it’s a pedestal, board or tray, I like keeping my soap and washing essentials corralled together, beside the sink. It looks more tidy — even when you have multiple bottles — than keeping them all free-floating. Believe it or not, this tiny marble tray I use for soap is one of the most asked about details of my kitchen. While this exact slab isn’t available anymore, you can find a similar marble tray, available in two sizes and on sale, HERE. There’s a more substantial option HERE but it’s also a bit more, cost-wise.

Marble Tray (similar) | Marble Pedestal Tray (more expensive)

2. Amber Foaming Soap Pump

My tried and true soap favorites that I use most often in our house is the classic Bath & Body Works foaming hand soap. We use a TON of soap in our house. I mean, a ton. BBW has the best price during their sales for us frequent hand washers and I look forward to trying new scents. But, in areas like our powder room and kitchen, I like to have a little bit nicer bottle to display. I have typically opted for soaps in pretty, glass amber bottles but like I said, we go through soap like no family I’ve ever seen. It gets expensive. So, to marry our lifestyle together — use our BBW soap in a prettier way for some of the “guest” areas, I decided to try a special, pretty, refillable amber soap pump — for foaming hand soap — I found on Etsy, to see if it did the trick. The foaming hand soaps come with a special pump that makes the thin liquid foam. I’m pleased to report… it works like a charm! I love it because it’s pretty and works so well. Dave likes it because it uses a little less than the typical single pump of the foaming BBW soap, so it’s less wasteful. After adding this one to our kitchen, I’ll be ordering another for our powder room. If you’re familiar with BBW foaming soaps, these bottles fit ALMOST the entire amount with just a little left over. You can transfer the excess to a personal bathroom or just keep it under the sink for refill.

Amber Glass Foaming Soap Pump

The matte black is super clean looking and it is so much less expensive that springing for pretty soaps for the bottles, alone. Here’s a look at how it foams.

Amber Glass Foaming Soap Pump

3. Clever Rolling Silicone Drying Mat

This silicone coated drying rack comes in different sizes and unrolls to fit right over your sink! We have been using this nonstop since I ordered it a month ago; I love that it’s consolidated, doesn’t take up counter space, and all the drips go directly into the sink. It’s also way easier to clean than a foam drying mat — which is what I’ve used in the past.

Rolling Sink Drying Mat

It rolls up easily and is incredibly narrow; I have mine in a drawer but you could also attach a holder on the back on the kitchen cabinet to slide it in. The silicone coating grips the countertops perfectly so it doesn’t slide around. You could even use it for washing produce! It has an additional 5% off coupon right now HERE.

Rolling Sink Drying Mat

4. $4 Tasseled Turkish Towels

These inexpensive ($4!) tasseled towels were one of my best finds of the year. They come directly from Turkey but if you spend $35+, you get free shipping. In addition to the kitchen, they would also be great hand towels in a guest bathroom; they come in lots of colors and are oversized. I’ve had several questions about absorbency and like any towels, the more you wash them, the softer and more absorbent they get. The shop has over 50k purchases with a 5* review. You can see all the colors and patterns in the shop HERE.

Turkish Towels

5. Chic & Simple Dog Bowls

I went way too long with our former dog bowls — they stuck out in our kitchen like a sore thumb and didn’t mesh with the decor at all (they were over a decade old haha). I finally pulled the trigger on these pretty, heavy stoneware pet bowls and such a small detail has made such a difference. They come in three sizes (mine are the medium for our two smaller dogs) and they’re also on major sale right now! You can find them HERE.

Stoneware Pet Bowls

6. Pretty Paper Towel Holder

I’m envious of those of you who have discreet, built-in paper towel solutions and while I rock mine loud and proud, directly on the countertop, I was happy to find this unique acrylic paper towel holder that looks more like decor, and less like a plastic tool.

Acrylic Paper Towel Holder

7. Favorite Inexpensive Linen Napkins that Won’t Break the Bank

Linen napkins are one of those staples everyone could benefit from. And if you only have one set, “natural” is the perfect color. These linen napkins are my go to because the quality is fantastic — they’re 100% linen — but the price is a fraction of competitors. While I have a TON of napkins, these are the only napkins I have in  a quantity of 12+. Even if you only use nice napkins during Thanksgiving, these are a seriously good budget find and staple.

Linen Napkins

8. Spoons on Display

I keep 99% of the things you see on my kitchen countertops to actual, functional kitchen items. With not enough drawer space for every tool I need, I keep a planter — which I use as a utensil crock — nearby, holding all my metal and wooden utensils (no plastic allowed on display!) I use the heck out of them so opting for attractive utensils that I use regularly, that I can display, has paid off! Even if I had tons of hidden space, I have to admit, I love the look of a true “working” kitchen 😉

Beechwood Spoon (similar) | Beechwood Spoon (similar) | Olivewood Spoon | Olivewood Spoon 

9. Easy Access Olive Oil

Something else I keep handy because of its daily use is olive oil. We keep the huge Costco-sized jug in the pantry and refill as necessary. Just another one of those practical, “working kitchen” details that I love in a kitchen that gets a lot of use.

Olive Oil Bottle

10. Miniature Olivewood Cheese Board that Doubles as Decor

While some are tucked away in the cabinet, I keep a lot of my handled boards out on display — and also for easy access. While you probably see me play more with some of the huge boards for more elaborate charcuterie-style boards, the cute miniatures probably get more action since we typically host one couple at a time. Plus, while the big boards can be a bit pricey, you can find a small olive wood board HERE for just $16.95.

Olivewood Cheese Board

11. Smart Avocado All-in-One Tool

We are big avocado toast eaters in this house (by “we”, I mean me and Eliza 😉 ). This all-in-one avocado tool was an impromptu purchase that does it all. The blade is sharp enough to slice through the skin, the center section cores the pit, and then you use the spoon-shaped side to slice and scoop out the inside.

Avocado All-In-One Tool

12. Space Saving Clip-On Strainer

My friend Kris (of Driven by Decor) sold me on this kitchen gadget years ago. It’s a clip-on colander that works on any pot I’ve tried to clip it on (it forms to the edge) and requires essentially no space in the dishwasher or storage cabinet. Of course, I use it to drain pasta and such but I especially love being able to use it to drain grease from meat. Such a cool tool if you don’t already have one.

Clip On Colander Strainer

13. Adjustable Spice Jar Risers

I’ve shared these several times before but as an avid fan and user of *all the spices*, this adjustable spice shelf is my proven effective solution for spices in jars and containers of all shapes and sizes. We purchase a lot of spices in bulk portions and rather than using space in a cabinet for pretty, cohesive containers and figuring out a storage solution for excess, I prefer to keep them shelved together. This riser — smaller than the can version we have in the pantry — adjusts to just about any cabinet space for a perfect fit!

Adjustable Spice Jar Riser Expandable Shelves | 

14. Magnetic, Nesting Measuring Spoons (That Actually Fit Your Spice Jars)

We have a drawer that I have an incredibly difficult time keeping organized because I despise measuring spoons on rings. Another Amazon find, not only are these substantial measuring spoons magnetic (no ring necessary!), but in addition to the traditional round spoon end, it has a narrow end on the opposite side that is perfect for actually getting inside those small spice jars! It also comes with a leveling stick that magnetically rests to the collection, perfectly on top.

Measuring Spoons

Here’s the typical problem of most measuring spoons…

Measuring Spoons

and here’s the problem solving in action.

Measuring Spoons

15. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths that Change Your Cleaning Game

I was a little late to the microfiber cleaning cloth game, myself. It wasn’t until I used some of Dave’s he had for the garage that I discovered their magic and wizardry. If you are prone to streaks in the kitchen and paper towel particles left behind by paper towels, you will be amazed with these zero residue cloths. They’re inexpensive, can be used over and over, and while I like the big pack of yellow cloths at Costco (if you have a membership), I also use this specific package after reading rave reviews of this brand, compared to competitors. You can get a pack of 24 for $13.70 right now, HERE.

Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

16. Cute Cast Iron Skillet for Single Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This is more of a cute luxury item but in addition to being the perfect size for single-serve grilled cheese sandwiches, it’s also adorable for serving and displaying. It also doesn’t take up near the space as a traditional, full sized cast iron skillet. You can find it for under $13 HERE.

Mini Cast Iron Skillet

17. Time Saving Chopper

This chopper is one of our longest and most used kitchen gadgets. If you have a lot of veggies to chop, this will cut the time down significantly. Tomatoes, onions… you can try anything. It comes with a couple different sizes, depending on the chop size you’re going after. When you’re finished, everything is collected in the plastic storage container, ready to dump into your recipe. You can find it HERE and be sure to apply the extra 5% off coupon below the $17.97 price they’re currently offering 😉

Chopper

18. This Pretty, Fantastic Smelling Candle

I’ve been going a little overboard on candles this season and have been ordering BBW 3-wick candles like a madwoman. But, when my fav candle company — Capri Blue — had this spiced cider scent on sale through Athro a couple weeks ago, I ordered a few and am so glad I did. Sure, they are pretty but it has been such a good smelling introduction to fall in our home. They also have some longevity and will last a little while. The gold and silver combo makes it easy to coordinate with just about anyone’s house, too. It’s technically $32 right now but if you’re a student or teacher, you can get 20% off and watch for sales!

Capri Blue Spiced Cider Candle

19. Something Live & Green

This is speaking in more general terms but I really upped my small faux plant game this past year. With all the hard surfaces — marble, quartz, wood, metal — in the kitchen, having a little green not only softens the space, but it breathes a little life into a possibly otherwise sterile environment. This cute little guy is still available and is listed at only $14.50.

Faux Potted Pothos Houseplant

20. Salad Spinner that Keeps Lettuce Fresh

Another one of my most (and longest used) kitchen gadgets is this salad spinner. I’m so passionate about this thing, I’ve shared it and all its advantages multiple times in Instagram stories. If you keep lettuce chopped and on rotation pretty much always, this thing will be your best friend. Here’s the deal. I know a lot of people probably have a salad spinner, but a lot of people only use it for washing their salad as soon as it’s cut. We chop, rinse, and spin it until we can’t get any more water out, but then we close it up and keep it in the refrigerator to keep the lettuce fresh. Any moisture that develops can drain from the colandered lettuce container, down into the salad spinner bowl, keeping it crisp and longer lasting. Even lettuces — like iceberg — that tend to wilt and turn brown more quickly last so so much longer in this thing! I also think with this kind of staple, it’s worth getting the heavy duty OXO brand one, instead of something more flimsy. You can find it HERE.

Salad Spinner

Do you have a gadget, accessory or necessity in your kitchen you swear by? I’m always looking to try new things — share your go-tos that make life easier in the comment section at the bottom of the post!

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