Five of the best kitchen gadgets

1. Microplane Premium Classic Grater

A stick grater, for zesting lemons and oranges, is a must-have, and Microplane does the best ones. This stainless-steel grater is 32cm long; it has a soft-touch handle and a protective cover.

£20; knivesandtools.co.uk

2. Thermapen Classic Thermometer

A superfast digital thermometer is essential to check if meat is cooked, and Thermapen thermometers are the gold standard, used by chefs as well as home cooks. This one is water-resistant and has a 1,500-hour battery life

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£48; thermapen.co.uk

3. Gourmet Mandoline Slicer

A decent mandoline makes slicing vegetables thinly a doddle. This versatile model can cut matchsticks as well as slices. It has a safety guard to protect fingers, and a soft-grip handle.

£37; lakeland.co.uk

4. MultiQuick 3

If you buy just one kitchen gadget, make it a stick blender. Avoid models with lots of flimsy attachments. This powerful 700W blender has all you need, including a 350ml mini-chopper and a whisk.

£53; braunhousehold.com

5. Rota Sharpener

This guided sharpener gives right-handed knives a good edge. It has twin slots – with coarse and fine ceramic sharpening wheels – and folds neatly.

£20; johnlewis.com