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4 Kitchen Money-Savers That Pay for Themselves in No Time at All

/Updated /18 Comments/in , , /by Mary Hunt

I’m crazy about gadgets—everything from quirky can openers to smartphones. Hand me a Swiss Army knife and I’m in heaven—the more blades and utensils the better. Of course, my favorite gadgets are those that help me save money and/or time. 

 

money saving appliances

I’ve been fooled from time to time, spending good money on things that just did not perform well. Or the gadget turned out to be so cumbersome, using it actually complicated rather than simplified my life.

Take that One-Second Needle. It was a great idea, but sadly that is one gadget that needs to be put out of its misery.

But now and then, I strike on a gadget that is so magnificent in its functionality and money-saving abilities, I can’t wait to tell you about it.

Today, I want to tell you about four kitchen gadgets I consider wise investments—money savers!

All four are inexpensive enough to pay for themselves in a short period of time—and then continue paying off in food savings, which is saying a lot as food costs continue to soar.

Vacuum Sealer

I’ve depended on a vacuum sealer in my kitchen for so many years I cannot imagine getting along without it. Now and then, I get lazy, which invariably gives me a jolt to remind me why I do this.

Take strawberries for example. If I put them into a rigid container (like a Mason jar using the jar sealer accessory) and vacuum out all of the air, fresh strawberries will last for at least two weeks in the refrigerator—remaining as fresh as the day I bought them. Strawberries in the refrigerator in their original container often start to show mold in just a couple of days. Check out this time-lapse video!

FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer 4800

My FoodsSaver gets a workout every day. Depending on the type of food, I use FoodSaver containers, canisters, plastic bags, and canning jars to seal food items (this requires the jar sealer accessory).

I vacuum-seal raw rice, sugar, spices, and meat I vacuum-seal baked goods (I freeze them first, so the vacuum doesn’t crush them), fresh fruits, and vegetables—and so much more.

I even vacuum-seal silver flatware to keep it from tarnishing. I vacuum-sealed my Birth Certificate and my Social Security card.

While I have had Foodsavers for many years, about eight years ago, I upgraded to this FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer 4840 and all I can say is, Wow! This is one fantastic, durable, reliable piece of kitchen equipment—highly improved over my older FoodSaver Pro. I think it just might have a brain with its liquid detection system. It also functions more automatically than the older Pro version. And it looks great sitting on the counter.

A vacuum sealer, when used diligently, will extend the shelf life of every type of food imaginable. That means your garbage disposal and trashcan will cease to be the best-fed members of your household!

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Tip Title Box

Costco recently introduced Kirkland Signature vacuum sealing bags, which are fully compatible with FoodSaver (superior in my opinion), and much cheaper: $45 vs. $29 for essentially the same quantity, sizes, etc.

Blender

I am more convinced than ever that healthy eating is one of the most cost-effective things we can do to reduce healthcare costs. That’s why I thought we needed a powerful juicer to make healthy smoothies every morning. So I purchased a highly rated juicer. And used it exactly two times before it became a dust collector and space occupier.

Cleaning the thing was so difficult and time-consuming that it became more of a problem than a solution. Whoops.

Another problem? Juicers don’t make smoothies! Professional-grade powerful blenders do.

So eight years ago, I donated the juicer to a friend who could use it and replaced it with this Blendtec Total Classic Blender with Jar. This exact model Blendtec is still available at a much-reduced price from what I paid.

Blendtec blender

With its professional-grade power, the self-cleaning feature, 4 pre-programmed cycles, and 5-speeds, I could not ask for more. This is one fabulous machine.

Let’s say you spend $10 a week on smoothies from that cute place with a drive-thru that’s on your way to work. That’s at least $500 a year—more than it would cost to purchase a high-quality, fabulous professional-quality blender that doesn’t balk in the presence of large ice cubes! And so easy to clean.

Do the math … you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender and 75 oz FourSide Blender Jar - Kitchen Blender Bundle - Black
Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender and 75 oz FourSide Blender Jar - Kitchen Blender Bundle - Black
    $379.95
    Buy on Amazon

     

    Dehydrator

    No one was more surprised than I by what a terrific money-saver a dehydrator can be. Of course, you have to actually use it. But when you do, you’ll be quite amazed.

    The cost of dehydrating your own food is a fraction of the cost of commercially dehydrated foods and—no additives or preservatives.

    dehydtrator

     

    If dehydrating is something you’ll actually do, my pick for Best Inexpensive food dehydrator is NESCO Food Dehydrator Model FD-1040. Now you can dry fruit, vegetables, and jerky in hours instead of days.

    This food dehydrator is compact as dehydrators go, and comes with 4 trays—but expandable to 20! It’s powerful enough to be super useful, but compact enough to allow for reasonably easy storage. I love this gadget money-saver and I think you will, too.

     

    Save $39.00
    NESCO FD‑1040 Gardenmaster Digital Pro 4 Tray Food Dehydrator for Home Food Preservation, White Electric Dehydrator with Expandable Tray Capacity
    NESCO FD‑1040 Gardenmaster Digital Pro 4 Tray Food Dehydrator for Home Food Preservation, White Electric Dehydrator with Expandable Tray Capacity
      $159.99 $120.99
      Buy on Amazon

       

      Food Slicer

      I’ve been using my new electric food slicer for nearly four years now and oh boy, what a lovely item it is. I’ve pretty much used it every day since I pulled it out of the box. I know what you’re thinking: Why?!

      I would have asked the same thing before I did a little cost evaluation. At our home, we eat a lot of deli-style turkey. As I write, at my local Costco warehouse, Kirkland whole Oven Roasted Turkey breast (about 4 lbs) is $5.37/lb. Two aisles over the very same Kirkland Oven Roasted Turkey Breast sliced is $9.35/lb. Each time I opt for the whole turkey breast over the equivalent amount of the sliced option (then slice it myself at home with my meat slicer), I am not spending $4.00/lb, or about $16.

       

      deli meat slicer machine

      I discovered the same level of price difference for cheese—sliced vs. bulk. Calculating how often I purchase these items, it didn’t take long to see that slicing at home would pay off big in lower costs. What I didn’t calculate was the fun factor. Seriously, fun.

      This machine is so versatile that I can set it from paper-thin for sandwich meats up to a 3/4″ slice, which is perfect for homemade bread. I get perfect slices from my 5-minute artisan bread for sandwiches and English muffin Bread for toast. You really need to try making both kinds of bread, food slicer or not!

      More than just turkey and cheese, I am slicing leftover steak and roast for sandwiches these days. I slice raw vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions to make the most perfect slices ever.

      I looked at a multitude of food slicers from manual to electric. After much consideration (and slicing), this Chef’sChoice Food Slicer is definitely my pick for Best Inexpensive. I calculate that it paid for itself in the first nine months.

      Another example: Today at my local Costco warehouse, Kirkland whole Oven Roasted Turkey breast (about 4 lbs) is $5.37/lb. Two aisles over the very same Kirkland Oven Roasted Turkey Breast sliced is $9.35/lb. Each time I opt for the whole turkey breast over the equivalent amount of the sliced option (then slice it myself at home with my meat slicer), I am not spending $4.00/lb, or about $16.

       

      No products found.

       

      Revised & Updated 11-1-22

      Everyday Cheapskate participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

       

       

       

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      18 replies
      1. Arthur Mantzouris says:

        I couldn’t recommend the food saver enough. It has been a life saver saving me so much money and frustration as well. I remember b4 I got it I would buy some meat and a little longer I would go in fhe freezer and if would be freezer burned and I would have to throw it out. What a waste!! Never again….now I use my food saver and I can go back to it in a few months and it is ok….it takes out all the air and allows it to be preserved till I’m ready to get to it….it has been a real life saver….

        Reply
      2. Janet Hall says:

        I don’t have that food saver, but I have one and it has paid for itself many times over. I now buy them for wedding gifts.

        Reply
      3. Dan says:

        I’m curious as to the clean up needed after you use the food slicer. I don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning it, given it’s just for my wife and I. Like with our Cuisinart food processor, sometimes it’s faster to just use a knife to cut, then to use the food processor, then clean it.

        What do you find sufficient to clean your slicer after slicing something, and how long does it take?

        Thanks for your insight Mrs. Hunt!

        Reply
        • Mary Hunt says:

          I use a clean pastry brush to sweep away crumbs. I only clean the blade after slicing protein (cheese, meat). So easy. A big twisty knob releases the blade. I’m with you on this: If an appliance or gadget is a chore to use, I probably won’t use it! I chose this slicer for its easy clean up and storage. Again, if I am slicing bread or the like, I don’t remove the blade—just brush it down.

          Because it’s so great for slicing bread, grabbing my slicer is a better option than a bread knife. I can slice a load, have it all cleaned up in and put away in the time it would take me to unsheath my bread knife and try to make clean even slices.

          Maybe the best thing about my meat slicer—that spark of joy and satisfaction when I look at the results.

          Hope that helps

          Reply
      4. EWB says:

        I am really drawn to buying a Foodsaver in the model you suggest. But when I read the reviews, there are many who say they did not work properly immediately out of the box, or that they broke quickly, or that they needed extensive cooling off between sealing. What can you tell me to ease my concerns, Mary?

        Reply
        • Mary Hunt says:

          I can give you my review … I’ve used mine for many years, almost every day and have never had a problem. What we need to remember about Amazon reviews is that there’s a big world out there with millions of people having access to Amazon. Reviews are not always created with the best intentions. There are fake reviews, often times by disgruntled employees, malicious competitors and so on. While referring to reviews is a good way to get an overall feel, depending on them 100% is really not very smart. Look for quality return policies and warranties. My opinion is that FoodSaver is the best vacuum sealer out there … for the long haul.

          Reply
          • Sheri says:

            Amen! I have had 2 food saver vacuum sealers and Never have had any problems with them. It saves you money. Air is a bad thing if you want to save any foods. Although I don’t suggest vacuum seal any breads.
            The food saver takes all the air out which saves your food longer. Either in the pantry or freezer. No more freezer burns!
            I love mine

      5. Lesley M Nyborg says:

        Mary,
        I’m wondering why you didn’t recommend the Stainless Steel version of the Food Slicer? It’s $99 on Amazon instead of the $172 but it’s the same model.

        Lesley

        Reply
        • Mary Hunt says:

          Look closely. The Stainless Steel is not the same slicer, it is Model 609A and has been discontinued, while remaining available. It is mostly cast-aluminum. The blade is not removable, which makes it very difficult to clean, and 609A has a pretty high fail rate. I cannot recommend the 609A.

          Reply
      6. Helen says:

        Where do you find the unsliced deli meat? Is it still in the deli section? I am probably missing the obvious but I cannot think of where to find this. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Mary Hunt says:

          I get whole roasted turkey breast at Costco. I’m sure I’ve seen it at Kingsoopers supermarket as well. I’d inquire with the butcher.

          Reply
        • Polly says:

          I’ve seen the unsliced cooked turkey and sometimes ham or roast beef where they have cheeses too at Sams club. Near the salad refrigerator.

          Reply
      8. kim says:

        these all look like great possibilities — where do you keep them? I like to keep daily-use larger appliances like these out on the counter, but this seems like a lot of things to have on the counter. Wondering what you do. thanks

        Reply
        • Mary Hunt says:

          Only Foodsaver sits on my counter. And I’ve learned that if it is out of sight or anything blocks it visually, I don’t use it. The others are in cabinets with pull-out drawers.

          Reply
      9. Laurel Porter says:

        Be sure to check thrift shops for dehydrators. I usually see at least one each time I visit. Much cheaper, and really worth it.

        Reply

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