Cool Cooking Tools Reviews & Giveaway!

It�s always fun to try out new cooking tools. While I don�t have room for much in my apartment kitchen,  I�ve put these small and affordable items to the test.

First up, the Uten 2-3 cup mini chopper. It has 3 blades and was terrific for a few cloves of garlic and fantastic for chopping olives and a handful of nuts, although I didn�t love it for chopping an onion, that's something I'd rather do by hand anyway. But the real reason I love this chopper? It�s fun to use! Instead of being plugged in or attaching to another kitchen appliance like a stick blender, it works with a pull string. You can pull the string as many or as few times as you like to get the result you want. If you have kids I bet they would love using it too. It's dishwasher safe and currently on sale for just $8.99. To learn more about Uten products, sales and more, visit and "like" their Facebook page.

I use my toaster oven for most of my baking. I always line my baking trays with parchment paper, foil or a silpat. But I recently discovered the Cookina parchminum sheet. Unlike parchment you can use it when broiling or baking up to 550 degrees. Unlike parchment, it won�t burn. Unlike foil, it�s easy to clean and reuse. Unlike a silpat, it won�t stain. One sheet is supposed to last as long as 25 sheets of parchment but I suspect it will last even longer. It�s amazingly durable. While you can serve off of it directly I haven�t really used it that way. I�ve used it to bake cookies, roast vegetables and cook fish. It's a less wasteful, more environmentally friendly solution, it rolls flat for storage, and is PFOA free. Suggested retail price is $9.99.

I have plenty of knives, the last thing I need is another one. BUT I was really impressed with the Crisp paring knife because it has a cover that doubles as a sharpener. This is just so smart. Paring knives get used a lot but they don�t get sharpened as often as they should. This inexpensive knife which retails for $9.99 is perfect for camping or traveling. It�s a really smart innovation. The handle is comfortable and has a rubber inset where you grip the knife which makes it very ergonomic. It�s handy to have a couple knives with covers to use when you�re away from home. Crisp also offers a small serrated and bird�s beak paring knives.

GIVEAWAY! 

Uten is offering one mini chopper, Cookinga is offering one sheet and Crisp is offering one paring knife to a lucky reader. Leave a comment telling me which you�d prefer, the chopper, cooking sheet or the paring knife. Only one entry per person and you must have a US mailing address to be eligible to win. Contest ends on Friday May 6. 2016.

Disclaimer: My thanks to the manufacturers and retailers offering these products I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other posts on Cooking with Amy.