I’ve been working remotely for many years, so the kitchen is a place where I spend an indecent amount of time. And over the past year, I’ve brought in a bunch of little things from AliExpress that actually stuck around. Not “gadgets of the future,” not “smart home for a million,” but specific items — timers, containers, kettles, a blender, and so on. Most of them cost less than a thousand rubles, but they’re useful every single day. I’ve put together ten such things that I own and that actually work.
Half of these things cost less than a thousand, and I use them every day — that’s what a successful order looks like
Baseus Magnetic Kitchen Timer Instead of iPhone
It’s been hanging on the fridge since March — my wife no longer overcooks eggs, and that’s already a win
The problem with phone timers is simple: by the time you unlock, find the app, and set the minutes — it’s easier to just forget about it. The Baseus magnetic timer solves this with a single motion: spin the dial — and the countdown starts. The built-in magnet holds it on the fridge or range hood, and the large digits are visible from the other end of the kitchen. I bought it in March, and since then it’s literally become part of the fridge.
Setup is intuitive — turn clockwise to set minutes, press the button to start. The alarm is loud enough to hear from another room but won’t wake the neighbors. It’s powered by a battery, which I haven’t had to replace once in four months. Brand-name kitchen timers start at two thousand rubles, and this one has the same functionality.
Price: 839 rubles
INKBIRD: Probe Thermometer, IR Thermometer, and Timer in One Device
Three devices in one — that’s exactly why I now have two fewer gadgets in my kitchen
When you’re cooking a steak, guessing the doneness by eye is a thankless task. You either overcook it or cut into it and see pink meat instead of medium. The INKBIRD thermometer eliminates the guesswork: stick the probe into the meat, set the target temperature — and it beeps when it’s done. But the cool part is that it’s not just a probe.
Inside the compact body, there are three devices at once: a probe thermometer, an infrared thermometer, and a kitchen timer. The IR sensor lets you check the heat of a pan or grill without touching the surface — point, press, see the temperature. The timer is a separate button, no extra menus. If you bought all of this separately, it would cost about three times more.
Price: 2,050 rubles
Portable Smoothie Blender — Weighs as Much as an iPhone
I throw in a banana, oats, and milk — breakfast is ready in a minute, and there’s almost nothing to wash
I used to pull out a heavy countertop blender, then wash the pitcher, then the blades, then the lid — and at some point I just stopped making smoothies. With a portable blender, everything is different: toss in the fruit right into the cup, press the button, drink, rinse. The whole process takes a couple of minutes. Cup volume is 450 ml, enough for one full serving.
Despite its compact size, the blades handle bananas, frozen berries, and oat flakes. I’ve been making protein shakes in it almost every morning since last summer — the motor is still going strong, knock on wood. Charges via USB from an iPhone charger, weighs about the same, and one charge lasts for several servings. Honestly, I didn’t expect this level of quality for the price.
Price: 1,550 rubles
Foldable Mini Kettle for Travel and Office
When folded, it fits in the side pocket of a backpack — tested
If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel without a kettle or tried to boil water in an office without a kitchen, you understand the pain. The foldable MARADO kettle solves the problem elegantly: 0.6-liter capacity, enough for two to three cups of tea, and when folded, it takes up no more space than a mug.
Power is 600W, so it doesn’t boil instantly, but it gets the job done in 5-7 minutes. The body folds, and the cord tucks inside. My daughter takes it to away competitions, and it comes back in one piece every time. For home use, it’s obviously not a replacement for a full-sized kettle, but as a travel option or a backup for the office — it’s a solid item without unnecessary bells and whistles.
Price: 817 rubles
