Consumer Reports: Kitchen accessories under $30

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Are you stuck in a rut with your kitchen appliances, turning out the same meals week after week?

Consumer Reports is here to help with the accessories that can take grilling, multi- cooking, and air frying to the next level—all for under 30 dollars!

CR checked out 10 popular accessories for the air fryer and a couple were duds, like a too-shallow waffle mold and a paper liner that can come loose and fly up into the heating element.

But CR found a few favorites, like the AmazonSteel Kebab Rack for $17. It suspends marinated meats so they crisp on all sides.

And if your least favorite part of air frying is cleaning drippings out of the bin, an air fryer silicone cooking pot from Amazon is a great solution. It allows air to circulate around the food, and then you can pop it into the dishwasher to clean.

Your multi-cooker can pressure-cook, slow-cook, simmer, and sear. CR’s tester called the Instant Pot Silicone Steam Rack for $9 a game-changer. Lock the Instant Pot Steamer Basket for $12 onto it and your food will steam beautifully. And you can safely lift meals out.

If you love cheesecake, there’s a 7.5-inch springform pan for $16 from Bed Bath & Beyond that’s a must-have. It makes cheesecake so much better and easier in a multi-cooker than in an oven.

As for grilling, CR checked out a multitude of accessories, and these were standouts:

A silicone barbeque gloves make it easy to move meat around on the surface of the grill or even take it right off the heat to place on a serving tray. Try the Jolly Green BBQ Gloves for $29.

The Traegar Rib Rack for $25 is also a favorite. It holds eight racks of ribs on their edge so they can cook without scorching, and it saves space on the grates for other food.

CR reminds us that there’s one grill accessory that should be replaced regularly, and that’s your wire grill brush. Worn bristles can break off and stick to the grill, and could get in your food. So if some areas of your brush are missing bristles or the brush is worn or warped, don’t take a chance—it’s time for a new one.

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