As the summer begins to slowly draw to a close, it’s time to start thinking about how to best prep freshly harvested herbs and other flavorful seasonings. Whether homegrown or store-bought, take advantage of the bold flavors of the season with our curated list of 10 innovative kitchen gadgets and utensils to aid in cooking prep.

Garlic is an adored seasoning for most dishes, but the prep work can ruin the appeal. Who wants their fingers smelling like garlic for days after? Keep your hands clean with gadgets that aid in peeling and pressing garlic. Skip the tedious peeling with OXO’s Good Grips Garlic Peeler. Garlic cloves can be inserted into the sleeve, rolled on the table, and voila! Simply clean by rinsing the sleeve under water.

peeled garlic cloves shaken out of green silicone sleeve — Good Grips Garlic Peeler

Additionally, Eva Solo’s Garlic Press helps to conveniently mince garlic directly into a hand-blown glass bowl. Pour straight onto a dish from the press, and avoid unnecessary handling.

Garlic mincer set over glass bowl — Garlic Press

For spices, a high-quality, functional mortar and pestle is a must-have for your kitchen, such as this one from Kuhn Rikon. This item comes with three different-sized bowls, so you can tailor it to your specific needs, and grind multiple spice blends at once for maximum seasoning power!

White and wooden mortar and pestle with three different sized bowls — Mortar and Pestle

For more spice crushers, check out the adorable Piccantino Chili Cruncher from Alessi. This chili pepper-shaped tool allows you to crush up dried chili peppers conveniently for use while protecting your hands from the hot oils.

Chili pepper-shaped silicone tube with crushed chili next to it — Chili Cruncher

The flavor of freshly-ground spices is unmatched. However, it can be a hassle to do on your own. Cuisinart’s Spice and Nut Grinder efficiently does the job for you, so you can save your arm strength. This powerful, 200-watt grinder cuts easily through spices and nuts with a sharp, stainless steel blade. And, it’s dishwasher safe for easy clean-up.

Stainless steel electric standing nut grinder — Spice and Nut Grinder

As the weather cools off, bring clippings of your herb garden indoors to keep them growing strong over the next few months. Eva Solo’s Self-Watering Herb Organizer does just that. No more worries of wilting plants and forgetting to water, this herb garden can keep herbs alive when you’re not there to water.

White, rectangular herb garden planter — Self-Watering Herb Organizer

When it’s harvest time, simply snip your desired herbs with Zwilling’s Forged Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears. These shears feature stainless steel blades and a handle that incorporates a bottle and lid opener—perfect for a range of cooking tasks.

Red kitchen shears on wooden cutting board — Forged Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears

It’s important to wash greens before you eat them, even if they’re store-bought. OXO’s Good Grips Salad and Herb Spinner is the reliable way to go. Perfectly functional for a small collection of greens, this tool features both a drying insert and a serving vessel, as the outer bowl doubles as an excellent serving bowl.

Clear and white salad spinner — Salad and Herb Spinner

Zesting is an often-overlooked, creative way to season food or enhance presentation for guests. Do so smoothly with Rösle’s Zester with Canelle. The small holes in this tool allow for fine, perfect zest every time.

When it comes to soups, sauces, and teas, Küchenprofi’s Herb, Spice, and Tea Ball allows for easy infusion of whatever flavors your heart desires. This stainless steel ball is designed to hang securely from the side of a mug or pot.

Stainless steel mesh ball with chain — Herb, Spice, and Tea Ball

If you’re looking to try out some of the best cooking tools, gadgets, and utensils, we hope you consider this list to simplify the seasoning process. With flavors of cloves, sage, and nutmeg in season for the coming months, it’s never too early to prepare for those cozy meals. For more, visit our website, or stop by one of our store locations to get more convenient tips from one of our knowledgeable store clerks.

Fresh Flavor: Prep Fresh Herbs & Spices With These 10 Kitchen Gadgets