Under-$10 Kitchen Gadgets You Won't Believe You Ever Lived Without

What it was made for: Scooping uniform portions of dough so they all bake evenly. Cookie scoops are smaller than ice-cream scoops (most are 1 inch). They also make perfect balls (with one flat end to place on the sheet), so cookies are round, which can be hard to achieve with two spoons.

What you can also use it for: Pre-portioning out mini balls of ice cream for a party. Place scoops in mini paper-cupcake liners, then freeze on a tray. When it's time for dessert, let guests grab their own.