7 Kitchen Tips & Simple Solutions for the Grill

Kitchen hacks and simple solutions are amazing because they make our lives easier, save time, and minimize effort. Regardless of skill level—whether you’re a novice, naturally gifted in the kitchen, or simply blessed with many years of experience—these quick and clever kitchen hacks are sure to change how you cook for the better. I hope, these simple ideas and tips will make your time in the kitchen a little bit more pleasant!

1. Taking the guesswork out of measuring

After a few cycles in the dishwasher, the size markings on plastic measuring cups can rub away, but your toolbox can help: with an electric drill fitted with a very thin bit (⅛ or 1/16 inch), drill holes in the cup handles to indicate volume—four holes for the quarter cup, three for the third, and two for the half. (the full cup is hard to misidentify.)

2. Corralling kitchen twine

Kitchen twine can be unwieldy to unravel, and the roll often gets dirty in the process. Keep yours clean by assembling one of these homemade dispensers.

A. Flowerpot

Stand a roll of twine upright on a saucer, then cover it with an overturned clay flowerpot.

1. Feed the twine through the hole in the bottom of the pot, pulling out as much as you need for each use.

2. Snip at the desired length.

B. Glass jar

A simple glass jar can also keep kitchen twine from falling off the counter and unraveling in a mess. Using a hammer and nail or an ice pick, punch a hole through the center of the tin lid of a glass jar. Then place the ball of twine inside the container and thread the end through the hole in the lid.

3. Steel wool coaster

Store wet steel-wool scrub pads on an unpainted terra-cotta planter base to avoid getting rust all over the countertop. The clay material absorbs any water that drips off the used pad, and the pad stays rust-free.

4. A different kind of kitchen knife

Removing stubborn caked-on food from stovetops or counters often requires scrubbing with steel wool or harsh cleaners, both of which can scratch delicate kitchen surfaces. Instead, grab a plastic putty knife. Its flexible edge gives you just enough leverage to pry off the stuck-on food without damaging the surface underneath.

5. Welder’s brush goes grilling

Thoroughly cleaning a grill grate while it’s still hot is recommended to keep foods from sticking. A welder’s brush, which can be purchased for a mere $2 at a hardware store, has a long wooden handle attached to a wire brush, just like those grill brushes that cost 10 times as much. Its long wires and narrow design allow for deep scrubbing between the bars on the cooking grate.

6. Bricks on the grill

Butterflied chicken on the grill cooks faster and more evenly when weighed down, and a brick has the perfect size, shape, and inexpensive price tag for the job. Just set a rimmed baking sheet on top of the chicken and put two bricks in the pan, or place two aluminum foil–wrapped bricks directly on the bird.

7. Dressed to grill

Grilling requires a lot of equipment. To keep everything at the ready and easy to find, and keep your hands free at the same time, try accessorizing with a carpenter’s tool belt. Slip everything from grill brushes to your timer to a thermometer into its pockets and loops.