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12 Amazon Alexa Tips and Hacks for the Kitchen

12 Amazon Alexa Tips and Hacks for the Kitchen

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET’s collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

Whether you’re a cooking novice or seasoned chef, cooking can be daunting, especially when hosting or cooking for your family. But Amazon’s trusty voice assistant Alexa can lend a helping hand.

From creating shopping lists and finding recipes to starting your oven and setting the mood, Alexa can be absolutely essential in your kitchen. Here’s my favorite 12 Alexa features to use while cooking, baking, meal prepping and more. (For more Amazon Echo tips, check out which Alexa settings you should change ASAP, the five useful Echo features you should try today and the newest Alexa commands.)

1. Maintain a grocery list with Alexa

Out of the box, Alexa can help you maintain lists for shopping and to-dos. All you have to do is tell Alexa what you want to add and specify which list you want to add it to.

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For example, you can say “Alexa, add eggs.” Since eggs is a noun, Alexa understands that it’s an item you would like to add to your shopping list. You can also say “Alexa, add bread to my shopping list,” or, “Alexa, add an item to my shopping list.” For the latter, Alexa will ask what you want to add and your response will be added as the next line item on your list.

To check this list, open the Alexa app on iOS or Android or go to alexa.amazon.com and click Lists. If you would like to sync your additions with one of the supported services — Any.do, AnyList, Cozi Lists, Picniic or Todoist — connect your accounts in the Alexa app. For automatically copying your list to iOS Reminders, Evernote or another note-taking service, use IFTTT to create an Applet that will do one-way sync.

2. Convert units with Alexa

When cooking, you may find yourself needing to convert units of measurement, such as from milliliters to cups. Alexa is capable of doing this out of the box. Just say, “Alexa, convert 2 cups to fluid ounces,” or, “Alexa, how many cups are in a gallon?”

You can also ask how much a volumetric measurement of an ingredient weighs. For instance, “Alexa, how much does a cup of flour weigh?”

3. Keep multiple timers with Alexa

Alexa can put your old egg timer to shame. Just say, “Alexa, start a timer for 5 minutes.” After 5 minutes passes, the speaker will chime until you tell it to stop. You can check on how much time is left simply by asking.

Even better, you can have multiple Alexa timers running simultaneously and give each one a name. Just say something like, “Alexa, start a pizza timer for 10 minutes.”

Amazon Echo Show on a kitchen wall

Alexa can help you maintain lists for shopping, build to-do lists and set timers. 


Amazon

4. Make coffee with Alexa

You can also use an Alexa command to start up a coffee maker. All you need is a Mr. Coffee 10-Cup Smart Optimal Brew — or a simple drip coffee maker, plus a smart switch.

Next, create an IFTTT Applet that will turn on the smart switch (or the Smart Optimal Brew coffee maker) with a trigger phrase, and remember to add coffee grounds and water the night before you want to use it. Then, in the morning, say the trigger phrase and watch the magic happen.

The Behmor Connected Coffee Brewer was recently integrated with Alexa, as well, making it possible to start brewing your coffee with your voice without IFTTT.

Read more: Alexa Commands Don’t Meet Your Needs? Just Make Your Own

5. Control smart cookers with Alexa

Alexa can also control smaller appliances and cooking devices, such as connected sous vide precision cookers or slow cookers.

Both the Anova and Joule precision cookers have Alexa skills with similar functionality. Anova Culinary and Joule: Sous Vide by ChefSteps let you set the temperature or ask for help cooking specific types of food to the correct temperature, as well as check in on the status of the cook.

While Alexa supports WeMo devices, you won’t find native support for the Crock-Pot Smart Slow Cooker with WeMo. Instead, you’ll need to rely on IFTTT to pair the WeMo slow cooker to Alexa.

6. Control large appliances with Alexa 

Alexa now works with many kitchen appliances, such as ovens and refrigerators. Specifically, GE’s Geneva skill lets you preheat your oven with your voice or begin brewing coffee with one of its refrigerators with a built-in Keurig.

LG has also put Alexa directly into its Smart InstaView door-in-door refrigerator.

Even without direct support, if you own one of the handful of full-size smart appliances integrated with IFTTT, you can control your oven, dishwasher, refrigerator or slow cooker with Alexa. You will just need to create some Applets with these channels using Alexa as the trigger channel to turn your kitchen into a voice-controlled heaven.

echo show 5 sitting on a kitchen counter

Alexa now works with many kitchen appliances.


Amazon

7. Ask Alexa for recipe ideas

If you ask Alexa for recipe ideas, it isn’t exactly helpful. However, if you search for “recipe” in the Skills section of the Alexa app or alexa.amazon.com, there’s no shortage of options.

One skill worth checking out is Allrecipes. Ask for the recipe of the day, a recipe based on ingredients you have on hand, how long you have or your preferred cooking method. You can even have recipes sent to your phone if you provide your mobile number or save a recipe to your favorites in Allrecipes by linking your account in the Alexa app. Say something like, “Alexa, ask Allrecipes what can I make with chicken and broccoli,” or, “Alexa, ask Allrecipes for a slow cooker recipe for pulled pork.”

Nestlé also has a recipe skill called GoodNes. You can ask GoodNes to give you recipes for a specific meal, such as dessert or breakfast, email a recipe to you (if you connect your account) and ask which utensils will be needed for the recipe. GoodNes comes with a visual guide that will run in Safari or Chrome on a laptop or iPad. With the visual guide setup and after finding a recipe, you can say things like, “Show me the ingredients,” to view them in the browser.

Here are some other recipe skills worth checking out:

8. Ask Alexa for cooking times

Not sure how long you should cook that 20-pound turkey? The Epicurious Smart Kitchen Timer skill can help. But it can be used for more than that Thanksgiving turkey. This skill can give cooking information on various types of steak, chicken, pork, vegetables and seafood. Just enable the skill, then say, “Alexa, ask Epicurious how long it takes to cook squash.”


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9. Ask Alexa for calorie counts

If you’re not sure how many calories a food has, just ask Alexa. It may not always have an answer, but it’s a great place to start. For example, try saying, “Alexa, how many calories are there in Greek yogurt?”

It can provide info on carbohydrates, as well, but only for certain items. It depends on how widely available the nutritional information for a product is — and it helps if the food is something generic, such as steak or broccoli.

10. Ask Alexa to pair wines with food

If you’re unsure which wine best pairs with a certain dish, you can ask Alexa. Try either the Wine Buddy or MySomm skill.

Begin by asking which wine pairs with a certain food item, like halibut or steak. Say, “Alexa, ask Wine Buddy what I should pair with salmon,” or, “Alexa, ask Wine Gal to recommend a wine for prime rib.”

These skills aren’t perfect. Thanks to limited databases, they can’t always pair your wines with specific dishes. Wine Buddy couldn’t tell me which wine pairs with chicken marsala, for example, but if you keep the requests fairly basic, you can get some basic answers.

11. Ask Alexa for cocktail recipe ideas

If you have guests coming over for drinks, but you’re not sure where to begin, just say, “Alexa, open Easy Cocktail.” Then, to use Easy Cocktail, say, “Alexa, ask Easy Cocktail how I can make an Old Fashioned.” First, Alexa will list off the ingredients, then it will tell you the steps of making the drink.

If you’ve got a specific liquor in mind, you can ask The Bartender for cocktail recommendations instead.

echo show 10 on a kitchen counter

Listen to your favorite podcasts or music, or follow along with a recipe on your Echo Show while cooking. 


Amazon

12. Listening to music or the news with Alexa 

Don’t forget to crank up the volume while you cook. While you may not be able to binge Netflix while you cook, it’s one of the best times to catch up on your favorite podcasts. You can also stream music or play your Flash Briefing to hear the latest news.

More tips for Alexa

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Kitchen cult faves at Amazon

Kitchen cult faves at Amazon
Blender, dishwasher label, waffle maker, Lodge cast iron, Kitchen Mama can opener, Kizen meat thermometer

Let your shopping imagination run wild with these culty-cool products. (Photos: Amazon)

Some of our favorite things start off as a recommendation from a friend. Whether they swear by a skin-care gem, a cleaning must-have or just something to make dinner prep a little less exhausting, we rely on those in the know to give us the scoop on what really works. Now, imagine you had access to the opinions of tens of thousands of friends from all different walks of life — if that many people rally behind something, there’s no way it’s a dud.

No need to join any new social media groups; instead, trust the opinions of countless Amazon reviewers. They know how to differentiate something gimmicky from something great, and chances are, when hoards of them swear by something, it’s the real deal. They’re a discerning bunch, and you can use their knowledge to your advantage. Here are 10 products to help make your kitchen a lot more efficient.

It might be small, but it heats up quickly and is so versatile — you can use it to make hash browns, biscuit pizzas, and so much more.

“Wow. This is the cutest and most practical mini waffle maker,” shared one of over 180,000 5-star shoppers. “It’s perfect, compact and easy to clean. It makes excellent waffles and you can get creative with a ton of other fun creations for you and your friends/fam. Highly suggest it. Getting one for everyone I know.”

This No. 1 best-seller comes in eight colors, and boasts well over 88,000 5-star reviews.

“Dude, this thing is just way too cool,” shared a shopper. “Perfect eggs every time, no matter if it’s an omelette, poached, or hard boiled AND it’s super easy to clean!!! I make eggs for my 1 year old and my husband almost every morning back to back no issue and make myself an omelette too.”

“What’s not good to say about cast iron?” shared a shopper. “It is a wonderful skillet, and everyone should have 5 or 16 of these in their kitchen! Preseason as described and you will have an excellent nonstick skillet for years and years and generations ahead!”

Over 61,500 shoppers rave about this small-but-mighty blender. One fan shared:

“This blender is easy to use. I add my weight loss supplement and fruit, blend it up in a minute, and drink right out of the blender cup. Add soap, water, blend, and it’s clean. Easy cheesy!”

KIZEN

Kizen Digital Meat Thermometer

$23$30Save $7

Undercooked meat? Gross and unsafe. Overcooked meat? Might as well chew leather. Just poke this thermometer into your steak (or poultry, or fish) and it’ll tell you precisely how cooked it is.

$23 at Amazon

All it takes is just three seconds! No more guesswork, especially when you’re grilling.

“An instant-read thermometer is a must for anyone grilling or cooking meat, poultry or fish,” said one happy customer. “This is the secret to not overcooking! The best food thermometer I have ever owned. Would definitely recommend it to my friends or anyone looking to purchase a thermometer. Good value too!”

Say goodbye to dangerously sharp edges and fiddling with a manual can opener — this electric one is worth its weight in gold if you never accidentally nick your fingers on a jagged lid again.

“By far, the best one-handed can opener I’ve found. A little powerhouse compared to every other kind I’ve used,” shared a shopper. “The moment I turned it on, I knew, finally, I’d hit the can opener jackpot. There was no doubt I’d no longer have to deal with any more half-opened cans, stuck openers that couldn’t be separated from the cans, frustration, wasted money and having to toss another ridiculous busted device in the trash.”

Forget having to go to a coffee shop for those perfectly frothy lattes, cappuccinos and matchas — this magical little frother can do it all. It makes just about any drink creamier in seconds, and it’s so easy to use. Plus, it comes in a ton of different colors, so you can get one to match your coffeemaker or the rest of your small appliances. You can even use it for tea and honey!

“This little thing is fantastic!!” shared a shopper. “Even the hubby commented how much he likes it. We use it to blend protein powder, creamer, fiber products in our beverages. Just run the blending end under water to clean. Sits nice and handy on the counter for easy use. Just buy it, you need it!!”

Forget plastic bags and Tupperware you can never find the lids for — this beeswax wrap can store your leftovers just as well as the less sustainable options. They’re good for packing lunches and keeping fruits and veggies fresh, and are infinitely reusable, washable and even biodegradeable. Plus: They’re made in the USA with certified organic cotton, responsibly sourced beeswax, organic plant oils and tree resin.

“Can’t recommend these beeswax wraps enough,” shared one happy shopper. “The antimicrobial aspect of the beeswax keeps fruits and vegetables super fresh for much longer than plastic bags. They keep bread soft and fresh for much longer than Ziplocs. They are so much better for the environment, and they can be reused for months. We have been using our set for almost two years, and they are still as good as new. No waste!”

Never question the dishes again

If you’ve ever asked a family member to start the dishwasher, only to check on it hours later and pull out a dirty glass, you need this. It’s a simple but genius idea: Just stick this magnetized indicator on your machine and alert your housemates to the state of your cookery by sliding its window left or right to indicate whether the contents inside are “CLEAN” or “DIRTY.” No more accidentally picking up a dirty plate or loading dirty dishes into a dishwasher that’s full of clean ones!

“My parents got a machine not too long ago that has controls and indicators on the top of the door, which is covered by the countertop when it is closed,” one wised-up shopper shared. “They can never tell if the machine is clean or dirty until they open it up and pull the racks out. They’ve had several instances where dirty dishes have been put in a clean dishwasher or ‘dirty’ dishes got put back in the cabinets because they were semi-cleaned from the sink. These problems are no more. I got a big hug and a smile when I brought this over to them.”

A kitchen gadget to make you a better chef

Whether you’re a home cook or a pro chef, a food scale can be the difference between an okay dish and a Michelin-star-worthy plate. This scale has a smooth, easy-to-clean surface, and even has four units of measurement so you can accurately portion your ingredients, as more than 92,000 five-star fans on Amazon can attest.

Shared one thrilled shopper: “I bought this kitchen scale for my mom, and she loves it. It’s very thin and takes up almost no room at all in the cabinet, and the digital display is nice and clean. It appears to have an auto on-and-off feature, and it comes with a spare battery! For the money, this is a terrific little tool for cooking, weighing for mail postage, or even hobbies.”

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

Looking for more great Amazon home and auto deals? Check these out:

Auto

  • Hotor Car Trash Can with Lid and Storage Pockets

    $10$25Save $15

  • Pudliki 2022 Upgraded Cleaning Gel for Car

    $8$12Save $4

Vacuums

  • Dirt Devil Vibe 3-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner

    $41$55Save $14

  • ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner

    $28$40

  • OKP Life K2 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

    $119$400

  • Black+Decker dustbuster QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum

    $30$61Save $32

Kitchen

  • Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker

    $130$170Save $40

  • Henckels Solution Razor-Sharp 7-pc Knife Set

    $80$140Save $60

  • Hamilton Beach 7-Quart Portable Slow Cooker Serves

    $40$57Save $17

Fitness

  • Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride™ Trainer

    $110$129Save $19

Bedding and home

  • KitchenClouds Kitchen Mat Cushioned Anti Fatigue Kitchen Rug

    $16$36Save $20

  • Sleep Restoration Bed Pillows, Queen Size Set of 2

    $20$33Save $13

Storage and Organization

  • Rubbermaid Brilliance Leak-Proof Food Storage Containers

    $20$35Save $15

  • Budding Joy Budding Joy 90L Large Storage Bags

    $23$45

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These Easy-to-Use Amazon Kitchen Tools Are Katie’s Favorites

These Easy-to-Use Amazon Kitchen Tools Are Katie’s Favorites

Cooking at dwelling a large amount recently? It’s time to seize these user-welcoming tools.

If you’ve been a Wake-Up Caller from the starting, you might recall that I employed to do a collection each individual Friday the place I informed you about what I was studying, having, observing, and listening to this 7 days. I missed performing that, so I required to share some things I have been truly into these days. But we’re growing the plan further than food and entertainment to share even much more of my existing obsessions — which includes Instagram accounts I cannot quit scrolling and solutions I’m loving. 

In brief, I’m obsessed! What have you been obsessed with currently? Publish to me at information@katiecouric.com and permit me know!

Fall is listed here, close friends! The temperature has turned crisp in NYC and it feels astonishingly great, so I’m going to farmer’s marketplaces and striving to cook dinner some comfort food (see: my apple pie recipe!). To make all that cooking even easier, I gathered up some of my new Amazon kitchen buys to gear up for the cooler months forward.

Garlic Roller

Amazon

I swear by this gadget — just place your cloves in the rubber tube (why does that sound filthy?), roll it on the counter, and the peel will come ideal off! It is astounding, and you will save you from getting flecks of papery garlic husks just about everywhere.

Mini Le Creuset Pot

Amazon

After that garlic is peeled, you can bake it in this mini Le Creuset dish, soaked in olive oil and rosemary. Can you say yum? It’s only $20, and you could pair it with a bag of good salt as a hostess present (see underneath), for all of your tumble evening meal functions.

Maldon Salt

Amazon

Talking of salt, a long time ago, Bobby Flay (title drop, LOL) gifted me a container of Maldon salt and I’ve been hooked at any time because. It’s a ending salt, so it’s finest to use If you are on the lookout to stock up, I just purchased this significant bucket, or you can seize a scaled-down dimensions to gift to a friend.

Nut Chopper

Amazon

I adore nuts in salads, cookies, bars, and granola, and this helpful unit would make prepping them virtually as well simple. I’ve been dreaming of whipping up this pumpkin loaf and these granola bars, each of which would have to have some chopped nuts. I’ll make each and report back again! 

Milk Frother

Amazon

I have been hoping to be greater about earning coffee at residence — that behavior is greater for your wallet and the setting — and getting a milk frother tends to make a home made brew significantly a lot more enticing. I’ve been including cinnamon powder to my almond milk in the AM, and it’s a great (and sugar-absolutely free!) address.

Mini Crock Pot

Amazon

My other slide resolution is to cook dinner at residence far more usually. It’s usually just Molner and me, so this mini crock pot is loads major for the two of us. I adore putting chicken breasts, salsa, black beans, and taco seasoning in the crock pot in the early morning. And when we occur residence at night, we pour that delicious combination about rice (I hope you all know about Trader Joe’s frozen bags of rice, which make lifestyle even easier) and sprinkle cilantro and cheese over top at the conclusion. It’s delectable — and great for you, too.