JUICE IT

A Citrus Squeezer is the Unexpected Gadget Every Kitchen Needs

The first time I saw a friend using one, I knew I needed one for myself.

There’s an unspoken rule in the kitchen world about utensils and gadgets: if it doesn’t serve more than one purpose, it’s not worthy of your drawer space. I abide by this rule for the most part, but there are exceptions. For example, an apple corer is a time-saving game-changer, and I get a lot of use out of my pickle fork, thank you very much.

My most recent addition—a citrus squeezer—is another. The first time I saw one in use by a friend of mine, I had zero clue what it was. It’s a hand-held contraption that has a sort of old-school aesthetic about it. But once said friend grabbed a lime and perfectly juiced it right into his beer, I knew I had to have one myself.

Amazon

$15

Zulay Premium Quality 2-in-1 Metal Lemon Lime Squeezer

Amazon

With very little force required on your end, you simply place half a lime or lemon into the squeezer and press. Voila! Your juice has arrived. The way it’s designed gets the majority of the juice out, keeps all the seeds in, and prevents messes. Also, it’s just a simple tool which is nice to have in a world of whizzing, whirring, blending contraptions.

I found my own citrus squeezer on Amazon and pressed buy before said beer was even finished. The Zulay Premium Quality Metal Lemon Lime Squeezer is robust, and I like that it has a colorful coating that makes it easy to rinse in the sink. I went for yellow, but the squeezer also comes in but they also offer red, black, and neon green. Also, if you haven’t noticed, it has two separate compartments to easily fit citrus of differing sizes (looking at you, Key limes).

Since then, I’ve used it when making ceviche, adding a bit of lemony kick to my salads and fish, and, of course, for taco Tuesdays. And now that Dry January is firmly in the rearview mirror, I’m excited to introduce the device to my bar, as well. Homemade cheladas, margaritas, and spritzers, here I come.

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Wendy Rose Gould

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