Kitchen gadgets can take the hassle and mess out of dinner, provided you choose the right ones. Love cooking curries? An electric grinder will make preparing spice blends a breeze. Enjoy salads? A vegetable chopper will let you dice vegetables far more quickly than using a knife. Have a tiny kitchen? A mini food processor will fit in even the smallest corner.

Personally I'm a big fan of anything that keeps the smell of garlic off my hands, so a silicone garlic peeler and dishwasher-safe chopper are two of my favorites. I also love my coffee, and I always turn to my trusty AeroPress if I'm not in the mood to spend time making espresso.

The right gadget can be a game-changer, and makes a truly thoughtful Christmas gift when you know what kind of dishes your loved one enjoys preparing. Here I've rounded up a collection of top quality kitchen helpers that your friends and family will use daily — all under $50.

Kitchen heroes under $50

Spice and nut grinder

Cuisinart Spice and Nut Grinder

Garlic chopper

Chef'n Garliczoom Garlic Chopper

Kitchen scale

Salter Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale

Coffee press

AeroPress Coffee Press

Mini food processor

Cuisinart Mini Food Processor

Citrus squeezer

Crate & Barrel Dual Citrus Squeezer

Herb stripper

Chef'n Zipstrip Pro Herb Stripper

Potato river

OXO Potato Ricer

Salad dressing mixer

OXO Twist & Pour Salad Dressing Mixer

Garlic peeler

OXO Good Grips Silicone Garlic Peeler

Can opener

Cuisinart Electric Automatic Can Opener

Egg timer

Crate & Barrel Egg Timer

Herb scissors

Crate & Barrel 5-Blade Herb Scissors

Digital thermometer

OXO Good Grips Digital Thermometer

Zester

Microplane Rasp Grater/Zester

Kitchen timer

Crate & Barrel Caraway Mechanical Kitchen Timer

Vegetable chopper

OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper

Corn Cob Stripper

Chef'n Corn Cob Stripper