I have a magazine obsession. It’s actually kind of a problem. Over the course of this year, though, I’ve cut my subscriptions down from 10 to 4. That’s major progress! (Although, it’s kind of cheating because my mother-in-law and I swap all of our magazines regularly.) How many subscriptions do you have?

I digress. Without a doubt, my favorite magazine is Real Simple. I usually read it cover to cover the day I get it. So many glossies that I read are so beautiful, but I’ve found that Real Simple goes beyond beautiful and is actually incredibly useful. Also, it’s the only magazine where I read the Editor’s Note. I always love what Kristin has to say!

Anyway, all of this to say…I found some new-to-me kitchen helpers in the November issue and I just had to share them with you! (If you have a copy, turn to page 69.) There were lots of useful kitchen tips in this section, but these 4 tech gadgets really caught my eye:

1. Joseph Joseph Totem Kitchen Bin

“This device makes composting a cinch…it pairs a food-waste caddy, plus odor filter, with recycling bins, all in one sleek vessel on wheels.” ($249)

On wheels, y’all! We are all about recycling in our household, but don’t do much composting with food waste. Maybe we should start.

2. Range Smart Thermometer

“No more hovering over the oven. This thermometer sends temperature readings to an app on your phone…Tell it what you’re cooking and your desired level of doneness and it will alert you when the food is ready.” ($70)

Maybe I could finally stop needing to cut into chicken or fish to see if it’s done! I’m just never confident enough to trust that those are cooked through.

3. Bruno Smartcan

“For speedier cleanups, consider this trash bin with a built-in vacuum. Sweep debris towards the can and it gets sucked up into the trash bag.” ($249 – Preorder for February 2016)

One of the must-haves in my dream kitchen is a sweep-away vacuum in the base of a cabinet. Maybe this could save me that expense.

4. Hiku Grocery List Maker

“Scan the barcode of the box of cereal you’ve finished and this adds it to a grocery list on your phone. Or speak into it for barcode-less items, like bananas.” ($79)

But what will I do with all my cute note pads on the side of the fridge?! The biggest perk for me: you can rearrange the list in order of the way you walk the aisles at the grocery store. I get made fun of constantly for my two-list grocery system…one to make the list and one to rearrange them in the correct order. I swear it saves me so much time!

So you might find one or two of these on my Christmas wish list this year. Have you tried any of these gadgets? What’s your go-to kitchen helper?

PS- Find out how I decorate with magazines here!