Avocados are trending — thanks, avocado toast! Nowadays, in some kitchens, they've become as common as bananas. But prepping them can be kind of a drag.
Unless, of course, you've found this OXO 3-in-1 avocado tool with more than 2,000 positive reviews on Amazon. Yes, it really has changed my life. At least my life in the kitchen.
Any cooking gadget has to really wow me to earn space in my crowded drawers. After just one use, this thing snagged a permanent spot.
OXO 3-in-1 Avocado Tool, $10, Amazon
Usually, I subscribe to Alton Brown's theory that "uni-taskers" — tools that only serve one purpose — don't belong in a kitchen. But, the brilliance of OXO's avocado tool is that it actually has three functions: You can use it to cut the fruit open, remove the pit and then cut the fruit into even slices.
Allow me to count the reasons why I love this thing:
1. It removes the pit like it's nothing.
Getting the pit out of an avocado can be ... um ... dicey. Technically, you're supposed to slice it into quarters to remove it safely. But, a lot of us whack it with a knife to pull it out, which is totally unsafe. OXO's tool has a handy stainless-steel pitter built into it. Place it on the pit, turn and voila! The pit is out. (If you like those tiny avocados, though, this feature might not be as handy, depending on the size of the pit.)
2. It includes the dark-green part of the avocado.
Usually, when you scoop out on avocado the regular way, you can end up leaving a lot of the dark-green part (which is still tasty!) in the peel. This tool scoops close to the skin of the fruit. So, you get every last bit. Plus, it's precisely sliced. (This function also worked great with tiny avocados.)
3. It may save your hand.
Injuries due to slicing avocado are so frequent that doctors have even coined a name for the wound: "avocado hand." The OXO tool's plastic green knife makes it very difficult to injure yourself, but it's sturdy enough to slice right through an avocado.
4. It's dishwasher safe.
Unlike most chef knives, which can only be hand washed, OXO's avocado tool can go in the dishwasher ... enough said.