Tools in the kitchen

Pressure cooker

Why buy beans in a can that are loaded with salt when you can cook them yourself in less than 30 minutes (even faster when you soak the beans ahead of time)? I have mine (Presto brand as a gift) for about 20 years and still use it. I have to replace the rubber ring (through amazon.com for about less than $10) once in a while but it is totally worth it.

Hand Slicer/Shredder

It comes with 3 shredded blades (small, medium, large), and a thickness adjustment so you can shred at the width and thickness you want. It lasts for a long time, I bought mine more than 15 years ago (for about $15), use it almost everyday, and it is still in a good condition. Buy one (Japanese made, in most Asian grocery markets), and you can shred almost any vegetables in minutes.