A garlic peeler. I gave mine to my son and I sure missed it yesterday when I was peeling garlic for canning a large batch of salsa.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon garlic peeler.

Wow, really? I'd never have thought of that. It saves time?

All on Amazon:
Chocolate chipper
Olive spoon
Pampered Chef Cookie Dropper
Kikkerland Bag Clips with Fresh Date (set of 6)

More later, kids waiting--luck me!

Renee of Big Valley Coffee sent it to me years ago. It's a great little time and frustration saver. I just put one in my Amazon cart for when I place an order for other things. I looked in every drawer before I remembered I offered it to Danny when we were making something with fresh garlic and he enjoyed using it.

Jar lid popper.

A jar opener, if you do not have one. Jessy gave me one that just releases the vacuum from a sealed jar, and I use it all the time. I don't know whether it will help you with your shipping, however.

Lars

Great LA minds think alike! And at exactly the same time.

My first thought was a lemon spout, if you don't already have one. I searched on Amazon and couldn't find any but maybe they're known by a different name.

Kitchen twine? Parchment paper? Paper muffin cups? A jar lifter for canning?

Yes, I know, far more plebian than some others that have been posted, but useful nonetheless.

I got a stainless steel dispenser for my kitchen twine and I love it, it's so useful, keeps the twin from getting tangled, takes no more space than the twin itself and it was nearly as cheap to buy the dispenser with the twine as it was to buy twine itself.

Annie

Years ago, I bought the jar lid opener based on jessy's recommendations for the same reason you need to now.
Not used often but works great when needed.

Oh my god!

Guess I learned my cooking secret for today! :) Never saw one of them before. I like to think, I learn something new for cooking every time I come here.

Thanks!

I put one in my cart for next time.

Moni

Ruthann, I never thought about a spout as here in Florida the "orange spouts" are everywhere.

CC, the jar poppers are on sale right now. The are good for opening Mason jars too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jar Popper

The best jar opener I have found is the Swing-a-Way. It can open both the tiny tops of, say, an olive oil bottle, as well as big-mouth wide jars, both easily. Also, to fill out your cart, a strawberry huller. While a strawberry huller seems not to be that useful, believe me, once you have one, you don't know how you ever ate strawberries without one.

Re those 'Jar Pops' I'm on my second one, I use them so often, the first one somehow got chipped and wouldn't 'grab'. My aging wrists appreciate the gadget!

I noticed the jar pop I bought for a few dollars is now nine.

I just whack the edge of the jar lid on the edge of the counter, and it breaks the seal every time.

I'd go for bag clips myself. I use them for cat food bags, and just the other day I used one to hold a cookbook open to the page I needed.

Also, I'd consider a silicon spatula/scraper. I used mine to death. It was a gift, and I loved it.

Sally

I've always used an old "church key" type bottle opener to open jars. Just insert the pointy end under the edge of the lid, apply a little pressure, whoosh, it opens.

Lars and Gina that is really scary.

Sally, that's how I open jars too, but I'll bet the time will come when I want/need a jar opener. Sigh.

I use those metal clips from Office Depot to close the bags of chips, cracker packages, etc. Bigger ones would work on pet food bags too and they are really, really cheap!

Annie

I use wooden clothes pins as bag clips. They are cheap and I like the old-fashioned look of the wood and wire pins.

I use wooden clothespins too, when I run out of the little colored spring clips. And I've used binder clips sometimes. The clothespins stick up more than I like, though, and they are not at all pretty, because they're the ones that used to be outside hanging up the wash.
Completely OT: how do you store all those bags of chips and pretzels if you don't have an extra cabinet or a pantry? In my kitchen that's always a problem.

It's interesting to hear about things you'd never know you need until you have them. The garlic peeler and the jar pop are the leading ideas, it seems. I haven't placed my Amazon order yet, because one of the CD's is out of stock now... so I'm dithering.

Cathy, incredible as it is, I have a chocolate chipper. But there's a thick block of Callebaut chocolate I bought it in 2000 that defeats it. I chip off a little, with great effort, and then wrap it up again.

I'll have to look into a chocolate chipper. I've never heard of those, and they sound interesting. I've gotten to where I like to chop up chocolate instead of getting the ready made chips.

Sally

I decided on the garlic peeler. Not that I ever thought peeling garlic was a problem. But I've been thinking it might be good for making those dishes that use an enormous amount.
and it must be the right thing, becasue my Amazon points paid for the three items exactly, to the penny!

And thanks, everyone, for all the suggestions. I will keep a list for my next Amazon order.

CC, I'm glad you found the perfect filler item. Whatever you do DON'T sign up for Amazon's Prime membership program that gives you and your family unlimited fast shipping. Shipping fees keep me from making a purchase a lot of times but with my Prime membership on Amazon--there's rarely a second thought before hitting the "check-out" key. Someone save me please!!

Cathy, I know! I had the free trial of Amazon Prime. Luckily it expires pretty fast, if you remember to change the setting so it doesn't automatically keep you in it when the trial is over.
Of course, always adding stuff to get to $25 for free shipping has its problems too!
I wonder how they make any money at all from me. I bought three items. The garlic peeler will ship now. One CD releases on Tuesday; the other is out of stock. So they are giving me free shipping on three separate shipments.

I had no idea I needed that silly little garlic peeler until I had it. I actually don't use a lot of garlic but if I have to peel a few cloves, it sure makes it easier and faster. For someone who cooks with a lot of fresh garlic often it would be very useful.

Thanks for the idea, Eileen. It's always fun to be surprised by something unexpected that works really well. And I managed to order a blue one. I hesitate to admit it, but if I can help it I don't buy things that clash with my kitchen. :-)