I Bet You Don't Have This $16 Tool in Your Kitchen, but It's First Thing My Mom Bought for My New Apartment

This Christmas, my mom couldn’t help but give me gifts she knew I’d need in my new apartment. There was my favorite dried pasta, some socks, and more of the usual suspects. While I already own expertly crafted chef’s knives, the perfect mandoline slicer, and the best coffee grinder, I was surprised to open the last box.

She didn’t get me pasta bowls or anything like that, but instead, this $16 multi tool from Amazon. We’ve owned one for decades, and it might not seem obvious, but this tool should be in everyone’s kitchen. 

Zebra Open It! All-In-One Multi Tool 

In fact, this was the first thing my mom bought me for my apartment because my family was convinced I couldn’t possibly move out without it. It has a 4-in-1 capability, with a big cutter on one end, a built-in bottle opener, a screwdriver, and a box cutter — all wrapped up in a roughly 8 by 2 by 1 inch tool that fits into any drawer. 

Not only does this tool replace my need to use kitchen shears or knives to open everything, but  it also adds a whole new level of functionality with the additional tools. The big cutter on the top end is fitted with thick and angled metal blades that help snap and cut a wide variety of materials with little to no effort, which is something I can’t say for regular scissors. I love to use it to open tough plastic packages, to trim flowers for bouquets around the house, and to cut through tough vegetable stems and leaves in a pinch. I’ve used it to trim leaves off of rhubarb and woody asparagus, specifically.

Right in between the blades and the handle is a nifty bottle opener, which is of course key to open beers, seltzers, and more drinks for cooking or just for drinking. But it’s the hidden tools where this cutter gets even more useful for me. There’s a box cutter at the end of one handle, which comes out with a push tab. It’s incredibly sharp, so it easily glides through the tape (even that extra annoying kind with the strings woven in) on packages. The other handle has a pull-our screwdriver, which’ll have a lengthy list of uses all throughout the home, from swapping out knobs on kitchen cabinets to tightening the questionable screws on that furniture that took hours to build. I’ve pretty much used it in every room at least one time. 

One other really important thing to point out is that it is very ergonomic. The whole design is well thought out, starting with the handles. They’re easy to hold which does help cut through tougher things more easily, as well as keeps it safer. There’s a latch on the top that locks the handles in together, which makes it easier to store but it also makes it easier to use the box cutter. I love the safety tab that protects me from the cutter, plus the tab is easy to push out to reveal the blade. The screwdriver takes a little effort to pull out, but I think that’s a good thing, since it feels secure. 

Overall, if you’re going to get a multi tool (and you should), this is the one I think everyone should own. And for just $16, it’s a no harm, no foul grab if you ask me. Shop the Zebra multi tool now at Amazon. 

Shop More Kitchen Tools I Love: 

OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer

Kuhn Rikon 3-Piece Original Swiss Peeler Set 

Ateco 4.25-Inch Offset Spatula 

Shun Classic Chef’s Knife

Zwilling 5-Inch Serrated Utility Knife

At the time of publishing, the price was $16.