The Envelope Funnel Hack That'll Save You From Spills In A Pinch

If you've ever misplaced one of those important but not-often-used kitchen tools — such as a can opener or a funnel — you already know how frustrating it can be. You might not need to use these items every day. But when you do need them and don't have them, it usually makes the task at hand 10 times harder. Luckily, with funnels, there are a few household items you can easily use to make a funnel replacement.

One of the easiest ways to replace a funnel –- especially when you need one to use with dry goods like flour or sugar –- is to use a paper envelope. While using an envelope as a funnel doesn't sound super intuitive, it is actually quite easy to do. All you need to do is cut a hole in one of the bottom corners, and you then have an easy-to-use funnel that will prevent your dry goods from spilling all over the place. So, how do you do it?

First, you need to choose your envelope. Any envelope will probably work, but the square ones might be easier to use than the long rectangular ones. Once you have your envelope, go ahead and take a pair of scissors and cut off one of the bottom corners. 

Then, open the envelope so that it forms an upside-down cone. Simply place your new funnel corner-hole-side-down over the container you want to transfer your dry foodstuff into, then start pouring it through the envelope.

The only problem with the envelope funnel is that it doesn't work so well for liquids. For liquids, the best choice is probably a plastic sandwich bag with the bottom corner cut out. This is because these plastic sandwich bags won't allow the liquid to seep through and spill everywhere. The only frustration with the sandwich bag funnel is that it won't be able to stand up on its own; it may flop over if you aren't holding it up.

Most people haven't sent a letter in years, so it's understandable that not everyone will have envelopes in their house. Then, what? Luckily, there are a few other ways you can make funnels with classic household items. 

The first and easiest replacement for the envelope funnel is probably the coffee filter funnel. For this one, all you need to do is either cut a hole in the bottom of the filter or roll it up into a cone shape.

Not a coffee drinker? Well, if you have aluminum foil, then you are still in business. Aluminum foil is super useful and is included in plenty of kitchen hacks because it can be molded into just about any shape. To make an aluminum foil funnel, you can simply rip off a piece of foil and start shaping it into a cone, or, you can first make a paper funnel and then use it as a mold to make your waterproof tin foil funnel.