I often get asked "do you think an instant pot is worth it?" or "what's your favorite skillet?" or "what knife do you use?" here is my list of the 12 things I can't cook without, and in my humble opinion, the 12 best kitchen gadgets out there. Note: the pictures are of my personal things, and links are to the most analogous item you can get on Amazon. This is not #spon at all! I truly stand behind all of these reccos.
in order of importance, the kitchen gadgets you need!!
12. a KitchenAid mixer
My former partner won me a KitchenAid mixer in a hand of poker, so I didn't have to pony up the couple hundred bucks for one, but if there's one thing that will take your baking to the next level, it's a KitchenAid mixer. You cannot replicate it. If you want to properly beat sugar and butter to make cookies or knead brioche dough, this is mandatory.
11. an Instant Pot
People often ask me if I think the Instant Pot lives up to the hype, and the answer is a resounding YES. I use it to make braises, stews, steam starchy vegetables like spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes and make rice. It does it all. It's great in the winter for those hearty meals, and it's great in the summer because it doesn't make your kitchen hotter than it needs to be. Invest in it.
10. a small Cuisinart
A small, 7-cup Cuisinart is the perfect size for all your chopping and mixing needs. I use mine most commonly for salsas/sauces, grating carrots or cabbage for slaw, and chopping herbs/garlic/mirepoix, which makes it just a little more mandatory to me than a KitchenAid mixer or an Instant Pot.
9. a cooling rack
You can use a cooling rack for its intended purpose of cooling, and/or you can also use it for making crispy bacon in the oven, perfect steak, or as a prop for photography.
8. nice jelly roll pans
A jelly roll pan/baking sheet is pretty crucial for putting anything in the oven. Don't use a flimsy cheapo one - get a hardy one like this.
7. a fish spatula
A fish spatula is a thinner, more delicate spatula, and my preferred tool for flipping or turning anything, inclusive of fish and beyond - fried eggs especially. Not really a gizmo or kitchen gadget per se, but really crucial.
6. a food scale
Y'all. Stop baking by measuring dry goods in volume. A food scale will up your baking game IMMEDIATELY. I break mine out all the time and it's so, so useful, beyond just baking.
5. a spider sieve thingy
I use a spider strainer sieve thingy to remove blanched veggies from water, to strain pasta, to pull almost anything out of any liquid. It's a miracle kitchen gadget.
4. a do-it-all cast iron braiser/skillet
This cast iron braiser/skillet is deep enough to braise or fry and shallow enough to saute or fry an egg. I do everything in mine. It goes from the stove to the oven and is worth every. damn. penny. I got mine on Food52 but it's also on Amazon for a little less.
3. a microplane + lemon juicer
Almost everything you make will benefit from a ~hit of acid~, and I'm putting these two together since zest and juice are married. lemon juice or lime juice is generally more commonly called for than zest, but if you do both, your citrus flavor will be that much more pronounced. And this handheld squeezer is THE ONE.
2. kitchen scissors
I used to think scissors in the kitchen were bush league. Boy was I wrong. Kitchen scissors make EVERYTHING easier. I debone chicken thighs w them most commonly but use them for so many other things I can't think of atm.
1. NUMBER ONE! a nice knife!!
A chef's knife, as big as your hand can hold, is the #1 kitchen "gadget" all people should have. And most importantly: Keep. Ya knife. Sharp! A dull knife = you played yourself. My personal favorite knife is from David Mellor, and I can't recommend it enough.