Jump to content

What are your must have kitchen tools/gadgets?


Julie Quates

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 76
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Congratulations! I love my Victorinox knives, julienne peeler, food processor, bench scraper, 2 cutting boards( one for meat one for produce), immersion blender , sheet pans and all clad pans. The pans are expensive, but I have had mine for over 15 yrs and they are like new ! The knives are reasonably priced and have also held up really well over time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Julie, we just got married in July and either had or registered for just about everything Tom mentioned - we had a wok but weren't using it so gave it away. We've got a small galley kitchen so had to get creative with storing stuff -we went with pegboard, Julia Child-style, and a magnetic knife strip. I'd also add that you'll want a pot for soups and broths. Oh, and you may have this already, a wooden spoon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My absolute #1 favorite thing is a double boiler I got for christmas that also has a steamer pot. I use it almost every day for veggies. I chop up whatever and plop some coconut oil & spices on it and let it steam, stirring a couple times. I'm not positive what brand mine is, but it is similar to this:

http://www.target.com/p/range-kleen-double-boiler-steamer-insert-set-silver-3-quart/-/A-12271668?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|12271668&CPNG=kitchen&ci_sku=12271668&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=

#2 is a butcher block. I don't know what I would do without it. For meats I use those cheap plastic ones. They clean up the best ;)

http://www.catskillcraftsmen.com/Boards/1814.html

I ordered this one on amazon because I had a gift card & a prime membership so I ended up paying like $20 for it. It's awesome!!

Definitely a cast iron skillet and I absolutely LOVE my Le Creuset French Oven:

I believe I have the 7 qt, and I also have a little oval one, I think it's 3 qts. You can get a good deal on these at TJMaxx or Tuesday Morning. http://cookware.lecreuset.com/cookware/product_7-1%2F4-qt.-Round-French-Oven_10151_-1_20002_10139_21056

Also, I think everyone should have a Kitchenaid mixer, although if you are going to stick to paleo eating, it might not be so useful. I really want the food grinder & sausage stuffer attachment for mine. It's awesome for shredding baked chicken, too!

Since doing the W30 I have put a lot more miles on my food processor. They are amazing for so many things! I also have a mini chopper that is wonderful for infusing garlic and spices together!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Laura B: Great suggestions. We were already blessed with a bright green KitchenAid mixer for a gift. It hasn't made it out of the box yet!!! Also were gifted an Excalibur Dehydrator that I'm sure will get used sooner than later.

The LaCreuset oven is on my registry! Hope I score that one!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a huge gadget person. In fact, my friend took me to one of those kitchen parties and I kept turning to her and saying "I would just use my knife". :) She didn't invite me to one again.

However, I love this item. It's so fun to cut zuc and other items into weird shapes. Certainly not necessary because you can easily use a regular veggie peeler to make zucc strips, but I love this.

http://www.amazon.com/World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade-Vegetable/dp/B0007Y9WHQ

Also, speaking of knives...good knives are worth their weight in gold. My favorites are my Shun 7" Santoku designed by Ken Onion. It's my pride and joy. Then I also love my meat cleaver and veggie cleaver. No clue why I decided I needed both, but I was afraid I'd break the veggie cleaver on bones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of the above, plus a cheap travel blender I got for $10. It makes excellent mayo and takes a minute to clean up.

I could not live without my tongs. I have 3 pair. Also, my paring knife. If I cannot find it, I panic!

I also adore my Lunchbots storage containers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have any wealthy friends or family members or get a bunch of gift cards, a VitaMix is an awesome thing to have and it will last you forever! :)

A dehydrator is also great for making beef jerky, zucchini chips, dried fruit, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Both All Clad and Le Cresuet sell large braisers (12 or 13 inches across) that are awesome. I keep my LC one on the stove - it gets used THAT much: skillet recipes, browning meat, sauteeing veggies.

Colanders/strainers . . . that can nest to save space.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vitamix, Kitchenaid Food Processor, electric tea kettle, anything Le Creuset, egg poaching pan or cups, hand mixer, crock pot, Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker, julienne slicer, mandolin, microplane zester, a good vegetable peeler and a stellar set of kitchen knives (I love my Cutco's), cutting boards...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use my mandolin daily. Nothing has saved me as much time as a mandolin. When my last one broke into was at the store the next day and my next will be a metal commercial model.

My crockpot pot is a close second. I use it to all always have bone broth cooking and available for cooking other foods without my kitchen staying hot constantly.

A good roaster is equally important to me. I adore my cast iron one for braising slow roasting stews etc before bed for lunches/dinners the next day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another vote for a good quality mandolin slicer! And I use daily: my deep stainless mixing bowls, glass ball jars, good knives, all-clad cookware, a good cast iron skillet, nesting colanders, and a good coffee maker. Almost daily, I use my large crock pot and my food processor.

Oh, and since no one else has mentioned this - I love my silly little nut chopper:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/8200230/?catalogId=93&bnrid=3120901&cm_ven=Google_PLA&cm_cat=Cooks'_Tools&cm_pla=Specialized_Kitchen_Tools&cm_ite=Nut_Chopper_%7C_Williams-Sonoma&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=32-167401156-2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOVE my Wok. I just let my burners get it screaming hot. It's so perfectly seasoned and adds such a great browned flavor to everything.

Also...I have owned an immersion blender for years and rarely used it...until I started making mayo. It's so awesome!! Takes all of 20 seconds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Food Saver! We've have had ours for about.. umm.. 10 years and it is still going strong. We even have vacuum containers.

Awesome!! Is there a specific model number you recommend? Or function on yours that is a must have? Seems like there are lots of models, not sure which to put on my Christmas list :))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...