My Favorite Kitchen Tools are divided by baking, cooking, and stocking a bar. You can browse here or go to my Personal Amazon Shopping Page, which is much more comprehensive.
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My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Cooking
Vitamix (While a Vitamix may seem pricey, you will have it for a lifetime) and I could not live without it for smoothies and soups like this fresh tomato soup.
OXO Sprializer (I use this several times a week. It’s easy to use and clean). Kids love volunteering to make zoodles. It also shredded the red cabbage for this salad in seconds or a zoodle dish with shrimp.
Lavatools Instant Read Thermometer
- Meat thermometer also perfect for fryers, bread, candy, coffee. I also use for water before adding yeast. A must for a perfect prime rib.
This nutmeg grinder is used not just for baking but also for savory dishes. There is no substitute for freshly ground nutmeg.
Every Kitchen Needs a Dutch Oven
This beautiful 7-quart white oval lodge dutch oven sits on top of my stove. I use it every day. It goes from stovetop to oven too. You will see this again and again, in dishes like this braised chicken and olives. . I also like to boil my spaghetti in it because it fits easier.
Pasta Pot from Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4-Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set
The Omelette Spatula. This spatula is the only spatula you will want to use, especially for eggs. The extra large size makes scrambling or omelettes easy. It’s extra large and you will use it for more than eggs. It’s my most used spatula.
The all purpose, 10 inch All-Clad Stainless Steel, Bi-Ply Bonded Oven Save Fry Pan. I love this pan and use it every day to sautè, make sauces, etc. It goes from stove top to oven.
Cast Iron Frying Pan (I have 13 and you will see many many skillet dishes here). This is the most versatile item you can own. You can sear a steak and finish it in the oven. You can make a million different stir fry dishes, roast a perfect chicken, and you can bake cobbler or this apple pie .
This Lodge Cast Iron Griddle is the one pan I would never do without. It’s what I use to bake biscuits, cook pancakes, heat tortillas.
Self Sharpening Knife Set from Calphalon. I use this set every single day. I love that it comes with steak knives that work!
Victornox Bread Knife A serrated bread knife is very important. You will see this knife in many of my bread pictures like this artisan bread.
Bread board. This keeps the crumb in one place, not all over your counter. This is olive wood and gorgeous. The cheaper ones will not last very long.
Boning Knife I also find this especially helpful for removing chicken skin and the silver skin off tenderloin.
Super Fine Mesh Strainer – Amazing strainer that will strain out the tiniest particles from your broth. This was recommended to me by a Vietnamese friend who uses this to strain her pho. I use it for my bone broth.
Cheesecloth (Food Grade, Unbleached) perfect for my famous cheesecloth roasted turkey.
Immersion Blender (this is what I use when I make homemade tomato sauce or mashed cauliflower). I especially love this set because it can be used as a chopper or mini food processor. I used it to make this pesto.
Glass Bottles – Perfect vessels for smoothies and the twins drink out of these every day. Includes reusable lids and straws.
Measuring Cups. You need two kinds, for dry ingredients and for liquids. I love these for liquids, and have 1, 2 and 4 cup.
Poultry Shears (it’s good smart money sense to buy whole organic chickens and cut them yourself).
Super Vegetable Peeler – I’ve tried everything and nothing worked well until these. The best I’ve ever used!
Insta Pot (Especially good for bone broth)
Atlas Pasta Maker – this is really all you need to make homemade fettucini, spaghetti, etc. Kids love to help and turn the crank. It’s affordable and you will have this forever. I wrote more about that here.
Meat Tenderizer (with 48 extra sharp needles) delivering your marinade inside the meat, consistently.
Citrus Extractor so important for making lemony desserts like this grain free lemon cake.
Whisk Wiper – Very unique tool that becomes indispensable.
Salt and Pepper Grinders (I have these because they work the best, as you turn them upside down, and never get stuck). They also look nice on the dinner table.
Salad Spinner by Oxo
Stone Baking Sheet Pan (I use these almost every day. Just don’t preheat it. Disregard the bad reviews of a few people, as this is a great pan. I once dropped and broke and ordered another one the same day. As time goes on, it turns a cool black color. You’ll see it often in pictures.
Food Saver. This is the first thing we bought together as a married couple.
My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Baking
Kitchen Aid Mixer. The workhorse of the kitchen no baker cannot live without. This will mix cakes, pie crust, bread, whipped cream. You will get your money’s worth. I also have the pasta attachment that I use to roll the dough into sheets.
OXO Food Scale I use a food scale every time I bake, as it’s more accurate. It’s too easy to pack too much flour into a cup and end up with a dry product.
Parchment Paper Sheets perfect for your baking pans. Easy clean-up.
Wilton Mini Tart Pans with Removable Bottom
Wilton Long Tart Pan with Removable Bottom which I’ve used many times like in this Pear Almond Tart.
Spinach Tiger makes a lot of tarts, sweet and savory. You can find them all here.
Tosnail 11 inch Quiche or Tart Pan with Removable Bottom
Erayco Premium Stainless Steel Zester Grater for Cheese, Lemon, Ginger, Lime, Garlic, Onions, Nutmeg, Chocolate and Spices, Kitchen Accessories (Green)
Silicone Baking Mat with Measurements for Countertop to Roll Dough
This French bread baking sheet is the best way to bake french bread. It never sticks. I use this especially when I do this gluten free french bread, because I like four smaller loaves.
Baker’s Couche 100% Pure French Flax Linen Proofing Cloth 32 x 35 Inch, the Original Red Stripe Signature Couche.
Silicone Muffin Pan from Demarle (Nothing sticks, easy storage as it folds, you’ll have it forever). This is so perfect for freezing broth. This is the pan I freeze broth in.Unlike many silicone pans, this cleans easily.
Tapered French Rolling Pin will help you make the perfect pie crust.
Favorite Kitchen Tools: Cocktails – How to Set Up Your Bar
Cocktail Shaker 24-Ounce Cocktail Shaker Bar Set.
Extra Large Square Cocktail Cubes
I like these extra large ice cubes for drinks like this blueberry old fashioned.
Coupe Glasses. Libby makes lovely affordable coupe glasses, perfect for vintage drinks like this manhattan with a luxardo cherry.
Wine Aerator Vinturi V1010 Essential Wine Aerator. Patent-pending design speeds up breathing process by instantly aerating in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine.
Woodfood Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters
My Favorite Kitchen Tools – Coffee
Rancilio Silvia, the Espresso Machine we LOVE! We have had this for years and we are faithful Rancilio Silvia fans.
Frothing Cup
Capresso Conical Burr Grinder -We have had this for years. It grinds well for fine espresso or for pour over. This is the best grinder for the money, as grinders can cost several hundred dollars.
Latte Cups with Saucer – These are similar to what we use. They might seem pricey, but very worth it to have the right cup and they will look brand new every day.
Frothing Temperature Gage Doug is OCD about getting the right frothing temperature and this is his pick.
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