It’s the little things that really make a house a home, and that’s never truer than when you think of kitchen accessories. Yes, I love my stand mixer, blender, and food processor, but it’s the handy kitchen tools I use every day that make my kitchen fun and functional.
Everyone has a different wish list for the tools in their kitchen, but if you’re thinking about giving kitchen tools as a holiday gift this year or you’re just stocking up on the tools you’ll use every day in your kitchen, here are 10 of my favourites.
Top Kitchen Tool #1: Mandoline
Slicing takes up a lot of time, and after having a mandoline in my kitchen, I couldn’t believe the time I saved on slicing and dicing. It’s become one of my favourite kitchen tools, and if you’re going to get one I highly recommend picking up a mandoline like the Borner Germany Mandoline. It has ten different cut sizes, and best of all, a guard to protect your fingers.
I lost my fingertip to a mandoline without a guard, so I’m a huge fan of getting one with to protect yourself in the flurry of slicing.
Top Kitchen Tool #2: Cutting Board
I have a butcher block and anytime I cut on it I leave marks. Thankfully I can sand mine away, but not everyone can, so you should save your counters with a cutting board. A cutting board like the Brilliant Organic Acacia Wood Cutting Board looks great on your counter, but it also protects it from knife marks.
It also doubles as a serving tray for things like grapes, cheese, and crackers, and have I mentioned how great it looks? It would look amazing in any house with rustic, vintage, or farmhouse decor.
Top Kitchen Tool #3: Cheese Grater
I like to buy already grated cheese in the bag. Why? It saves time when I’m making lasagna and other cheesy dishes and honestly, my old fashioned cheese grater was a pain to use. The OXO Seal and Story Rotary Grater makes grating simple, and it will shred and store your cheese, chocolate, or nuts.
Top Kitchen Tool #4: Salad Spinner
I use a salad spinner almost every single day, and I don’t just use it to get the water out of lettuce or spinach. You can also put in washed vegetables and fruit and spin them dry. Don’t have a salad spinner in your kitchen? The Cuisinart Salad Spinner is small, easy to store, and easy to use.
Top Kitchen Tool #5: Mortar and Pestle
Since moving to my new place I grow herbs in my garden and on my window sills in the winter, and I’ve found that you have to really pound them to extract the flavour and natural oils. That’s why I needed a mortar and pestle in the kitchen, and I love this granite mortar and pestle. It takes a beating and grinds all of your favourite spices and herbs.
Top Kitchen Tool #6: Egg Poacher
Have you ever tried to poach eggs without an egg poacher? I’ve had them turn into odd shapes or leave an egg white trail around the pot. I learnt how to swirl the water before I poached the eggs, but I still struggled to get them perfect. Now that I have an egg poacher, I have perfect poached eggs every time.
An egg poacher circulates the water around the egg, contains it so it doesn’t leave a trail, and cooks it to perfection. It’s amazing that something as simple as the Cuisipro egg poacher can make such a difference in your eggs, but it really works like a charm.
Top Kitchen Tool #7: Mixing Bowls
I cannot imagine functioning in the kitchen without a great set of mixing bowls, and I’ve found mixing bowls can also really add a touch of style to your kitchen if you get the right ones. I used to use plastic mixing bowls, but glass bowls like the Mason Cash Pudding Bason are great for everything from mixing to serving. They really complement my farmhouse kitchen.
I also love the Pyrex 10-Piece 100-Year Anniversary Vintage Boxed Set. That retro look is really big in kitchen decor right now.
Top Kitchen Tool #8: Chef’s Knife
I’ll admit it. I went a long time without a decent set of knives. Until I really started cooking I didn’t realize the need for a sharp knife that can cut everything. A few YouTube videos later and I picked up the proper slicing and dicing skills for vegetables, meat, and poultry, but I still need a great all-in-one knife like the Wusthof 8” Chef’s Knife. Maybe I’ll find one under the tree this year.
Top Kitchen Tool #9: Garlic Press
When you’re adding garlic to pasta sauces, working it into your meat loaf, or making garlic bread, it’s handy to have a garlic press around. I used to chop up my garlic into tiny pieces, but the Trudeau Maison Garlic Press does that in seconds.
Top Kitchen Tool #10: Mixing bowls & Cups
Can you imagine not have measuring spoons and cups in your kitchen? I’m all for eyeballing certain things, but when I want to make sure my pancakes are perfect or my cakes are measured out correctly, I always use measuring cups like the Cuisipro Measuring Cup and Spoon Set.
Did you know not all measuring cups are created equal? I’ve had some that don’t fit inside my canisters, making it difficult to scoop. I’ve also had some with a lip on them so you can’t use your flat spatula and level them off.
The Cuisipro fit inside canisters and are easy to level off. I hang mine right by my stove so they’re always handy.
That’s 10 of my favourite kitchen tools, and if I had the space I would add new kitchen tools to my kitchen every day. I think it’s a lot of fun sourcing out new ways to use the tools I have or finding a cool kitchen tool that takes a tedious job and makes it simple, and I think that every gadget I add to my kitchen makes cooking more enjoyable.
If you’re thinking about gifting a kitchen tool for the holidays, I hope this list helped you whittle down your choices. You can find kitchen tools of all types and for all types of chefs on bestbuy.ca.
Main image from: bearingsguide.com
