What are your favourite pieces of kitchen gear?

[stephen129]

I'm interested to see what cool stuff is out there that I may not know about.

Preferably include pics.

 

[btbyrd]

Joule immersion circulator
Pressure cooker
Chamber vacuum sealer
Iwatani 35FW portable butane burner (goes anywhere... great for camping or just searing outside)
Vollrath Mirage Pro induction burner (doesn't require gas; has 100 levels of control; I got mine super cheap. WIsh I had a Polyscience Control Freak, but would never pay for one unless I won the lottery)
TS8000 blowtorch + Searzall
Ruhlman spoons
Thermapen
Amazen tube pellet smoker (turns a grill into a smoker for like $30)
High-powered blender (Vitamixes are nice but I have a Waring commercial Xtreme blender)
Quality cookware

 

[ptolemy]

It's funny, until last month I have hand user a hand blender. Until I had to puree tomatoes and chicken livers for my first try of Bolongese. It's a cheap Chinese model but it did a quick work of it, no mess, and 20 seconds later it was perfectly pureed.

Not saying it's my fav, but it def worked perfectly, which is a rare feat for me.

 

[Lars]

Range hood.

 

[Michi]

This is probably the most-used tool (other than knives) in my kitchen:

There is basically no meal I prepare where that scraper doesn't get used. Besides the usual tasks, such as shaping and dividing dough, it's great for picking up a bunch of chopped stuff to drop it into a pot, and it is super-useful for cleaning off a stone bench top, especially after it has been covered with flour for making pasta.

I also use it to scrape down my board before cleaning it with a sponge. That way, I get all the little bits of stuck-on chopped herbs and other bits of produce off the board. (Doing the same thing with a sponge doesn't work nearly as well because, quite often, the sponge won't pick up things, or they end up just rolling around between the board and the sponge without sticking to the sponge.)

If you don't have a scraper yet, I recommend trying one. They are cheap and effective.

 

[Brian Weekley]

I just love this new device from ThermoWorks. Great range, connects easily and never a problem monitoring degree of doneness and cooking temperature. I like to reverse sear steaks in my toaster oven. This makes hitting an exact internal temperature childs play. No probing or poking the steaks. Perfect results while I sit enjoying a glass of wine.


https://www.thermoworks.com/Smoke

 

[Brian Weekley]

An absolutely great product. Relatively cheap and smarter than most of my friends. Heats quickly and holds a constant temperature way better than my cheap oven. Used every day in my kitchen.


https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/ovens/bov845.html

 

[stephen129]

This is probably the most-used tool (other than knives) in my kitchen:
View attachment 78324
There is basically no meal I prepare where that scraper doesn't get used. Besides the usual tasks, such as shaping and dividing dough, it's great for picking up a bunch of chopped stuff to drop it into a pot, and it is super-useful for cleaning off a stone bench top, especially after it has been covered with flour for making pasta.

I also use it to scrape down my board before cleaning it with a sponge. That way, I get all the little bits of stuck-on chopped herbs and other bits of produce off the board. (Doing the same thing with a sponge doesn't work nearly as well because, quite often, the sponge won't pick up things, or they end up just rolling around between the board and the sponge without sticking to the sponge.)

If you don't have a scraper yet, I recommend trying one. They are cheap and effective.

Yeah I've been thinking of getting one of these. J. Kenji Lopez Alt loves them.

 

[AT5760]

Two of my favorite tools. The cheap 4” offset is an awesome baking tool. In addition to making frosting much easier, it’s great for helping things out of pans without doing much damage. The other guy is a cherry “spatula” that I picked up a few years ago. It stirs, it flips, it scoops, and it won’t damage pans. I bought 2, I wish I’d bought 5 more because I can’t find the guy that made them.

 

[ian]

Carbon steel pan and a good, metal, straight edged spatula.

 

[ExistentialHero]

Lots of great suggestions here, so I won't repeat them, but I will nominate the humble fish spatula, my preferred tool for working in pans:

Flexible enough to get under anything, light enough to do a bit of whisking when I'm making eggs, and stiff enough at the edge to pull up fond.

 

[daveb]

If you don't have a scraper yet, I recommend trying one. They are cheap and effective.

+1. I use one enough that I'm thinking about getting one rehandled

+1, +1, +1 on Thermoworks Smoke - and the jelly beans they include in packages

+1 on quality toaster oven. I flipped a coin between Cuisinart and Breville and Cuisinart came up. I've since shopped pans and now do almost all baking in it instead of the BPS in the apartment.

 

[daveb]

Second only to my knives and boards are my tongs. I carry them in my catering bag, keep 2 pair at work, and have some at home. Rosle. The difference between a pair of Rosle and a pair of "pedestrian" tongs is akin to the difference between a Devin and a Vnox. (Their Y peeler is also worth every dime)

https://www.amazon.com/Rosle-Stainl...dchild=1&keywords=rosle&qid=1587907950&sr=8-2

 

[WildBoar]

My wife.

Definitely not the least expensive thing in the kitchen, though...

 

[LostHighway]

Knives aside, my Thermapen and electronic scale (My Weigh iBalance 2600 is the most used but I also have a larger capacity scale) are by far my favorite tools based on frequency of use. My timers (also from ThermoWorks) and various spatulas and stirring spoons (Matfer, Mastrad, OXO, ...) also see near constant use. I also really like my zesters and graters: box, Zyliss drum grater for cheese, Microplane (fine, extra course and what Microplance calls their large cheese shaver - I use it mostly for chocolate), and a Kyocera ceramic ginger grater.
All coffee drinkers really need a good coffee grinder. Mine is mediocre (Baratza Virtuoso) but adequate for my uses since I only use pour over, AeroPres,s or vaccuum/siphon. If I could justify and afford a good espresso setup I'd be looking at $600+ grinders.
Currently in the hunt for a new gas cooktop, leaning toward BlueStar.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

Two of my favorite tools. The cheap 4” offset is an awesome baking tool. In addition to making frosting much easier, it’s great for helping things out of pans without doing much damage. The other guy is a cherry “spatula” that I picked up a few years ago. It stirs, it flips, it scoops, and it won’t damage pans. I bought 2, I wish I’d bought 5 more because I can’t find the guy that made them. View attachment 78327

Chester Basil? With the wooden spatula.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

Here’s mine. The very humble half-sheet pan. I grabbed four at a restaurant supply house and I friggen love them. And I don’t bake. Total multi-taskers. I use them every day. I have a small plastic cutting board that fits inside of a sheet so slicing meat, it catches juices. It’s the drip pan under my Dutch oven in a braise, it’s the tray I use to carry my Mise en Place to my backyard wok burner. It’s a lid for a big stockpot. oven roast veggies! Deer meat butchering storage..the uses are endless.

it was even the “interesting backdrop“ for my most recent oyster photograph. i own four, but I keep reaching for the two most stained ones. Haha.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

Edit. I think I now have three half-sheets. One apparently didn’t make it back from a wife’s potluck party. Ugh.

 

[rickbern]

Here’s mine. A few duplicates. I like ruhlman spatulas and Kunz spoons. Love the Kuhn rikon peeler. My 24 cm demeyere skillet has become a workhorse. I use that Chinese spider a lot for small portions.

and the one thing I never would have included before, that little oxo soap pump for hand soap feels, literally, like a lifesaver.

 

[ian]

Here’s mine. The very humble half-sheet pan. I grabbed four at a restaurant supply house and I friggen love them. And I don’t bake. Total multi-taskers. I use them every day. I have a small plastic cutting board that fits inside of a sheet so slicing meat, it catches juices. It’s the drip pan under my Dutch oven in a braise, it’s the tray I use to carry my Mise en Place to my backyard wok burner. It’s a lid for a big stockpot. oven roast veggies! Deer meat butchering storage..the uses are endless.

it was even the “interesting backdrop“ for my most recent oyster photograph. i own four, but I keep reaching for the two most stained ones. Haha.

View attachment 78359View attachment 78360

That is the most beautiful photograph of a sheet pan ever.

 

[AFKitchenknivesguy]

My newest toy

Wolf oven

 

[boomchakabowwow]

Gave it sone thought. I have determined my second favorite. Haha.

is a Korean Spoon. This is my favorite one. It’s hefty. I have others made from cheap stamped steel that are light weight. (A good option for those dehydrated backpacking meals). I have two of these heavier ones. They are longer handled. Great for finger safety when stirring a hot pot of anything. Great using them to taste for seasoning. Reaching into a deep empty jar of mayo? Yes! it is my go to tool for flipping seared scallops. I actually cook with a spoon a lot. Basting a hot steak with hot and herbed butter, there is no better option. I’m not a talented Wolfgang that can get by with a tiny spoon. . Like some things - Longer is better! Hehe.

Yes, I made fresh albacore tuna salad for breakfast.

 

[mlau]

My wok, and my vitamix.

Btw, I like that wood spoon. May have to make one

 

[Famima]

A few favourites:

Krups grinder, not for coffee, but for spices - essential for the Indian-style roast-off in the pan then grind.

Japanese ceramic ginger grater.

Scanpan roasting pan - the ceramic non-stick coating works brilliantly and the thick base means good stove-top performance. Total keeper!

Bourgeat 20cm copper saute. Never ever parting with this!

A proper masher ;-)

 

[Lars]

I have that Scanpan roasting pan too and I like it although I'm on induction so no good for the stovetop.

 

[rickbern]

Second post to this thread...

here’s what’s next to my stove. Canola oil and water in squeeze bottles, olive oil in the syrup dispenser, salt to grab in that little marble pestle.

 

[ian]

Spaetzle maker. If you don’t have one, I pity you.

 

[ian]

Also, designated popover pan. Used to use a scratched up muffin pan. Could never get the things out. Cleanup was a nightmare. Now it’s a pleasure.

 

[user 16756]

I got a walnut French style rolling pin off a random Etsy shop for about 30 dollars.

I am a total convert and cannot for the life of me understand why this is not the dominant style of rolling pin.

 

[Bert2368]

I got a walnut French style rolling pin off a random Etsy shop for about 30 dollars.

I am a total convert and cannot for the life of me understand why this is not the dominant style of rolling pin.

This shape?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/671554..._query=french+rolling+pin&ref=sr_gallery-1-16