Saturday
Aug212010
Shout Out: What's Your Most Essential Kitchen Gadget?
Stephanie Webster
Whether you're a chef or a home cook, I'm sure you have an arsenal of kitchen tools and gadgets you simply can't live without. Alton Brown favors multi-taskers. Some favor a broader approach of single use gadgets (my favorite being the cherry pitter).
What is the one kitchen gadget you can't live without?
We've posted some of our favorites over in our Gadget Guru section, but we want to hear from you.
Post your comment below!
Reader Comments (22)
Our Hourglass Cold Brew Coffee Maker is my favorite gadget de jour. I've always been a morning Matcha drinker as it offers a milder buzz than coffee, but I can't resist the low acid iced coffee this baby puts out. You can check out my husband's review in "Gadget Guru."
Also, our microplane zester gets used constantly...it's great for spices.
I live for my AROMA nonstick rice cooker. I got it when I was first married many moons ago and, though I have threatened to toss it because its nonstick liner has lost its mojo, I haven't been able to find another one that is this big (cooks about 10-12 cups) and that has a retractable cord and an easy, one-hand carrying slot and an attached lid. It's the best for yellow rice, rice and red beans, Mexican rice, jasmine rice and so many other great weeknight sides. You just plug it in and the rice keeps warm for hours so you can go to lacrosse practice and back and still have hot, perfectly cooked rice when you walk in the door. Second place: My all-purpose Henckels kitchen scissors. I go crazy when my kids steal these because they are incredibly handy for opening all sorts of kitchen bags and packages and snipping fresh herbs.
I too have the Hourglass and love it. I read that not only does the coffee have lower acid but also lower cholesterol.
My husband was told to give up coffee because his cholesterol was going through the roof drinking french press coffee. He's been drinking the hourglass coffee for 6 months and his numbers are now normal! I love the smooth taste and with this maker I only need to actually brew coffee twice a week so I love the convenience.
Love my microplane and use it for zesting, grating hard cheeses, garlic and nutmeg. I'm also loving my bodum double-walled French press but I'm intrigued by your Hourglass comments!
This time of year, it's definitely my tomato puree-er.
I'd say my immersion circulator, complex 40 and agar-agar.
I can't live without my SodaStream machine. Before, we were buying cases of club soda. Now we never run out!
I've been wanting to try cold brewed coffee, I'm going to have to check out the Hourglass!
I can not live without my santoku knife, I use to cut everything... I also love my (surprise, surprise) Vidalia chopper, I've gone through 2 of them, we use them so much.
6000 grit Japanese whetstone. For sure.
That's an easy one for me...my Foodsaver. Long day at work, come home and if need be open the freezer and choose from homemade lasagne, short ribs, sauces, chicken pot pies, etc. Never any freezer burn.
It's a toss up between my Vidalia onion chopper and my apple corer... especially come fall!!
I love my Cuisinart puree wand. It plugs into the wall (no charging) and allows me to make a fast soup. My kids love homemade lentil soup and yellow split pea in pureed form. Sometimes I make it a very simple one, with just sauted onion, the legumes and a bit of salt (easy on the pepper!). Carrots, celery and leeks add depth.
One more thing...love my 12" super-fine zester! Lime zest and melted butter on any grilled fish is my favorite summer dinner.
I would have to say that my most utilized, and favorite kitchen gadget is my Cuisinart Immersion Blender. I love it so much, I bought one for everyone avid cook in our family last Christmas!
Sous Vide Supreme! - it's precise, cooking is uniform, and it frees your hands, as you basically can't overcook anything.
Love love love my 10" wustoff chef's knife & my great grater! I use them just about every day. I bought the knife when I moved into my first apt during college. I didn't have much but at least I had a great knife to assist in making my evening dinner! The zester works great for everything from cheese to chocolate & everything in-between.
I am totally committed to my BRAUN immersion blender. I simmer a bunch of whatever veggies are in my fridge, and plunge that blender right into the pot, after the soup has cooled a bit. The blade is protected by a rim that prevents it from scratching my fave ALL CLAD soup pot. VOILA! shimmering pureed soups! Unscrew the 2 parts and put the one with the blade right in the dishwasher. This is the easiest clean up job you can imagine. Blend in the sink in case it splatters.
Do riedel sauv blanc glasses count?
But really... we have gotten to love our hand blender for soups and sauces.
I love my silpat mats, although that doesn't seem to be a gadget. The microplanes get a lot of use as well - can't imagine using any other zester or grater!
My Cuisinart is my favorite gadget at the moment. I've been making pesto like crazy!
My vote also goes to my Cuisinart ... can't live without it!!
My must-haves are my spider strainer and my microplane. The really are used almost daily in my kitchen