My favorite is an immersion blender. I have a cord free model. I like to use it making sauces and eggs.
Sauces to hide veggies from my toddler who doesn’t realize the veggies are there for fortification and health.
Eggs I like to blend/whip air into the scramble. Cheese is an easy add too. They are super fluffy and delicious.
As far as cleaning it, I wipe any missed chunks off, put warm water plus soap in a cup, and blend til stiff peaks, JK.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
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defenately not the mandolin slicer. Asshole appliance.
Haven’t seen it mentioned yet so I’ll throw out a digital scale. Ours isn’t any special brand, but I picked it specifically because it measured to the tenth of a gram and not all scales will do that. I use it all the time, for baking, brewing coffee, portioning things out, making consistent sized burger patties/meatballs etc.
Literal Gadget, the big KitchenAid mixer. I got one that can handle my 2 kilo of sourdough dough, it’s glorious.
MVP? The iron skillets, hands down. If I had to build a kitchen out of fewer than 10 items the medium and oldest one would be first on that list.
I don’t know if I’d call it a gadget, but I absolutely LOVE the only round handled wooden spoon we have. Best. Utensil. Ever.
If we’re talking just electronic gadgets, I personally like using ( but Hate cleaning ) the food processor. That’s mostly my fault, though, since I almost never fully rinse it out because I’m usually busy doing a lot more cooking afterwards that takes away all my attention. Saves me from having to do things like chopping up onions.
Second in line would be a kitchen-aid stand mixer. Saves me time not having to shred chicken by hand.
Silicone rubber spatula, for sure. In Germany it’s sometimes called a ‘Geizhals’, because it perfectly scrapes off every rest of doug or sauce or dressing or whatever you’ve put together. Oh - and my ceramic knife sharpener. Can’t decide which to put at the top.
My vacuum sealer, for sure. It’s not only great for prepping to sous vide, it gives me extra room in my tiny freezer if I seal stuff instead of putting it in a container or even a plastic bag. And bonus, I haven’t had a single case of freezer burned meat since I started using it.
This was one of the first things I bought as a single person. Buying meet in bulk was economical. I use to make salsa an freeze it in “pages”. I still use it for all sorts of food
Not sure what counts as a “gadget”. If it can be any cooking implement, then my Dutch oven. If it has to be something more “gadget-y” then my rice cooker.
I consider anything that is often used or a favorite item that you use. Downtown have to be daily use item. Just has to bring you happiness. I agree about the CI. I use a 12x12 skillet daily for breakfast and cook most things on it
Highly underrated, but a good thermometer can help a lot with cooking meats. Getting the right temp is much more accurate than cooking by sight or feel, and having one that reads in under a second is super convenient.Typhur makes some quality ones that I like to use
I have a regular thermapen as well as the thermoworks “dot” leave-in thermometer. Both are invaluable. I can’t imagine roasting anything substantial without a reliable way to check the temp.
Seconding, I use my instant read thermometer alot. Whether it something from the oven, airfryer, or stove, especially for fish and chicken, it keeps me from over cooking the meat
My mother in-law insists on cooking for a time vs to temp. Dried pork and chicken don’t taste great
My favorite in terms of just being neat and cheap is my “safety” can opener. https://www.amazon.com/Safe-Cut-Can-Opener-Restaurant/dp/B0761PZC5F
It’s not about it being “safer” to me. It’s just plain better. It completely unseals the tops of cans without puncturing them, meaning the lid comes completely off at the rim. Never failed me. Opening something like some cat foods or refried beans is much better because it leaves no lip for the contents to catch on. I use it for pull tab cans too!
I got this knife sharpener recently. Cost €8 / about $9 USD. Absolutely incredible find. Every knife I own is now razor sharp which I love.
If you’re buying it yourself watch the video that they link in the instructions and have patience on first sharpen from dull.
Awesome
Zojirushi rice cooker
Excellent pick. We have a zojirushi as well and that thing is a workhorse in our house.
I have a cheap rice cooker. Works great for steam veggies and cooking rice. Something i learned was rinsing the rice 3+ times. Really helps make the rice not gloopy.
What makes the Zojirushi a stand out?
I went through a few cheap ones before buying the Zojirushi, making it ultimately the more affordable option.
Cheap ones don’t make rice as well (especially in small quantities–bottom gets burnt, top gets mushy, rice is cooked unevenly, etc), don’t keep rice as long, typically don’t have as many features (different types of rice and other grains, timers, etc), and rarely last very long. Using it about three to five times per week, rice cookers which only cost 30 bucks or so had an average lifespan of 3 to 6 months for me. I’ve had my Zojirushi for 12 or 13 years now.
My Benriner mandoline slice. Given how much I use it, and sometimes isn’t careful enough, it’s a surprise I still have all of my fingertips
We got a Kevlar glove for just that reason. Still has most of its fingertips
I don’t own a mandoline for this reason. The finger tips are he arguably the worst cut to have.
Finger webbing is the worst IMO
Big cast iron pan & small cast iron pan. They get the most use.
Actual gadgets - 3-stage knife sharpener.
I have a 12×12 square lodge that sits on my stove. I cook most things on it. Eggs, pancakes, burgers, half-assed hibachi. Its my go too for many things
Not a gadget exactly, but I love my chef knife! It’s a Kan core chef knife. I have had it for several years now and enjoy using it every time. It is very sharp and is easy to keep sharp. It was not cheap, but not terribly expensive when compared to other professional quality knives. I use it almost every day and it has never disappointed me.
For actual devices in the kitchen, I would say my Kitchenaid stand mixer is my favorite.
A good sharp knife is the best
Hard agree. I feel like you can cook almost anything with just a cast iron pan and a chef’s knife. It’s the essentialist’s gadget of choice
I’ve got a couple of really good chef’s knives, but I’ve been a terrible failure at keeping them sharp over the decade. I was trying to finely dice an onion yesterday and felt like I was back in a student flat with a blunt handmedown. I think they’ve gone past the stage of just using a regular sharpener, but I don’t know where I can get them re-edged.
I just posted a link to this sharpener which I love in another comment.
Some of the dull but high quality knives I had took a bit to get sharp first time (under ten minutes though).
