Editor-Favourite Kitchen Presents

Our staff isn’t afraid to spend cash within the title of fine kitchen gear. All of us have instruments we wouldn’t cook dinner with out—and even just a few we’d repurchase instantly in the event that they broke. However like most cooks (certainly, most individuals), we love a pleasant reward. I not too long ago polled my colleagues about the most effective gear they’ve ever acquired. It takes lots to impress this crew in the case of cooking instruments. Nonetheless, we will safely say that whereas we might not have purchased the 11 gadgets featured under, we will’t don’t need to stay with out ‘em. 

My accomplice’s grandma gave me this hand mixer for my birthday years in the past, and it is one in every of my favourite baking instruments. For cookies, desserts, brownies, and different bakes that do not require the motor power of a countertop stand mixer, this little machine brings the right quantity of energy. It does an amazing job of creaming butter and sugar, and it produces fluffy whipped cream. It could possibly additionally get egg whites to stiff peaks with none bother. — An Uong, author

A couple of years again I actually wished to make ice cream. I dreamt up all types of fancy flavors and combos, however the concepts stayed dormant since I did not have an ice cream machine. However one Christmas my husband shocked me with our profitable compressor ice cream machine, making my (and his) goals come true. I even used it to make pints of untamed Harmony grape, mascarpone, and peanut brittle ice cream as wedding ceremony favors. (You possibly can learn all about it right here.) Suffice it to say, this has been an amazing reward, each for me and my husband, the gifter! — Grace Kelly, senior editor

My husband bought me a 7.25-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven for Christmas one yr. You most likely know the way helpful Dutch ovens are, so I will not bore you with that. Nonetheless, I’ll let you know my Dutch oven is within the now-discontinued colour Fig, which is a shocking darkish purple with a bronze knob. — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, affiliate editorial director

Riddley gave this toaster to me once I moved into my home. (She’s an amazing gift-giver.) It did not win our evaluation, however I love the way it appears on my counter, and it makes nice toast. It is positively the fanciest, coolest toaster I’ve ever owned. — Rochelle Bilow, editor

Throughout the pandemic, I used to be fighting being caught at residence, so my father did what any good dad would do: He went to Costco to purchase me a present. He returned with a a lot better reward than I may have imagined—a KitchenAid stand mixer. He additionally managed to get one of many final baggage of flour and a two-pound bag of yeast. Evidently, I began baking bread and have not appeared again. Thanks, Dad! — Kelli Solomon, senior social media editor

I squeeze citrus on nearly the whole lot. This guide citrus juicer that my brother purchased for me years in the past is used each day. — Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

This was one other considerate reward from my husband. I used to be working at America’s Check Kitchen on the time, and he DM’d my coworkers to ask for his or her ideas on a carbon metal knife and ended up going with this one from Zwilling. It is held up for years, and I really like its thick, rounded deal with, which feels balanced in my palm. (The deal with is why it is not a winner in our evaluation.) — Riddley

The three-cup rice cooker donabe from Toiro that my spouse purchased me a few years in the past stays one in every of my all-time favourite items. I find it irresistible on each stage: It makes by far the most effective rice, higher than any pot I personal and even higher than my electrical rice cooker (which continues to be excellent and unarguably extra handy); it makes unbelievable one-pot donabe meals (see the great cookbook by Toiro’s proprietor for concepts); and it’s, all by itself, a murals that I like to have a look at. If I had the shelf area, I may simply slip right into a donabe-collecting gap, shopping for completely different ones that, sure, would have completely different culinary functions, however I would additionally simply be glad to have them as ornamental items. — Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

My husband’s Scottish members of the family gifted me with a spurtle a number of years in the past. Like Critical Eats contributor Nicole Rufus, I like my spurtle very a lot. I take advantage of it to make oatmeal, and it is tremendous useful for stirring or mashing issues. — Genevieve Yam, senior editor

Ever since I shared one in every of our critiques within the household group chat, my husband began consulting our web site for items for me. Based mostly on our critiques, he is gotten me a Le Creuset skillet, a wood slicing board, and an air fryer, however to date, my most-used reward has been my International nakiri knife. I take advantage of it nearly every single day. The grippy deal with is the whole lot. — Kelli

My mother and father gifted me one in every of their outdated Lodge forged iron skillets once I graduated school. It was my most-often-used pan for years, however I not too long ago misplaced it in a transfer. I believe (fondly and sadly) about it on a regular basis. — Rochelle

Why We’re the Consultants

• Rochell  Bilow is an editor at Critical Eats. Earlier than becoming a member of the staff full-time in 2024, she was a daily contributor to the positioning. 
• Rochelle is a culinary faculty graduate and former line cook dinner. Beforehand, she labored at Bon Appétit and Cooking Mild magazines. 
• At Critical Eats, we rigorously evaluation kitchen gear. We commonly revisit our critiques to re-test our winners, ensuring our findings are present.