Warning

 

Close

Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Confirm Cancel
BCM
User Panel

Arrow Left Previous Page
Page / 2
Posted: 7/18/2011 7:06:02 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Zhukov]
So, what are your favorite gadgets or tools in your kitchen?  






My ultimate favorite is my Foreman grill.  I bought the bigger one with the removable plates.  I use it almost every day.  If it had temp control, it'd be perfect.  







Second place is my santoku knife.  It's just a cheap Chicago from Walmart, but it too gets used almost every day and it seems to be holding it's edge well.  Maybe for my birthday I'll get a nice Wusthoff.  







Honorable mention goes to the food processor.  I used to never really use it, but more and more I'm finding uses for it.  I doubt it could ever overtake my beloved Foreman, but it's getting more and more mileage.



<Changed thread title so make this the official kitchen tools/gadgets FAQ entry - Z>


 
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 7:44:35 AM EDT
[#1]
My favorite is my Moulie horizontal grater/slicer. Think of it as a manual food processor. Has it's limitations, but I use it often.

Second would be my V-slicer mandolin. Makes short work of many slicing jobs

I don't consider my kershaw shun knives gadgets.
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 9:04:45 AM EDT
[#2]




Hands down but I do the baking in the house.
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 9:07:48 AM EDT
[#3]
Originally Posted By JIP:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i245/jimp6995/51srS-NtPaL.jpg

Hands down but I do the baking in the house.


Something like this is on my want list.

On my have list? Favorite is a 2 basket deep fryer. Damn handy gadget, that. Second place would have to go to my mandolin slicer as mentioned above. Damn thing is very useful.

Link Posted: 7/18/2011 9:16:38 AM EDT
[#4]
Your basic pulltap

I've seen people spend $100 on all kinds of fancy corkscrews that don't work as well as this simple device.
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 9:28:53 AM EDT
[#5]
The best tools in my kitchen are my set of knives.

I've managed to piece together a good set of Classic Wusthof knives and have trained the wife on how to care for them.

I keep them clean and sharpened; they put in a lot of work when I'm cooking/grilling.
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 12:13:33 PM EDT
[#6]
Not in my kitchen, but my Weber Performer is hands down my favorite cooking tool ever!

Weber Performer

Link Posted: 7/18/2011 2:00:10 PM EDT
[#7]



Originally Posted By Bladeswitcher:


Your basic pulltap



I've seen people spend $100 on all kinds of fancy corkscrews that don't work as well as this simple device.


I got that one from an estate sale for like $.50 and it is the best wine key I have ever used.  I have tried other bigger ones and different contraptions but that one has the best leverage you can get.



 
Link Posted: 7/18/2011 3:52:04 PM EDT
[#8]
A Polder instant-read thermometer.







I'd love to have one with a thermocouple for faster reads, but for 1/6th of the price, I'll deal with having to wait a few seconds for a thermister.
Link Posted: 7/19/2011 12:08:03 AM EDT
[#9]
http://importfood.com/mortarpestle.html




8" granite mortar and pestle. i buy a lot of my spices whole and grind them here. also good for pastes,salsas, and just mixing stuff up. the 8" is just the right size.
Link Posted: 7/19/2011 8:21:13 AM EDT
[#10]
My favorite "gadget" in the kitchen is my wife...

We have an understanding you see.  I cook everything and she cleans up when were done.
I try to "work clean" and keep up as I go, but come service time I'm putting lots into the sink.
Link Posted: 7/19/2011 3:00:02 PM EDT
[#11]
Link Posted: 7/19/2011 10:21:44 PM EDT
[#12]
Infrared thermometer.  It's just so handy for letting me know if the cooking surfaces are too hot or too cool.  Hard to tell because I have a very slow-to-heat electric range.  Take a long time to heat up  and when I add food in to fry it cools down the oil fast.
Link Posted: 7/19/2011 11:43:29 PM EDT
[#13]
I resisted buying a silicone bristled brush for basting, thinking they would not hold up.  I was wrong.  Get one and you will dump all of your other brushes in the trash.



Link Posted: 7/19/2011 11:45:27 PM EDT
[Last Edit: wildearp] [#14]




Originally Posted By JIP:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i245/jimp6995/51srS-NtPaL.jpg



Hands down but I do the baking in the house.




The tilting head version is easier to load the bowl and manipulate the attachments. I played with that version in the store and thought it was clunky and bought a tilt head.



I later, watched Emeril lose his mind on a show using one of those. He had a Hobart on his next show.



There are several wattages of the mixer available with different price gimmicks.  Buyer beware, get the one with more power.  I use mine for breads, and have the meat grinder attachment for making burger and sausage.  I have a three head set for making pasta, but I need much more practice with the mix.
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 3:10:40 AM EDT
[#15]
My 8" Shun Kaji Chef's knife is first, some times i look for things to cut up for the hell of it.
2nd would be my masterbuilt smoker/deepfryer
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 9:50:44 AM EDT
[#16]



Originally Posted By wildearp:





Originally Posted By JIP:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i245/jimp6995/51srS-NtPaL.jpg



Hands down but I do the baking in the house.




The tilting head version is easier to load the bowl and manipulate the attachments. I played with that version in the store and thought it was clunky and bought a tilt head.



I later, watched Emeril lose his mind on a show using one of those. He had a Hobart on his next show.



There are several wattages of the mixer available with different price gimmicks.  Buyer beware, get the one with more power.  I use mine for breads, and have the meat grinder attachment for making burger and sausage.  I have a three head set for making pasta, but I need much more practice with the mix.


I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.



 
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 10:05:17 AM EDT
[#17]
My cutting board I made out of maple, walnut, and cherry.

Link Posted: 7/20/2011 10:14:03 AM EDT
[#18]



Originally Posted By JIP:




I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.

 


It's easy to do.  The manual has instructions.



 
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 10:41:56 AM EDT
[#19]



Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:





Originally Posted By JIP:



I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.

 


It's easy to do.  The manual has instructions.

 


Manual??? what is this Manual you speak of??.

 
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 10:52:27 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Admiral_Crunch] [#20]





Originally Posted By JIP:
Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:
Originally Posted By JIP:





I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.


 



It's easy to do.  The manual has instructions.


 



Manual??? what is this Manual you speak of??.  



It was that paper you threw away that told you how to operate the thing you bought.  





 
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 11:11:47 AM EDT
[#21]
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 11:17:09 AM EDT
[#22]
Originally Posted By Zhukov:

Originally Posted By Covertness:
My cutting board I made out of maple, walnut, and cherry.

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g326/Covertness/P1000393.jpg

Very pretty - I'd be worried about using that thing. Isn't the walnut a tad soft for a cutting board?

On a side note, I love the smell of walnut when you cut it...
 


The cutting side is the end grain of the wood so you are not cutting across the wood fibers.  Plus I finish them in walnut oil which dries harder than mineral oil (aka butcher block oil).  I've been making them for a couple of years now and haven't had any compliants.  The one in the picture is now three years old and aside from cut marks, it is still flat as the day it was made.
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 11:22:28 AM EDT
[#23]
Originally Posted By Covertness:
Originally Posted By Zhukov:

Originally Posted By Covertness:
My cutting board I made out of maple, walnut, and cherry.

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g326/Covertness/P1000393.jpg

Very pretty - I'd be worried about using that thing. Isn't the walnut a tad soft for a cutting board?

On a side note, I love the smell of walnut when you cut it...
 


The cutting side is the end grain of the wood so you are not cutting across the wood fibers.  Plus I finish them in walnut oil which dries harder than mineral oil (aka butcher block oil).  I've been making them for a couple of years now and haven't had any compliants.  The one in the picture is now three years old and aside from cut marks, it is still flat as the day it was made.


If you decide to make some for sale, I'd like to be in line for one.

I've got to retire my old block and I'd like to get a new one.
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 1:13:23 PM EDT
[#24]



Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:





Originally Posted By JIP:




Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:




Originally Posted By JIP:



I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.

 


It's easy to do.  The manual has instructions.

 


Manual??? what is this Manual you speak of??.  


It was that paper you threw away that told you how to operate the thing you bought.  

 
Now what fun would learning how to operate a new piece of technology be if you actually read a manual??





 
Link Posted: 7/20/2011 1:45:32 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Admiral_Crunch] [#25]





Originally Posted By Covertness:





Originally Posted By Zhukov:
Originally Posted By Covertness:


My cutting board I made out of maple, walnut, and cherry.





http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g326/Covertness/P1000393.jpg



Very pretty - I'd be worried about using that thing. Isn't the walnut a tad soft for a cutting board?





On a side note, I love the smell of walnut when you cut it...


 






The cutting side is the end grain of the wood so you are not cutting across the wood fibers.  Plus I finish them in walnut oil which dries harder than mineral oil (aka butcher block oil).  I've been making them for a couple of years now and haven't had any compliants.  The one in the picture is now three years old and aside from cut marks, it is still flat as the day it was made.



Wouldn't walnut oil go rancid eventually?



Thanks for reminding me that I haven't oiled my cutting boards recently, BTW.  





 
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 8:23:17 AM EDT
[#26]
No, walnut oil is a drying oil just like mineral oil.  It doesn't go rancid; it cures in the pores of the wood.
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 9:06:38 AM EDT
[#27]



Originally Posted By Covertness:


No, walnut oil is a drying oil just like mineral oil.  It doesn't go rancid; it cures in the pores of the wood.


That's odd.  I've always been told that walnut oil should always be stored in the fridge because it goes rancid quickly.

 
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 10:38:45 AM EDT
[#28]
you might be talking about walnut oil used for cooking.  The kind I use is made as a food safe wood finish.
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 12:53:53 PM EDT
[#29]
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 1:17:48 PM EDT
[#30]



Originally Posted By Covertness:


you might be talking about walnut oil used for cooking.  The kind I use is made as a food safe wood finish.


Didn't know there were two kinds.  I was just aware of the kind you get at the grocery store for salads and such.  Cool.



 
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 1:18:32 PM EDT
[#31]
I really like my spyderco triangle sharpmaker for sharpening my knives.

Another kitchen gadget I like is my Fluke IR thermometer.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 10:13:36 PM EDT
[#32]
my all time faves in the kitchen are a cast iron dutch oven without legs and a frying pan.  they're both very old and very smooth on the inside.  

at one time, many years ago, i had the same setup, but the lid didn't fit both.  i was at a campout with 15-30 other folks, and was discussing this around a fire after supper.  a gal next to me sez: hey, i got the same prollem.  we got our gear out, and sure enough, her fry pan fit my gear, and my fry pan fit her gear.  we swapped immediately.  success.  

with a d.o. and a fry pan, you can feed 4-6 folks quite easily with a stove or a campfire, even better in your own kitchen.  it's cast iron.  to ruin it you gotta blow a hole in it with a deer rifle... the ultimately forgiving gear.  

-tom
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 10:35:05 PM EDT
[#33]


This was during construction.

Some guys waste money on Harleys and such, I have a Wolf Range.
Link Posted: 7/21/2011 10:46:02 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Zhukov] [#34]
<Please keep this a review/recommendation thread please. Thanks - Z>

Link Posted: 7/21/2011 11:09:11 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Zhukov] [#35]
<Please keep this a review/recommendation thread please. Thanks - Z>
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 1:15:10 PM EDT
[#36]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Zhukov:
Number one gadget that I can't live without - my Zyliss garlic press:

http://www.boxtopper.biz/img/1/53.jpg


Also way up there is a Thermapen:

http://heatrunning.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SplashProofThermapen-gallery_y1.jpg
View Quote


Once you own and used one, you don't question the price.
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 2:59:10 PM EDT
[#37]
Love this thing



Link Posted: 10/9/2015 4:53:31 PM EDT
[#38]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:


<Please keep this a review/recommendation thread please. Thanks - Z>

View Quote


Great.  I can't remember ever having a post edited by a mod, and now I don't remember what I said that got edited.  



 
Link Posted: 10/10/2015 8:16:23 PM EDT
[#39]
Some more of my favorites:

Joie covered microwave bacon cooker

The cover cuts the mess and keeps the after smell down.  You'd be shocked at how crispy this thing gets bacon in only a few minutes.

Tupperware microwave divided meal dish

I own six of these.  Four of the small size, and two in the large 11" size.  Every weekend I cook my lunches for the week and prepack them so it's easy to grab a meal before work every morning.  I grill a lot of meats every weekend and usually 3 or so side dishes.

To the person who said the silicon basting brush was great--this is even better.  I just got this four or so weeks ago and use it for basting wings and shrimp and scallops.

Pampered Chef basting bottle
Link Posted: 10/10/2015 8:29:03 PM EDT
[#40]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By JIP:


Manual??? what is this Manual you speak of??.  
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By JIP:

Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:

Originally Posted By JIP:

I had the Artisanal model (tilt head 5-quart) for a couple of years and my bread batches grew out of it.  The one I have is the pro-600 which is the 6-quart model that has higher power.  I am aware of the 5-quart model that has the drop bowl but has lower power that is why I bought the pro-600.  By the way after using both models for years I am much happier using the drop bowl model , the only drawback I have with it is it does not seem like the blade goes low enough in the bowl with my 600 but I am sure that can be changed with some adjustment I have just never bothered to do it.  Honestly as soon as I started making sourdough breads and larger batches my Artisanal model could not keep up I was  to the point of almost burning out the engine.  In fact I burned out the pro-600 shortly after I purchased that as well but KA promptly replaced it for me.
 

It's easy to do.  The manual has instructions.
 

Manual??? what is this Manual you speak of??.  



I've got a Pro 600 as well, you just turn that little flat head screw that's visible when the bowl is dropped. The beater should be just low enough to kick a dime around.
Link Posted: 10/10/2015 8:31:30 PM EDT
[#41]

Originally Posted By Eazy_E:


So, what are your favorite gadgets or tools in your kitchen?  



My ultimate favorite is my Foreman grill.  I bought the bigger one with the removable plates.  I use it almost every day.  If it had temp control, it'd be perfect.  





Second place is my santoku knife.  It's just a cheap Chicago from Walmart, but it too gets used almost every day and it seems to be holding it's edge well.  Maybe for my birthday I'll get a nice Wusthoff.  





Honorable mention goes to the food processor.  I used to never really use it, but more and more I'm finding uses for it.  I doubt it could ever overtake my beloved Foreman, but it's getting more and more mileage.



<Changed thread title so make this the official kitchen tools/gadgets FAQ entry - Z>



 
View Quote


I like my Foreman grill



Got a Cuisenart food chopper too, great for chopping onions to put in like spaghetti, mac 'n' cheese, etc







 
Link Posted: 10/14/2015 9:34:46 PM EDT
[#42]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By rob78:


If you decide to make some for sale, I'd like to be in line for one.

I've got to retire my old block and I'd like to get a new one.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By rob78:
Originally Posted By Covertness:
Originally Posted By Zhukov:

Originally Posted By Covertness:
My cutting board I made out of maple, walnut, and cherry.

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g326/Covertness/P1000393.jpg

Very pretty - I'd be worried about using that thing. Isn't the walnut a tad soft for a cutting board?

On a side note, I love the smell of walnut when you cut it...
 


The cutting side is the end grain of the wood so you are not cutting across the wood fibers.  Plus I finish them in walnut oil which dries harder than mineral oil (aka butcher block oil).  I've been making them for a couple of years now and haven't had any compliants.  The one in the picture is now three years old and aside from cut marks, it is still flat as the day it was made.


If you decide to make some for sale, I'd like to be in line for one.

I've got to retire my old block and I'd like to get a new one.


I'm donating a special one for the Team Ranstad Raffel.

Buy a ticket or better yet a six pack.
Link Posted: 10/15/2015 4:23:48 PM EDT
[#43]
Vitamix 750 is now a staple of my kitchen. In the first two weeks I've made countless smoothies, peanut butter, and soup.
Link Posted: 10/16/2015 12:10:43 AM EDT
[#44]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
View Quote


I got one of those, got tired of cleaning splatter off inside of microwave



 
Link Posted: 10/17/2015 6:00:01 PM EDT
[#45]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By AssaultRifler:

I got one of those, got tired of cleaning splatter off inside of microwave
 
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By AssaultRifler:

I got one of those, got tired of cleaning splatter off inside of microwave
 


The funny thing about that gadget is that I've had more men comment about it and say they wanted one than I have women.
Dirty microwaves are gross.  
Link Posted: 10/17/2015 8:28:30 PM EDT
[#46]
Not really kitchen but for outside use my maverick et-733 wireless thermometer. No more having to get up and go outside to check the temp of the smoker or the meat because I'm lazy like that



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KHAANNC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

Link Posted: 10/18/2015 4:27:43 PM EDT
[#47]
Link Posted: 10/18/2015 10:24:04 PM EDT
[Last Edit: pcsutton] [#48]



I have several 'gadgets' which I find myself using quite often.








The two items that seem to get the most use is a mandolin for slicing and a vacuum marinade container from Food Saver.


























 
Link Posted: 10/18/2015 11:55:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: jbooker82] [#49]
Kitchen Aid mixer with pasta attachments.

Link Posted: 10/19/2015 12:08:28 AM EDT
[#50]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Zhukov:


Number one gadget that I can't live without - my Zyliss garlic press:



http://www.boxtopper.biz/img/1/53.jpg





Also way up there is a Thermapen:



http://heatrunning.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SplashProofThermapen-gallery_y1.jpg
View Quote




 
I really want a Thermapen and the whole BBQ series of probes too. Pricey, but do seem worth the coin.
Arrow Left Previous Page
Page / 2
Close Join Our Mail List to Stay Up To Date! Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.


By signing up you agree to our User Agreement. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win.
Top Top