Hi reader,
You know what makes dinnertime more joyful, more peaceful, and more awesome?
Great tools!
I'm generally someone who is overwhelmed by clutter, so every tool in my drawer needs to really earn its spot. If I could only keep 8 items in my kitchen, these are the things I would pick!
Hope you find some new favorites too!
Note: The links below are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from your purchase.
Air Fryer
I held out on air fryers for a long time. But I finally bought one in 2023 because my husband was trying to hit all these new protein goals, and I wanted a way to make some easy, actually good proteins that I loved, too. And I don't think it's too dramatic to say it has changed my life! I published our air fryer chicken, air fryer tofu, and air fryer salmon that year and they've become three of our most popular recipes on the whole website. I tested many air fryers in the process of finding my favorite one - I wanted a drawer model that wasn't terrible to look at, and I also wanted one that didn't use Teflon. This Ninja air fryer checks all my boxes - it has a nano-ceramic plate, gets awesome browning, and tucks away nicely on my counter. We use it multiple times a week.
Nonstick Cookware
The most important thing to know is that these are nonstick pans that are made in the USA and they are PFAS / PTFE / PFOA-free. Last year we were able to tour the factory where they are made right here in Minnesota. I love the nonstick release properties of these pans, and of course I love that they're using a ceramic coating to avoid harmful forever chemicals. But I also really love the sizes - the egg pan gets used literally every morning in our house, that extra-wide 12-inch pan is my go-to for dinners because you can fit so much in there. I also use my cast iron, and occasionally a stainless steel sauté pan, but this is the set I use most often for regular dinners.
Cutting Boards + Favorite Knife
It was really hard for me to part with my plastic cutting boards in the last few years. But I've finally found my new favorite - this composite cutting board is the one I'm using almost every day! It is small enough to fit in a kitchen drawer, doesn't feel overwhelmingly huge to wash, doesn't stain or hold flavors, and it's easy to thoroughly clean. The little grippers are just an added bonus. That, with a sharp, precise chef's knife? Cooking just became 10x more enjoyable.
Mini Chopper
This little thing saves me so much time. I use it to chop onions and garlic, blend up chunky sauces, and blitz up a handful of nuts and herbs. It's also small enough to be easy to wash - I usually put both the blade and the container on the top rack of the dishwasher. I recently lost the blade to mine (how does that happen?) so I couldn't use it for a few weeks, and I was reminded of how much I rely on it. Eventually, I just bought a brand new one because I need this thing in my kitchen.
Mandoline
If I could tell you to buy one tool to make vegetable prep easier AND taste better, it would be a mandoline. I won't slice an onion without it. It makes veggies so pleasantly papery thin - pickled onions, brussels sprout salad, caramelized onions, shredded slaws, or cucumbers for a little salad on top of a creamy curry. It's the thing that makes my salads and veggies feel like they are restaurant-worthy.
Microplane Grater
This = flavor. This one is wide, flat, and very easy to use. I use it constantly - fresh garlic for garlic bread, lemon zest in a sauce, or a bit of freshly grated garlic added to the end of a stir-fry. Those tiny flecks of flavor are the difference between a recipe that's pretty good and a recipe that's WOW good.
Dish Towels
People seriously come to my house and ask me about these dish towels (tell me you're in your 30s without telling me you're in your 30s). They're fluffy and waffle-woven, which wins everyone over. I love them so much that I bought them for my mom, sisters, and friends for Christmas last year. As a cook, I wash my hands a lot - this makes the hand washing so pleasant and lovely.
Drinking Glasses
Nerd alert - I LOVE the sensory details of tableware - a polished fork, a perfectly shaped mug, a beautiful drinking glass. It's the little things! For years, we just used mason jars as our drinking glasses. Nothing wrong with that, except that every time I took a drink I knocked the too-thick glass on the bridge of my nose. I finally said, enough. I would like to enjoy drinking. We eventually got these glasses and they are legitimately one of my favorite possessions in our home. (Told you, nerd-level weirdness.) They're delicate and beautiful, but dishwasher-safe and have held up to everyday use in our house!
Here's to making life easier in the kitchen!
-
Lindsay
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