Before you get to the list proper, you should know that there’s a theme to it. As avid home chef’s we know that it’s the little things that make all the difference. Having an okay tool is generally better than no tool, but having a great tool makes an enormous difference. That’s true for everything from garlic presses to vegetable peelers.
So before you dismiss the idea of getting that special chef in your life something as simple as tongs, find out if their pair is really awful. Take it from someone who knows, using great tools makes cooking a true pleasure. And that pleasure is a truly amazing gift.
1. A Citrus Juicer
This pick may just say a lot about me personally, but I find myself reaching for my citrus juicer about as often as anything else in the kitchen. Why? Because a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime (or another fruit) can transform everything from beer to salad. Seriously, take any boring old lager and squeeze some lime into it, summer barbeque or not, it’s transformative.
2. A Comfortable Chef’s Knife
This is about as basic and essential as it gets, but honestly, far too many people use cheap ceramic knives from a certain Swedish retailer who shall remain nameless. They can do better and you can help.
A quality knife that’s easy to sharpen and has a comfortable handle (something a lot of high end knives miss on) makes all the difference in the world when it comes to basic kitchen tasks.
3. An Easy Knife Sharpener
Speaking of knives, even the best ones won’t stay sharp on their own. The truth is, every great knife needs a tool to help keep it sharp. Doing so helps ensure that a quality knife stays that way and doesn’t slowly degrade into something that leads you toward smashing tomatoes instead of slicing them.
4. Bakeware That Does Double Duty
Besides its justifiably iconic measuring cups, Pyrex also makes some incredible bakeware. Incredible because it’s so much more than simple bakeware. Their treated glass is capable of going from the oven to the fridge to the freezer without a problem.
Meaning, you can bake something and store it all in the same container. That translates to a lot less cleanup, particularly when you consider how impossible it can seem to clean plastic storage containers when they’ve had anything oily in them (don’t even get us started).
5. A Super-Precise Kitchen Scale
A scale is essential for anyone who bakes (precision makes all the difference in the world, trust me), but I’ve found plenty of other uses for a highly precise scale. Specifically, when it comes to coffee.
Whether you’re an avid espresso fan such as myself or you go for the french press, some of the keys to great coffee is precision, testing, and control. A great scale lets you do that, testing precisely how much coffee you use each time. Better coffee and better cakes await, who could ask for more?
6. A Better Pair of Tongs
For most home chefs, their tongs function like an extension of their hands. They’re how you pick things up, move them, and check on them. That’s why it’s essential that this tool be simple to use, comfortable, and well designed.
OXO is a company that we appreciate for being ever so slightly obsessed with that. They’re singularly focused on making simple tools like tongs fit in your hand and effortless to use. Lucky for us, they’re very good at their jobs.
7. A Vegetable Peeler That’s Easy to Use
If you or the home chef in your life is peeling veggies with a knife or with an old dull peeler, it’s time for an intervention. A proper peeler avoids wasting food, sore hands, and worst of all, wasted time. Honestly, even for those of us who love cooking with all our hearts, peeling vegetables is rarely anything but tedious. So get them something to get it done quickly and painlessly.
8. A Blowtorch
Yes, you read that right. Assuming the home chef in question is someone you consider responsible enough to handle a tool like this, there’s a surprisingly amount you can do in the kitchen with a handy blowtorch.
From classic desserts like crème brûlée to old school show stoppers like baked alaska. But even for savory dishes, finishing a piece of meat that you’ve cooked sous vide can be done with unparalleled precision. More than anything though, it’s just fun to cook with fire.
9. An Instant-Read Thermometer
This tool is really far more essential than most home cooks realize. When you’re cooking nearly any large cut of meat, a meat thermometer can be the difference between over or undercooking it and ruining your meal.
When you’re frying, it’s what helps you avoid ruining your oil by cooking it too hot. We even use ours for tea and coffee, where ensuring the water isn’t too hot or cold brings delicious results. You’ll be surprised how useful a simple thermometer can be.
10. Some Cast Iron Cookware
Cast iron may have a slight reputation as being tricky to clean and maintain, but that’s far from the truth. If you really want the cooking power of cast iron without the cleanup and maintenance, just look for enamelled cast iron like Le Creuset.
If you’re looking for something that offers amazing performance for an incredibly affordable price, then look at raw cast iron. It sears meat like nothing else and it will probably last longer than you.
11. A Cookbook that Inspires
It should come as no surprise that we have a lot of cookbooks on our shelves. The truth is, there’s only a few we tend to really turn to. The rest just collect dust. But those cookbooks we keep coming back to are positively indispensable .
Of course today, you can find a nearly infinite number of recipes online, but a cookbook that’s well curated, written, and photographed can do what most online recipes simply can’t: really inspire. So think about what that home cook in your life really loves to cook and find a cookbook that’s perfect for them.
12. A Great Thermos
We all need to travel sometimes and travelling without your favourite drink can sometimes be just unbearable. Most avid home chef’s have their favourite, a special coffee, a cold brew tea, or their homemade smoothie, something they’d rather not have to leave at home. A great thermos makes it all possible. And it’s stylish, can’t beat that.
13. Some Preserving Tools
Every home chef knows that while it’s possible to get most fruits and veg all year round these days, that doesn’t mean it’s advisable. So it’s not surprising more and more home chef’s are beginning to get into preserving their own.
Whether that’s making your own pickles or some simple jams, there’s a level of creativity and do it yourself attitude that really produces delicious results. Just be sure to ask for them to share.
14. A Salad Spinner
Does this sound a bit silly? Perhaps. It certainly did when I asked for a salad spinner for my last birthday. But do I use it all the time and love it? Without a doubt. Because washing and drying greens for your favorite recipe any other way is simply a huge pain.
A simple salad spinner makes that process quick and easy, leading to more (and more delicious) salads and other veggie dishes ahead.
15. A Fantastic Garlic Press
Keeping up with the overall theme here, a garlic press is one of those kitchen tools you use constantly. I end up with garlic in pretty much half the meals I cook and trying to mince it with a knife is to put it mildly, a pain. But bad garlic presses are awful to clean and end up with half the garlic clove wasted getting stuck somewhere in the works.
16. A Surprisingly Handy Pastry Blender
True story, the first time I encountered one of these I thought “that’s a stupid tool.” Then I used it and realized I was completely wrong. A pastry blender is used in any case where you need to incorporate a fat (like butter or lard) into dry ingredients like flour.
This is for making things like pie dough or homemade tortillas. It may not sound like much but this simple tool makes this job 10x easier. So why not combine it with...
17. A Homemade Tortilla Press
I started making tortillas while living in a country where you couldn’t just buy them at the grocery store, and never went back. The taste of a freshly made tortilla is really unbeatable. Plus, they’re about a versatile a food delivery system as you’ll find.
Whether you’re making fish tacos, breakfast burritos, or just throwing some leftovers in there, a delicious homemade tortilla can transform all kinds of ingredients into something special.
18. Some Stunning Plates
There’s no denying that we live in the era of instagramming food like it’s our job. Nearly every home chef can’t resist snapping a few photos of their latest creation.
But sadly, even the most beautiful food on earth doesn’t look like much when presented on some passed down flower plates from a cousin’s dormitory. Something fresh, clean, and modern will make the perfect canvas for any kind of culinary (and instagram) masterpiece.
19. A Sushi Kit
Sadly, all of us sushi lovers can’t afford to run off to Japan to learn how to make it from the masters. But with the right determination and some practice, home chef’s can make their own delicious and innovative sushi at home. Add some chopsticks and beautiful plates and they’ll be presenting some amazing meals to friends in no time.
20. Tools for Dumplings
It’s almost a universal truth: everyone loves dumplings. From Polish perogies to their East Asian cousins, the sheer variety of delicious possibilities is mind-boggling. A handy little press just makes making them all that much easier. So whether their favourite cuisine is from East Asia or Eastern Europe, this is sure to delight any home cook.
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