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Top Kitchen Tools in My House

April 27, 2016

I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house!

I am a kitchen gadget fanatic.  Try as I might to cull the ever-growing craziness that flows from my kitchen cabinets, counters, and shelves….it’s a losing battle.  I can’t stop, and when I get rid of something, I have to replace it with something else.  There are a few that I probably don’t use enough to really justify keeping them around, but when you are DIY-er like I am, you can stand to have a stash of useful tools.  Still, there are some I use more than others.  Here are the 10 top kitchen tools in my house, including small appliances.

10) KitchenAid food processor.  After using a basic, no frills Cuisinart for years, I ran into this one dirt-cheap at Tuesday morning.  It has a mini work bowl, a dough blade (that I’ll admit I never use, since I make all my dough in my stand mixer), and shredding/slicing disks. I use it for salsa, pesto, hummus, pastry doughs, etc., etc. Plus when I have a ton of cheese or cabbage to shred it makes my life so much easier.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
9)  Vitamix. I had a pretty nice KitchenAid blender before, but when Philip came home with this baby I was beside myself. I use it mostly to make smoothies, salsa, and dressings, but you can use it for any number of things…including making soup. Like, from start to finish. That’s how fast the motor runs – it heats the food up eventually. You can even get a special container for grinding grains (I haven’t made it to that point yet). The Vitamix is pricey, but I have heard of people who have owned theirs since the seventies. If you do a lot of blending, this will be your kitchen workhorse.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
8)  My KitchenAid stand mixer.  Not only can I mix things in it…but when I have über thick bread doughs that are too exhausting to stir by hand, I use it for bread dough.  I also make ice cream in it, and use it to whip cream.  Oh, and I grind meat with it (using a special attachment).  I have the grain mill attachment but I’ll admit that I don’t use it much, and one of these days (when I’m a lot wealthier!) I’m going to get the pasta roller attachment.  By the way, the one in the link is very similar to mine, but a little bit bigger and a little more expensive.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
7)  Instant Pot. This is a new one. I got it for Christmas last year and I am pretty much obsessed with it. It’s a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a saute pot, a steamer, a yogurt maker….it’s pretty much amazing. I’ve been working on developing some pressure cooker recipes, so I can’t wait to share them with you. I am so glad I asked for this handy-dandy tool…I use it at least twice a week.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
6)  A kitchen scale. I know a lot of people probably think that I’m crazy, but I use my kitchen scale every single day. I use it for cooking, baking, and weighing out nuts, chips, etc. to pack in my lunch (I’m really not obsessive about portions, but it’s really easy to over-do it).

5)  Metal half-sheet pans.  I have three and I want more.  I buy them for like $9 at the restaurant supply store.  They’re strong and sturdy and a much higher quality than the much more flimsy and much more expensive ones that you can purchase at Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, etc.

4)  I have ten different mixing bowls in nine different sizes and I use them all frequently, sometimes simultaneously. And I need more, to be perfectly honest with you.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
3)  Wooden spoons and spatulas.  Lots and lots of wooden spoons and spatulas.  Actually, most of mine are bamboo, which I love because I can stick them in the dishwasher.  They’re super sturdy and they’re great for stirring in my nonstick cookware.  I use them every single day.

2)  My Shun knives.  Philip bought me a set for my birthday several years back and completed it with a slicer last year.  They are sharp and gorgeous and decorate my wall on the magnetic strip better than any purchased art could.  I am totally obsessed with honing them.  The odds are good that I’ll never have to purchase another set of knives.  They were expensive but totally worth it.  If you don’t have good knives, know that they’re worth the cost to have good, sharp knives (dull knives are a real danger in the kitchen!).  Do it!
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
1) Lodge Cast Iron.  Lodge is manufactured 50 miles from my house, so I feel like I’m supporting local business when I buy Lodge (and I usually buy it from their factory store, located right by the manufacturing facility, so even better!). I have the skillets in four different sizes, from 6 inches to 12 inches, a 6-quart Dutch oven, and several gratin dishes. It’s the best stuff in the world…indestructible, conducts the heat well, etc. There’s no better vessel for making a burger or a pan of cornbread.
I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house! | list from Chattavore.com
It’s quite a collection I’ve amassed over the years.  These are the things I use daily or weekly…my top kitchen tools.

What are your top kitchen tools?

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Filed Under: Chattavore Chats Tagged With: lists, writing By Mary // Chattavore 10 Comments

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Comments

  1. bamajammer says

    April 23, 2012 at 7:57 am

    I can't exist in the kitchen or function properly without a good sharp pair of scissors! They make life sooo much easier!
    Reply
    • Mary says

      April 23, 2012 at 8:06 am

      My scissors are included with the knives :)
      Reply
  2. Jensen says

    April 27, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Flexible cutting boards / mats are a must as well
    Reply
    • Mary says

      April 27, 2012 at 11:07 am

      Yes....I suppose this should have been "15 Kitchen Tools I Can't Live Without"!
      Reply
  3. southernmaster says

    April 27, 2016 at 6:22 am

    For me, Calphalon hard anodized pots & pans, Victorinox knives, StarPack silicone spatulas & the Breville Smart Oven. However, #1 is my enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven from Tramontina.
    Reply
    • Mary // Chattavore says

      April 27, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      Oh yeah, I have a Breville Smart Oven too and LOVE it. We never turn our oven on during the summer!
      Reply
      • southernmaster says

        April 27, 2016 at 9:23 pm

        Forgot to mention that I look forward to your Instant Pot recipes. I don't use mine enough, & so many of the recipes I've found are all over the place on quality & doability.
        Reply
        • Mary // Chattavore says

          April 27, 2016 at 9:32 pm

          I have one coming in a couple of weeks, and testing another tomorrow!
          Reply
  4. Ellen Gibson says

    April 27, 2016 at 7:30 am

    I love my micro planer and my very thin and flexible silicone spatula ( makes frying eggs a dream) . I also love my glass 4 cup measuring cup..... Oh the list could go on and on.....
    Reply
    • Mary // Chattavore says

      April 27, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      My dishwasher is always full of measuring cups!
      Reply

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About Chattavore

Hi, I'm Mary! Welcome to Chattavore, a destination for people who want to feed themselves and their families well every day! Life can be crazy, which means that getting dinner on the table can be a challenge (more often than not!) and my mission is to take all your favorite recipes and figure out how to serve them on a Tuesday.

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