techniques

The Best Kitchen Gadgets of the Year

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for kitchen tools. Granted, an awful lot of them are completely and totally useless, but every year a few things come out that I find I can't cook without. Here are my 10 favorites from the past year.
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I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for kitchen tools. Granted, an awful lot of them are completely and totally useless, but every year a few things come out that I find I can't cook without. Here are my 10 favorites from the past year.

  1. Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper Grinder
    This mini processor is powerful, easy to clean, and great for everything from grinding nuts to chopping onions.
  2. The FoodPod
    This funny looking silicone bag is remarkably useful. I use it to make boiled eggs and to blanche vegetables.
  3. Adjustable Rolling Pin
    Removable rings and inch/centimeter markings mean that you can roll pie, pizza, or cookie dough to the right thickness and width every time.
  4. Measuring Flour Sifter
    I'd more or less given up on sifters until I found this product. The attached cup means there's no mess, and you can measure your dry ingredients before and after you sift.
  5. Zip and Dry Apron
    With a removable terry-cloth towel zipped to the bottom of this apron, you always have a dish towel within reach.
  6. Apple Peeler
    These Rube Goldberg-like devices have been around for years, but I finally broke down and tried one and I'm now a convert. You can get through enough apples for a pie in no time, and the attached corer/slicer makes prep even faster.
  7. Microplane Cut-Resistant Glove
    Now that I use this one-size fits all glove, I suffer from many fewer grated fingers and I'm much more comfortable using a mandoline. Made by the people who are responsible for the amazing Microplane graters, these gloves aren't cut proof (you still need to take all safety precautions), but they will make grating cheese, chocolate and veggies a lot more pleasant.
  8. Portion Control Bowls
    These are ideal for things like pasta and cereal where it's so easy to take just a little bit more than you mean to.
  9. The Granny Fork
    Julia Child loved this tool, and it's easy to see why. It costs less than $10 and it does a multitude of things from stirring to serving.
  10. Reusable Produce Bags
    buy a few of these light, fine-mesh bags and you'll never have to use those impossible-to-open, flimsy plastic bags in the produce aisle ever again.