Whether you’re a professional chef or still learning the basics, it’s important to keep timesaving tools on hand. We recommend these 10 items to help you minimize how long it takes to make meals and maximize how long you get to enjoy the food and the company of the people you share it with.
- Cutting board: This provides a clean, solid surface for meal prep. Look for easy-to-clean materials that can protect your knives and avoid cross-contamination.
- Chef’s knife: This is a versatile way to prep many different ingredients. Compare a few different manufacturers and practice holding the handle to find the one that feels best to you.
- Paring knife: This kind of knife works better when you’re cutting into smaller ingredients. It can also give you more control.
- Peeler: This simplifies the process of removing skin from fruits and vegetables. Choosing a straight or Y-shaped peeler is a matter of personal preference.
- Tongs: These will help you handle hot foods while cooking and serving. Get silicone tongs if you have nonstick cookware or metal tongs for stainless steel cookware.
- Meat thermometer: Taking the temperature of cooked foods is sometimes necessary for safety reasons. Some thermometers even come with guides to remind you what the proper temperature is for different types of meat, poultry, and seafood.
- Silicone baking mats: One of the secrets of professional bakers, these high-temperature mats make baking sheets nonstick and easy to clean. You won’t need pan spray or foil.
- Dutch oven: This one pot has many uses — braising, stewing, poaching, deep-frying, roasting, and making sauces and soups. Look for a heavy cast-iron core to help spread and hold heat evenly.
- Blender: This is a great way to mix drinks, purees, sauces, soups, and more. The quantity you’re making and the consistency of the ingredients will determine whether to go with a hand or stand blender.
- Food processor: This can quickly slice, grind, and complete other tasks that could take a while to do by hand. Heavier base motors make for better processors.
