[I should also add that none of this is sponsored & I receive no compensation for promoting these items. Each thing on this list I researched & bought with my own money. I'm simply sharing great products that I love & that make cooking more enjoyable.]
INSTANT POT
It's all the rage & with good reason. Just go read the reviews on Amazon. I'll admit that I was hesitant to purchase one, because throwing $120 at something willy nilly just ain't my style.(There are a few cheaper options & few more expensive options.) BUT after careful consideration & lots of research I decided to take the plunge & I'm so thankful I did. I swear it lives up to the hype. I use mine at least a few times a week; steaming vegetables, making shredded chicken breasts in less than 10 minutes, soups, stews, rice & other grains, dried beans, pork butt to BBQ in 90 minutes! It can even be used to make yogurt & cakes, although I haven't gotten to that yet. Yes, it is a pressure cooker. No, it's not scary or dangerous. It's super safe, so practical, and a huge time saver when it comes to meal prep every week.
GIR SILICONE LADLE
I use mostly silicone utensil because I know they are safe to use on all pots & pans & I don't have to worry about transitioning them between my stainless steel, non stick, and enamel coated cast iron. I needed a new ladle & had heard about the GIR brand. I purchased the grey one & instantly fell in love. It's dishwasher safe & doesn't retain any funky smells. It's heat resistant up to 550 degrees & has measurements on the inside of the bowl, but my favorite feature is the bendy edge that can literally reach every corner of a pot. I'm talking there is not a single drop left in the pan, pot, dutch oven, you name it. The front edge of the bowl is flexible so it will bend and shape to reach the smallest part of the cooking vessel. It's literally no soup left behind. I've never thought using a ladle could be so satisfying, but this one is & at $16 it's so so so worth it.
This is the priciest item on my list, but if you are looking to purchase top of the line cookware that will last you a lifetime then choose Le Creuset. I used birthday money a few years back to purchase an enamel coated cast iron braiser in the 3 & 3/4 quarts size. If you're in the market for any of their products I suggest looking for an outlet store where the prices will be cheaper. There is less of a color selection, but the savings make it worth it. I'm not sure the name of the color of mine, but it's a beautiful bright blue & thanks to a Memorial Day sale at my outlet store I was able to save about $150. The braiser is called the "everyday pan" because it can be used for almost anything: searing meat, sauteing vegetables, cooking risottos and other grains, and of course braising. I've even made small batches of soups & chili in mine when I didn't want to break out a big pot. The cast iron means even heat distribution & it's completely oven safe. Le creuset pieces are truly show stoppers & will last you a lifetime! Worth every penny!
VICTORINOX KNIFE
My husband found out about this knife & suggested we try it. Now it's the true workhorse in my kitchen. I use it for basically everything. We bought it almost a year ago & the blade still doesn't need to be sharpened. The handle is plastic, but it has a textured grip that makes it easy to hold on to even when your hands are wet. It's currently $35 on Amazon & that is a total steal for the quality of this knife. Also, Victorinox brand is the same kind of knives that salt bae uses in his videos to cut up those giant slabs of meat, and it that isn't enough to sell you on it then I don't know what is.
I think every kitchen needs a good pair of shears & I don't mean scissors. I'm talking about heavy duty shears that can cut meat & poultry. I purchased these in store at Williams Sonoma for $20. I love them because the handle is non slip, they are super duper sturdy, and they come apart at the joint so that they can be cleaned thoroughly after touching raw meat. They also have 2 little knobs on the end of the handle that are used for cutting open the tape on boxes, which is not something that I knew I needed, but now we use it all the time. These fit both mine & my husband's hands well and are incredibly easy to use.
Another kitchen essential is a cutting board. Seriously, if you don't have one, go buy one right now. I have a few requirements for my cutting boards. They must be dishwasher safe. They must have some form of grips where they don't move when in use. They must be safe for my knives. (Glass is a huge no no!) This board from Epicurean is made of wood fiber composite so it's doesn't hold smells like some plastic boards do, but it's also not solid wood so it doesn't need to be specially treated like the big block end boards do. The cleanup is super easy since it's dishwasher safe & the grips keep in locked in place. There are many different sizes and colors so there are options to meet everyone's tastes. I have the 14x11 size for everyday use, but when I have a larger kitchen I plan to get huge one that stays out on the counter all the time. Price will depend on size & they might seem expensive to some, but I promise they are worth it. I would buy everyone I know one of these if I could!
This is another kitchen tool that I am just obsessed with. This meat pounder is $30 from Williams Sonoma, but you can also find similar options on Amazon. I love the shape of this pounder because it uses it's weight & gravity as opposed to having to use a lot of force with a mallet. The head is reversible so it can also be a tenderizer & the whole thing is dishwasher safe. My favorite use for this is to flatten skin on & deboned chicken thighs (recipe coming in the new year).
This isn't an appliance or utensil, but would make a great small gift. Fleur de sel is a sea salt that comes from a specific area of France. It's not used during cooking, but is considered a "finishing salt" which means it goes on food just before serving. It has a unique salty flavor that I love on vegetables or red meat, and is the perfect salt for topping little caramels. A little goes a long way so this size jar will last a long time! There are several options on Amazon too if this one doesn't work for you. Just be sure to read the info to make sure it comes from France.
Probably the most practical thing on this list is this set of Snapware. The link is for a larger set, but there are several different size options to meet your needs. I was able to find the 18 piece set on sale at Costco awhile back for $25 so I bought 2. (#noregrets) Since we do a lot of meal prep & eat tons of leftovers I need plenty of storage containers & I just hate the plastic ones. They hold on to smells, stain easily, & you can't microwave them. The glass ones are freezer safe, oven safe, dishwasher safe. They never stink & always look great. The lids go on & off easily & don't leak. I can't say enough good things about them. Forget about gift giving, go buy these for yourself right now.
SHORT STACKS
I learned about Short Stacks when I first saw one in Nashville last year. I bought the "Eggs" edition & pretty much became infatuated with collecting them all. There are currently 30 volumes & each one is a different ingredient written by different authors. A new volume is published every 2 months. The small size is so cute & I love the unique designs & fun colors. They can be purchased individually or in bundles, and on their website there is a list of retailers if you'd like to go look at them in person. Another great option for a gift is the yearly subscription. It's $75 & the next 6 editions get mailed to your door whenever they come out. I did that this past year & loved it. It's cheaper per volume & saves money on shipping.
BONUS BOOKS
Reading is another huge hobby of mine so cookbooks are the perfect marriage of 2 things I love. Here are a few that I really enjoyed this year & highly recommend, especially "Salt Fat Acid Heat". It's incredibly informative & eye opening for every level of cook. I love Alex G. & the way she talks about food so it's pleasure to just read her's from cover to cover. The cookie one is self explanatory & I really trust Sally's recipes. And of course Alton Brown, because he taught me most of what I know about cooking & I couldn't possibly love him more.
SALT FAT ACID HEAT
EVERYDAY COOK
SALLY'S COOKIE ADDICTION
THE HOME COOK
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