A set of six stainless steel mixing bowls(01 of 23)
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John Lechleidner, a chef and 20-year alum of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, previously told HuffPost that one of the best cooking implements you can have is a set of metal mixing bowls, as they are “probably the most used, abused, versatile and underrated tool in the kitchen.” (credit: Amazon)
A Fullstar veggie chopper(02 of 23)
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Fullstar’s extraordinarily handy vegetable chopper is a HuffPost reader- and editor-beloved kitchen item that makes life easy and convenient. The chopper includes four interchangeable blades. Two grid-shaped stainless steel blades (which are very sharp, according to both the brand and reviewers) evenly dice vegetables in two different sizes, and two round-bladed inserts are included for turning veggies like zucchini into elegant curls or ribbons. Cut vegetables will drop into the attached container, making prep (and cleanup) an absolute breeze. It also has soft-grip handle and a non-skid base for safe operations, along with a safety lock. (credit: Amazon)
A set of two Maxracy silicone garlic peelers(03 of 23)
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This little tool was an absolute game-changer for me. It’s ideal for the person who loves to cook but loathes clean-up. This innocuous little tool makes peeling garlic — something I consider to be tedious, sticky and, frankly, dangerous — an absolute breeze. You simply pop a garlic clove into the tube, roll it on the countertop or between two hands and voila! Perfectly peeled garlic emerges. This lovely little tool quickly and easily strips garlic of its outer layer in mere seconds. My favorite bit is that it requires almost zero cleanup. You can just shake the peels out of the tube straight into your trash can or compost bin and rinse the tube under running water. Every kitchen needs one. It’s also compact and affordable, making it ideal for people with small kitchens and the perfect stocking stuffer. (credit: Amazon)
A lava stone molcajete(04 of 23)
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This traditional molcajete is hand-chiseled to resemble a pig and has a flat tejolete pestle, ideal for grinding spices and other ingredients. Made in Mexico using a single piece of lava stone and measuring just over 10 inches across and almost 5 inches deep, this durable and time-honored design is great for prepping and serving authentic Mexican dishes. Every enthusiastic home cook could use one of these. (credit: World Market)
A pair of KitchenAid multipurpose kitchen shears(05 of 23)
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These KitchenAid shears come in a variety of un-boring colors and are accompanied by a plastic sheath for safe storage. The stainless steel blades are micro-serrated for effective cutting and reviewers say the ergonomic handles are easy on the hands (even arthritic ones). At around $9, they won’t cost much more than a few pounds of chicken, and they’ve earned 4.8 stars across over 49,000 ratings on Amazon. HuffPost food editor and culinary school graduate Kristen Aiken said these affordable implements are a “an essential part of every chef’s tool bag.” (credit: Amazon)
A JB Prince bowl scraper(06 of 23)
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Ryan Bartlow, chef-owner of Ernesto’s in New York City, previously told HuffPost that his “favorite kitchen tool is a plastic bench or bowl scraper from JB Prince! It’s super easy to keep clean! It can be used to scrape all the herbs, garlic or onions off your cutting board. It doubles as a rubber spatula in need. To get the last bit of batter out of a bowl, or moving dough off a wooden board, this is the most essential tool.” (credit: Amazon)
A Zulay metal two-in-one lemon and lime squeezer(07 of 23)
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This versatile citrus squeezer can be used on lemons, limes and even small oranges, and it’s Pooja Bavishi’s favorite tool from Amazon. She’s a home cook who is also the CEO and founder of Malai ice cream in Brooklyn, New York. She “used to think it was a ‘nice to have’ not a ‘need to have’ because, as we know, we can squeeze lemons by hand,” she previously told HuffPost. “But after getting one from Amazon, I realized how much of a game changer it is! It obviously speeds up my process in both my home kitchen and commercial kitchen (think about how many lemons we have to squeeze for our lemon cardamom ice cream!), but it also makes use of those hard lemons that seem to have zero juice (turns out they can be just as juicy with a lemon squeezer!). It has ended up being the most ‘need to have’ tool in my kitchen these days.” (credit: Amazon)
An OXO Good Grips 9-inch whisk(08 of 23)
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A good whisk is worth its weight in gold, and Jake Leiber, chef-partner at Chez Ma Tante and Le Crocodile in Brooklyn, New York agrees. “I saw one of my sous chefs with this little whisk in his kit and I had to have it,” he previously told HuffPost. “It’s adorable, ergonomic and well constructed. I use it everyday to make anything from aioli and vinaigrettes to beurre blanc, sabayon and bernaise.” The comfy shape of the handle makes it easy to grip while the narrow whisk makes it easy to use in a bowl, cup or other container. (credit: Amazon)
An Ideal Gangy can opener(09 of 23)
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Alex Napolitano, executive chef at The Maker in Hudson, New York, previously told HuffPost that a Japanese can opener is one of the handiest tools you can have in your kitchen. He mentioned that “these can openers have no moving parts and are extremely durable. I make it a point to keep a few on-hand in every kitchen I occupy, and keep one at home as well. They also make great stocking stuffers for line cooks when the holidays come around!” (credit: Amazon)
Edlund’s stainless steel tongs(10 of 23)
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Kiwi Chef’s knives(11 of 23)
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Gil Payumo is the co-founder and culinary director of Señor Sisig, a fleet of Filipino fusion food trucks in San Francisco. His affordable kitchen tool of choice proves you don’t need to pay a lot of money for a quality knife: “This [Kiwi] knife is what I’ve always had in the knife drawer in my kitchen growing up,” Payumo previously told HuffPost. “The blade is super sharp and can cut a fully ripe tomato better than any other knife in my bag. Before culinary school, I thought it was crazy [that] anyone would have to spend at least $100 to get a decent knife. Don’t get me wrong, I have a couple pricier knives in my knife bag right now, but I still have this knife ready for any challenge it has to endure. This is the tool I used almost 20 years ago when I started cooking, and it’s still going strong slicing and dicing the competition.” (credit: Amazon)
A Javelin instant read meat thermometer(12 of 23)
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A Chef’n PalmPeeler(13 of 23)
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Karen Rosenbloom, a chef and content creator, previously told HuffPost that this palm peeler is one of her favorite kitchen tools, and one she gets asked about very frequently in her videos. “The peeler is built for your hand and makes peeling vegetables extremely easy!” she said. (credit: Amazon)
A five-piece Carote nonstick cookware set with detachable handle(14 of 23)
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A good set of cookware is essential for home cooks, and if you know someone who needs a replacement set, then these are wonderful options that won’t break the bank. The set includes three pots and pans with corresponding lids and a removable handle. They are made with a high-quality granite coating that provides an even heat and non-stick surface, and can be used on gas, electric and halogen cooktops. (credit: Walmart)
A julienne peeler(15 of 23)
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A Starfrit Rotato electric potato peeler(16 of 23)
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An Ateco offset spatula(17 of 23)
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Ateco cake testers(18 of 23)
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A TempPro E30 digital meat thermometer(19 of 23)
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A GIR Spoonula(20 of 23)
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A Microplane classic zester(21 of 23)
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A Kuhn Rikon paring knife with safety sheath(22 of 23)
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A meat chopper(23 of 23)
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