Great cook or beginner-in-training? The right kitchen gadget can make things easier and help you unleash your culinary creativity. Splurge a little!
Maybe your cooking skills can’t begin to rival Julia Child’s, but you love to cook! You might expand your kitchen creativity with some special tools. Sometimes a gadget is nearly a necessity and other times it’s a splurge. Here are a few items to splurge on that will save time, make prep easier and might even inspire you to indulge your inner chef!
Freestanding mixer
Love to bake? Then this is a splurge that’s well worth the cost. Everyone who bakes really needs an electric mixer, and although this splurge could cost you between $200 and $500, a good mixer will last your lifetime and be well worth the money. The variety of attachments make a mixer a great multi-tasker in the kitchen: most models have pasta makers, dough hooks and whisk paddles.
Vacuum food sealer
If you buy in bulk, a food sealer is a smart splurge. You can vacuum-seal meats and fish, cheese, dough and even veggies for freezing and the food stays fresher and lasts longer without freezer burn. If you marinate the meat before sealing, the flavour when cooked is amazing!
Food processor
Nothing makes it easier to slice, dice, chop or blend than a food processor. A 14-cup size of good quality will retail between $200 and $300 and be the workhorse in your kitchen.
Marble rolling pin
A marble rolling pin has the perfect heft to roll pastry and other dough perfectly flat and it stays cold so dough consistency is more exact than what you get with ceramic or wooden rolling pins. With care, a marble rolling pin retains its smooth texture for years.
Non-stick grill pan
Even the good ones eventually wear out, but every cook needs a medium sized non-stick grill pan. Choose one with sloping sides so that you can slide foods onto a plate more easily. You’ll use it all the time: for cooking omelets, sautéing all sorts of things and browning meats.
Mandoline
This handy little kitchen gadget costs around $20, so it’s a small splurge that you’ll appreciate when you’re ready to slice potatoes for hash browns or cabbage for slaw. There are pricey stainless steel models, but you’ll do just as well with a durable plastic mandoline.
Chef’s knife
Have at least one very good chef’s knife you can always reach for — slicing and dicing will be quick and precise with a good knife. One with a versatile, slightly-curved blade is a great basic at $150.
Digital kitchen scale
A compact digital kitchen scale will take the guesswork out of measuring and help with portion control. It’s an especially smart splurge for dieters!
Great kitchen gadgets don’t make great cooks, but they can certainly make prep and cooking faster, more effortless and help with the chores that are part of meal preparation. Splurge a little and make your adventures in cooking and baking easier. You may discover more fun in the kitchen!
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