ESSENTIAL Kitchen Tools Under $25
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Click snhu.edu/BrianL... for more info on SNHU. Thanks to Southern New Hampshire University for sponsoring this video. In making a list of the most essential kitchen tools in my home kitchen, I realized that a lot of them were also super affordable. Here are my top 6 (sort of 7) can't-live-without tools under $25.
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Thanks for checking out this video. Let me know what inexpensive tools you use that you'd add to my list!
Silicone spatula, whisk
Thermopop thermometer. It's 30 bucks but makes cooking less stressful and deep frying possible
@@justinchen6418 I’ll check it out thanks
Boo. This is nothing a disguise for your amzn affiliate items. Shame on you. #ad
I unsubscribed
I'd definitely put a meat thermometer on the list! As a home cook, it's really useful, especially when I'm cooking in the oven.
The Thermoworks Pop, Dot, and ONE. basically get used everyday at my house.
So true! And a meat thermometer is essential for cheese making, even simple cheeses like paneer or chevre.
My thermometer is definitely one of the most useful things I own
Agreed!!
I used one of mine to tell how thoroughly heated a reheated takeout burrito was. The possibilities are endless.
Can’t imagine a time before using our kitchen scale. Feels like we emerged from the Stone Age once we got one - especially for baking recipes, I find it totally invaluable.
It's so true, even if you disregard the accuracy advantage, it's just so much *easier* to use a scale. Just add an ingredient to a bowl, zero out, repeat. What's crazy though is when a recipe specifies the weight of dry ingredients but not wet ingredients like peanut butter, oil, sour cream in cups. WHY? Those ingredients are such a burden to measure by volume and you're already asking to weigh other ingredients so I can't understand it.
I just wish mine would store vertically, but the battery always seems to lose a good contact. Ugh!
@@nerdcave0 Literally keep your recipe consistent.
yeah, cause amuricans cant count or add up or barely read numbers that might be the problem
I just wish more recipes would include weights like he does
I'd add deli containers to the list. They've revolutionized my kitchen organization.
I use those all the time. It's how I organize my kitchen and bring lunch to work. They're also great for prep when I need everything to be ready to go.
@@LuisCaneSec yep, they're great for everything. Game. Changer.
The fact that the LIDS FIT ALL SIZE CONTAINERS, basically changed my life.
@@stryker0ae 100%. they're SO practical
anyone know where to get them off the internet? can't find them in stores here in France :(
Lately, I've been using my bench scraper A LOT and think its one of the most underrated kitchen tools. Aside from just being generally useful at what its supposed to do in cleaning up/shoveling stuff from my work surface and for doughs, I've learned that if I'm grating something that I want to store in a bowl/elsewhere, can lay down my bench scraper and use my box grater on top of that which then lets me easily lift and transfer most of whatever I'm grating to wherever it needs to be. Any left over grated bits on the cutting board/work surface are then super easy to clean up too because I already have my bench scraper out lol.
I originally got the idea ~~because I was jealous of~~ from the box grater + attachable tub that Steve uses on Not Another Cooking Show but didn't want to buy a new box grater lol.
Dollar Tree has a all stainless steel bench scraper for, well, $1.25 these days. Works great and is very sturdy. Got 2 of those
When I’m cooking for a bigger group of people and prepping bigger amount of ingredients, I always take out my stainless steel bench scraper.
I find it saves me a lot of time for transferring ingredients. Especially for smaller stuff from the chopping board.
It’s a better tool, than say a knife to do this, also less risk of messing up the cutting edge of a sharp knife.
I use it from time to time for everyday cooking, it just depends on what I’m making and if it will save me any bigger amount of time.
What a great idea! Thanks!
This is such a good one. Only way I can make pico de Gallo or chili
I learned how important a scale was for cooking and baking when I moved to the prairies. It is a crapshoot measuring flour by volume in a dry area. Or if you scoop your cup into the bag and call it good. You aren’t getting an accurate measurement of flour at all. Flour in arid regions will be dry, denser, less fluffy and your baked goods will likely not turn out like the recipe intended as you are likely adding in more flour by weight than you are required. I figured out why my baked goods were turning out hard, dry or chewy instead of fluffy when a blogger from the US prairies mentioned the importance of measuring by weight, not volume. Plus, it’s really cool!
I wholeheartedly agree with your suggestions Brian. The one tool I would add is a hand lemon squeezer. I was given one as a gift a few years ago and it has become an indispensable part of my culinary arsenal. About 15$ on Amazon and worth every penny.
I just watched the Smash Burger video in which you point out that you're not in favour of owning unnecessary one-use appliances and it's make me realise that I'd love a full kitchen tool list. Big tools, small tools, variety and number recommendations. Ultimately everyone will have to make their own, but I feel like yours would be an amazing guideline for beginners.
I'm so happy you mentioned the kitchen scale. I drive that point home to just about everyone I talk to about cooking. I use mine nearly every single day.
I also love my bench scraper.
My very pretty and on sale scale is coming out soon, I promise me.
I use a scale too but I'm not sure it's accurate to the gram. Any suggestions as to a particular model?
@@ejgoldlust I use a Taylor 1250BKT for small amounts (
I found 2 stainless steel bowls at Goodwill. 10" & 8", both for $2 total. Best Kitchen Find EVER! I use them for everything
This is a good l list. I might add an immersion blender too. I was able to pick one up for around $25 and it has been great for making dips,dressing and sauces (smoothies)
I have a KitchenAid one that's got a whisk head and an immersion blender head, it's strong and sturdy. Makes making sauces and blended soups a breeze
the fact that you take the time to do all this beautifully shot and informative cutaways to show these products is insane. soo much passion and hard work. i def will be sure to sure your links when i can purchase some things. it's not much but hey! thanks for all you do, binge watching your videos today! found your channel this morning from your viral bread video when i searching for...bread videos. :O
Hey Brian. I work in live events (i do lighting and not audio) but I just wanted to say that its awesome to see how far you've come with your cooking channel. For a lot of us touring crew, it's hard to imagine a life outside of our jobs. You've proven to me and many others that even if you go to school for one thing, and end up doing something else, you can still be successful, intelligent, and help other people. Cheers to you, and I hope someday I still get a chance to hear one of your mixes :)
A mortar and pestle would be on my list. Some of them may be pricier than $25, but they're really worth it. It's my tool of choice for grinding fresh herbs and/or spices. Cheers!
Good one, Yann
A tool i recently acquired and really enjoy having in the kitchen so far is a rough vegetable cleaning brush. For my personal taste I enjoy most vegetables with the skin on such as potatoes or carrots. The brush makes sure I get all the sand out easily and saves me the trouble of peeling. Also works great for cleaning mushrooms!
and more nutritious for you
Same here! Such a great investment in my kitchen.
How about a recommendation for one you like?
What vegetable brush do you use?
You can also use a dedicated Super Daddy Sponge. Moisten with cool water to keep us stiff and scrubbing will be a breeze!
Mortar and pestle
Grinding spices. Guac. Pestos. Curry Pastes.
It's the tool you didn't think you'll need, but once you have it it changes your life and you cant live without it anymore
I soooo agree! I love mine from Amazon😃
in South Asia and even the South East of Asia, a mortar and pestle is a kitchen essential.
take it a step further and go with a molcajete!
Hey Bri, you will find the peeler WAY more effective if you hold your thumb against the thing you are peeling. Grip the peeler handle with your fingers but press your thumb into the vegetable, and then pull towards the peeler.
You need to connect both hands. Holding the peeler and the vegetable in separate hands and not connecting them with your thumb is unstable and can lead to injuries and wasted food.
He purposely misused it to overstate the point. If he used the side peeler in the same motion as he did for the Y peeler it would work just as well.
I've used a side peeler for about 35 years. I don't like the Y peelers as I'm clumsy and feel like I'm gonna shave off the skin of my finger. I use the side peeler as I would a paring knife peeling a potato. I can do an entire 10lb bag in no time at all.
My local $2 dollar store has been the source of a many tools that I just can’t do without! El cheapo digital scales, a small stone mortar and pestle,a spice grinder. Other low cost essentials…a humble glass bar which I use all the time for salad dressings. A ricer for perfect mash/skordalia or gnocchi making.
Thanks for some of these great suggestions.
I LOVE my microplane, and here's a tip: I find lemongrass to be a nuisance to work with; well i tried peeling outer layers and freezing it,
and then running it over the microplane while still frozen and OH MY GAWH it makes these beautiful fluffy little shreds that integrate well into anything!!
I will be trying this next with ginger and galangal. I love these ingredients but only use a little in any given month.
ADD 3: Less is more. I consider myself a "pro home cook," been cooking for myself since I was 6 years old and I am now 53, PBS food show junky way back in the day, etc. For years, I could never pass up any kitchen gadget, knife, etc., and friends and family would never stop bombarding me with kitchen gadgets and cookbooks. Wisdom of age, and clearly apparent from Brian's kitchen: LESS IS MORE. Cluttered knife drawer with 17 random knives is now a wall magnet over my stove: 1 good chef's knife; one semi flex boning knife; one serrated slicing knife; and one cleaver (because they are fun as heck). If you have not used it in 3 months, and it's not a family heirloom or Thanksgiving one off: take it to Goodwill!
Brian, I know this video is a year old. I just saw it but I've been watching your other cooking videos as well. I want to say that this particular video sets you apart from the other content I've seen. It's so useful and practical advice. You're giving me a lot of confidence. Thanks.
A few years ago I started making it a goal to upgrade my parents' kitchen, one christmas gift at a time. That includes most of the things here, stainless steel bowls, microplaner, mandolin (though since it doesn't get used as often, I went for a Japanese version with a ceramic blade). Good scales and peelers they already had. The bowls are probably my mom's favourite for how useful and easily cleaned they are. They weigh a fraction of a ceramic bowl, and they're more pleasant to use than plastic.
In addition, I'd also add good tongs (silicone tipped for all the non-stick and enameled pans, and long handled for the grill - my choice is Cuisipro), stable ones that don't have any sideways give. For higher budget options, add a really good instant read thermometer and a quality immersion blender.
In my experience the shape of the peeler doesn't really matter that much, as long as it's sharp. There's a world of difference between a new peeler and an old dull one.
Couldn't agree more about the scale, ntm measuring in grams, SO much easier & more accurate. Thanks for all the recs!!
I've said this before, I'm so grateful your recipes are in metric. Also your use of deli containers for prep inspired me to not immediately recycle those that I bring home. They get a good hand wash and at least one more trip around the kitchen before going in the blue box. I really like the good quality squeeze bottles for around the cook area too. They are inexpensive and save me carting around giant bottles of oil. It's fun to go to a pro cooking store if you have one nearby, it feels like stepping into the members only area.
Those deli containers last. I keep them til they break or get funky. But only use for storage, never heat in them.
Great list of essentials! I also love my silicone baking mats. I use them when I cook anything on my half sheet pans. They’re wonderfully nonstick without waste, and don’t curl up like parchment paper. They’re also great to freeze fruits or veggies on, or even melted chocolate for decoration or pucks of cookie dough for later use.
I thought that they were just fancy non-essentials for years, but I was wrong! I use mine All the time.
I completely agree with you on the scale!! When I started making bread I thought it was stupid but now when I look for recipes online I pass over the usual American recipes and look for one in grams lol 😆 bread last November 😆
These are all good items in the vid and I agree as a pro chef. I'd humbly add a fish turner/spatula and 12" metal tweezers to the list. Before getting them they felt like bonus items, but now they're used multiple times per week.
Great vid Brian! I like the non-recipe videos thrown in here and there, and I also have an obsession with kitchen tools so this was really enjoyable to watch (even though I already have all of these :P )
So true about the kitchen scale! Definitely top on the list. It makes everything so, so much easier, it's pretty much guaranteed success. Using volumetric measurements just makes for fumbling about with various measurements never knowing if you put the right amount or not.
I agree a 100% with you about the scale, I’m from Spain and we use metric for everything, in fact my mum has always used a scale and I can’t live without it. Call me obsessive but I want my recipes to always come out perfect, even if I make them daily for myself. The rest of the tools look amazing, I’ll definitely check out the mandolin. 💛✨
I can't live without my bench scraper. It cost less than five dollars when I bought it over 20 years ago and I use it every time I cook. It can cut, scoop up vegetables, transfer spices, clean the cutting board, chop things, etc.
I have that bowl off Brian's recommendation and use it literally every day. I keep it at hand and can just dump whatever I need to in or out of it. Cleans with basically a rinse and swipe. Highly recommend
I stumbled into the pizza pan lid solution a few years back when making dough. It's a perfect solution. I'm glad you found it too.
Some that have been invaluable to me as I get better at cooking:
- Uniform spice jars and organizer. (Ok, all in a little more than $25, but I would argue it saves money in the long run). Seeing everything in front of me in a nice tidy grid is awesome. I store extra spice in the pantry for refills.
- Casabella gloves, Meyer's dish soap, O-cedar scrunge, and a compact sponge holder that drains (shamelessly stolen from Internet Shaquille and ATC). Total game-changer for doing the dishes. Way more pleasant of a process.
- Winco plastic funnel.
- OXO silicone garlic peeler. I try to stay away from use-specific gadgets, but this one is invaluable for peeling garlic in the least painful way I've yet found.
- A giant pack of uniform binder clips and a little basket to store them in.
- Steel angled measuring jigger. Great for measuring liquid quantities from 0 - 1/4 cup, where the smallest pyrex cup doesn't have the resolution and precision matters. (Plus not dealing with trying to pour liquid into measuring spoons.
- Oven thermometer. Great for when you have a dodgy gas oven with poor temp control and no way to calibrate.
Aside from the pizza peel, I have all these items! I'd include deli containers, masking tape and marker for labeling, and a small citrus juicer that also measures the juice. Since I use a lot of tofu, I also find a tofu press to be invaluable.
I second the masking tape and a marker! 🙂
Sheet pans are up there with those stainless bowls in terms of high utility cheap tools. At least 2 each of the Nordic Ware half and quarter sheet size (with racks is ideal). Roasting, baking, serving platter, resting or storing partially prepped ingredients- these things are indestructible workhorses.
Why you don't have a million subs is crazy. One of the best informative cooking channels out there. Thanks!
Agreed, fantastic presentation and very informative. My guess on the low subscriptions: use of the metric system. Gotta remember how lazy Americans are, even (or especially) chefs/cooks. Simplicity is the most important factor and if it takes more steps, like to convert from metric to imperial, many simply won't do it. Being na American home cook, I, too, don't usually fool with conversions with so many other cooking "show" options available. /just my couple of pennies.
Bro, why you be consistently putting out good content every week? Like...where do you get the nerve?
lol, but seriously, I have almost every one of these tools EXCEPT for that dope mandoline. Mine is a "V" shaped one and I haven't been happy with it for a while, so I'm picking up your recco from your link. Thanks!
@@Joseph1NJ you cant understand his english? how? is it your second language or are you just bad at english
@@Joseph1NJ
Seriously? Yo bro git wit the program.
How is this 'urban slang'? The _only_ odd word he used was recco. Which, even an idiot can infer, means recommendation. Find something else to do.
@@Joseph1NJ I'm well on my way to getting old, and I'm a pedant when it comes to rhetoric, but I had no trouble understanding him.
@@Joseph1NJ haha...Is this your first week on the internet?
Brian, I am sure you probably already know this. For the y-peeler. If instead of just a downward motion... if you do a down-up motion; up and down in one stroke... you can double your speed. Takes a little bit to get used to but its pretty amazing speed improvement.
I've seen people do that; it looks a lot like the same motion you use when painting walls and such with a brush, just on smaller scale. If you can use it well, it really *can* boost your speed. I'm not really comfortable with it, myself... I've got some nerve damage in my dominant hand that makes it awkward to keep good control and still apply enough pressure on the up-stroke..
The bench scraper has to be a contender for best bang for the buck. Whether it's dealing with doughs or picking up diced onions to sauté, it's an incredibly handy tool.
Tools depend on what we cook. Mellon baller scoop is a must-have in my kitchen! Make sure, you buy the right one - it must have holes and sharp edges. This simple and inexpensive tool is so handy not only to make garnishes but also for hollow jalapeno peppers, as capers serving spoon from very narrow jars, remove stems from strawberries, make stuffed potatoes and more!
I never use my bench scraper. I probably will for bread eventually. Try this: put your cutting board at the inside corner of your counter, so it's extending beyond the corner, changing the shape you see from above from a "square's quadrant" to an "octogon's quadrant", if that makes sense. Then your cutting hand holds a bowl under the edge of the cutting board, and your messy/food hand pulls the food off the board and into the bowl. I'm still experimenting but I like this setup.
The best stainless steel bowl lid is a slightly smaller saute pan lid, which will fit inside the bowl. Mine are 13” and 12” with no gapping & doesn’t slide off.
I just use a plate. One less thing to have
1. Mandoline
2. Strainer
3. Set of graduated glass bowls and set of stainless steel bowls (with lids is nice)
4. Potato masher
5. Pastry cutter
6. Meat pounder
7. Basic hand mixer with SS mixing blades not chrome plated blades
8. SS measuring cups and SS teaspoon measures
9. Glass measuring cup for liquids
10. Sheet pans (choose 1/4, 1/2, or whole size)
11. Sheet pan rack (chose 1/4, 1/2, or whole size).
12. ugh I finally bought a scale!
13. Wooden spoons / rollers / muddlers are fun
14. One of those volcanic rock hand grinder AKA molcajete
15. Stick blender. Easy to use easy to clean.
I completely agree with your recommendations about the scale. I just bought an Escalia since I wore out my old scale. Using weights rather than volume has made cooking less messy, more fun and results more reliable. I do have to say, I cringe in fear every time I see you use the mandolin without a hand guard. Apart from cutting bagels, that's got to be the most dangerous activity in the kitchen. Be careful!!! :)
I agree about mandolins being scary! The 2nd worst injury I've ever seen in a kitchen came from one, a prep cook took the entire ball of his hand off while doing tomato slices for burgers. (The worst I saw was a girl I worked with drop her drink- a very large cup full of ice and water- and most of it splashed into the deep fryer... The whole thing boiled over onto her, soaking her from the waist down in 375°F/195°C oil. It was horrific, truly one of the worst things I've ever seen.)
@@Nathan_Talisien OMG. How horrible!
Especially the microplane and the mandoline are a must to me. (that scale is also interesting, but I don't use a lot of recipes that use cups/spoons)
I'm with you on the Y-peeler. When I use a straight peeler I worry that I'm going to peel my thumb because I have to hold the vegetable (usually a potato) by the end. And when I have to hold the already peeled end it's slippery. With the Y-peeler I can cup the back side of the vegetable in my off hand where it's safer and easier to hold.
Scales are vital to any cooks kitchen. I would also add a thermometer. You don't need a thermapen. I have small digital poke on and it's great for meats and baking and just overall easy as hell to use and clean. It was like ten bucks or less.
We also have a set of bowls that all came with tightish fitting lids. The entire set cost us 40 something, but now we don't need to worry about any type of plastic wrap like ever. We've had the same roll for tow or three years now...
I'm not sure I have anything else that's super versatile and sub 25. Maybe deli containers?
Cast iron pan
Food processor
2 very good knives - 1 for chopping, one serrated
An essential low cost tool in my kitchen: A clear round plastic lid from a Chinese take-out lunch.
It fits many of my ceramic bowls perfectly and I use it as a spatter guard when I reheat meals in the microwave. It goes on & off in a jiffy and I have been using the same one for at least 5 years now.
Lol I have something very similar. I have a one-off plastic takeout container of unknown origins that is the *perfect* size to make a quick microwave egg pattie for a breakfast sandwich. I've had it for like 10 years lol
This was good, Brian. I really like the Oxo peeler. I have the other and I mostly use the Oxo. Actually just about all Oxo tools--like spatulas, graters, etc. I prefer a hand held grater over a box grater--grate over a bowl or pan or plate. So much easier and easier to wash. Also a container with a lid for salad dressing so I can shake it. It's easier than the whole whisking thing and you can use EVOO. BTW, I would love to see one on pans/pots. What's a nice little minimum collection?
OXO is cool brand in that all of their designs were created to be easy to use by people with arthritis and/or limited hand function. That's why their designs are kind of chunky with larger grips and a bit longer leverage than other tools
Speciality coffee converted me to a scale cook and I haven't looked back! Your bread dough reinforced that, thanks!
Quarter sheet pan -- from doing prep work and laying out ingredients to using it to bake stuff on the weeknights
Good call! And they're small enough that even if you live in an apartment with minimal counter space in the kitchen, they don't take up too much space!
I agree an evaluation of thermometers would be worthwhile. The IR types I find useful for quick surface temp applications. But cable and probe types are useful too.
I use a cream separator when making cream products. You have to heat the milk to slightly over 100°F. I use a cable-probe type get me to that temp, and then and IR type to monitor the cream and skim milk outlets.
What I wish a thermometer had were high and low temperature alarms. That would be a huge help when you have dual Temps you need to know you are crossing.
I can appreciate that a microplane can grate ginger skin so fine it isn’t noticeable in the final dish, but ginger is so easy to peel by scraping it off with a tea spoon (not a measuring spoon, just a good old cereal-eatin’ spoon) that it wouldn’t really save much time skipping that. On the other hand, if you unknowingly get an older hand of ginger at the grocery store, scraping the skin off will let you know if it is moldy before you foul your grater and cutting board, and the time wasted having to wash those might be longer than the time saved by skipping peeling! Even more important, peeling lets me know if the ginger is still good but on its way to going south when it starts turning a darker yellow, in which case I’ll know to use it all up right away.
+1 to that exact mandolin. Had mine for 8 years and use it nearly daily.
I started using a scale while dieting, and in my baking I have never looked back. Recipes by weight are AMAZING, and I've started to get annoyed with cookbooks and websites that don't offer their units in weight. I have a smart speaker in my kitchen too which helps for quick conversions. FWIW, I just replaced my kitchen scale with an OXO 11lbs digital. It was *not* inexpensive ($52, IIRC), but it's accurate, has a backlit display, and good turn-off time. There are plenty of inexpensive scales out there that do the job well.
I have been binging your You Tube videos today... thank you for the links in them for products.... Amazon should be thanking you as I binged shopped after your videos.... BUT those who eat my cooking appreciate what I learn from you!
Wooden chop sticks for me. I don't cook with them for everything, but they are actually pretty good tools for stiring and especially noodles. Bonus is you can use them as eating utensils when you are done.
I also really like having storage containers that are uniform, easy to clean and stack very well to store easily.
The kitchen scale is so incredibly useful and I use it for things that aren't even strictly cooking related.
I use my Japanese Y peeler to also thinly slice cucumbers for salads. They taste great!
I have a digital scale which I use all the time and a Japanese mandolin, as well as a Microplane but I also have a Japanese mortar and pestle which is great for small jobs.
100% on the scale, things get so much easier and consistent when you start using them.
However, one issue I have is that most of the more affordable ones (especially here in Brazil) tend to have pretty bad precision on the lower grams, so measuring things like 4g of yeast for a loaf of bread is problematic at times. Mine goes from 0g to 3g instantly and even then it's varies wildly until it reaches 20g or so. :(
I can't live without my Danish dough whisk. I use it to stir bread dough together, make pancake batter and pretty much anything else that requires stirring.
for essential tools it is good to have backups. if you have only one chefs knife you will never get it sharpened because then what would you cut things with? the best thing about these value knifes is you can have 2 sets, one to use and a backup to use when a knife is being sharpened or when you have a helper in the kitchen.
My mom has a peeler like that but is doubles as a spatuala. grilled cheese making machine that was, and she's had it for eleven years.
Agree on almost everything... Only dispute is Y-peeler, it's more uncomfortable for my wrist. A sleek, sharp Swiss "traditional" peeler is more comfortable for me, like whittling, and thus faster. Still about $12. Semi-related, I find wooden peels the best for building and launching pizzas. Thanks for the great video.
The Y peeler is probably the one I'll get out of this list. I don't like how a side peeler makes me feel like I'm always peeling towards my fingertips. Looking forward to trying one of these!
I have a Y peeler made by Zyliss (Swiss). I only ever really use it for vegetables, aka no chocolate or Parmesan shavings and it is still plenty sharp. It is in remarkable shape considering I have owned it for 31 years!! :)
If you click on the link for the pan/lid amazon mentions for frequently bought together are the bowl and peeler.😅 I think Brian is pretty popular!😎
Side action peeler all the way. When you use a nice, fresh one and peel towards yourself there's nothing better. used to peel kilos and kilos of white asparagus during the season in germany. It's the only way to go.
I really like have a bench scraper for quickly transferring vegetables to a pan and quickly cleaning up. Other thing that has boosted my cooking is an oven safe frying pan
Invest in an oyster shuckers glove if you like a mandolin! Best and safest thing to hold what you are slicing!!!
Another youtube cook i started following recently uses a scale fore everything and in my binge watching has never explained the reason in a video I've watched yet, so thanks for that! At first it seemed odd, but now seems way more logical.
A Flat Whisk is something I found and use it all the time. They work much better than a round whisk. It is something I can't do without. i have 2--a small one and then a larger one. To me they are a necessity. Another think I like is a Danish dough hook. it is mainly for making bread. It is also great for doughs like muffins or cakes--so you don't have to pull out your stand mixer. I agree with the people that mentioned a bench scrapper. One other thing is my Oxo multi timer with a key pad. It is much easier to use than having to hold down a button for a long time.
The OXO good grips side peeler is nice and sharp, makes things easy to peel.
I'd recommend that one, it's pretty cheap too.
I have a microplane that isn't rolled on the sides. It also doesn't have a handle. I love it because it is so easy to clean. I would think to clean the microplanes like the one you have, you'd need to get a toothbrush to scrape out food that gets jammed under the rolled edges. On Amazon it is called a "Microplane Zester Grater" . The picture shows both sides so you can see how easy it is to get to every surface of the tool. It also happens to be less expensive than the others. I've had mine for maybe 20 years or more and it still seems as sharp as it was the day I used it for the first time.
I have two of the ss bowls. When I'm trying to get my dough to rise in my cold house, I make a warm water double boiler type system, with a plate lid. Works great.
This is great content! I'm probably gonna pick up 1 or 3 of those because of your videos! I greatly appreciate your attention to efficiency as someone who wants to eat good, but also spend as little time as possible in the kitchen.
Excellent vid Bri!!! No fluff what-so-ever. I bought a Y-peeler 25+ years ago. It has a ceramic blade that never dulls. The only thing I'm missing is that stainless bowl cover. I plan to slip one under my shirt the next time I go to Pizza Hut! I'll tell em "Brian sent me" if I get caught. One thing I find essential is a set of tongs. The spring always rusts and breaks, which actually makes them much easier to use. Usually find them under $10. That julienne Y-peeler you use in several of your vids is sweet too. THANKS BRIAN!!!
I totally agree with the concepts of must have kitchen tools. I personally could not separate from my tongs. They are really helpful for stiring and grabbing long pasta (like spaghetti, fettuccine , etc...), leaf vegetables, or being precise reaching small or single pieces of your food for moving/flipping, like bites of chicken or beef. About the peeler, the one that you like is the most common one here in Italy, where I live, but I prefer the inline one. It can achieve a better result to me, since it's more stable too. I noticed that you use it pushing it away from you, and the first one as opposite. It's the direction that changes everything. Try to use the inline one the same, pushing from outside toward to you. It will work much better! About the pizza peel, another good thing about the one you recommend despite the normal one, is that it has some holes. This let the extra flour to fall off, avoiding to let it burn in the oven, which will give you a bitter taste and turn you pizza unhealty. I also would add termometer to the must have tools. Life changer!
Thanks to this guy I learned how to make bread (ciabatta) and deep dish pizza! Thanks man!!! Could you make conchas (pan dulce) for your next video?
Fully agree, inexpensive but absolute essential kitchen tools, and a high quality Dutch Oven. Makes cooking so much more fun
Bench scraper is indispensable, use it for transferring vegetables. mini spatulas, and mini whisks, use em all the time. Also steel ramekins - all the time, so useful for prep and for serving condiments
A one-half sheet pan and the corresponding silicone pad for said pan are great and under $25
I got the OXO goodgrip side peeler and I love it.
Sometimes with Y-peelers I feel like I have to have such a long range of motion when peeling long veggies, so I kinda preffer side-peelers
I love the Y peeler I have so much that I have two of them. And I love my scale now that I have one. Great suggestions!
I love these kinds of videos, Bri - thank you!!
I already had everything that you recommended except for that type of bowl/lid combo, so I went on and ordered them. I also passed on the pizza turner because I really don't make pizzas at home.
Great list. My tip for the amateur cook would be get a mandolin with a hand guard. Trust me - you want one of those.
1/2 quart mason jar + vacuum cap + small vacuum (mine came with my vacuum blender) = microwavable, freezer-safe food-preserving non-plastic container
Lights. Pay attention when you are cooking. Any places where it's a little difficult to see? Install lights. I may get a battery-powered one installed inside a cupboard where it's hard to see the caps of my spice jars.
My underrated tool for under $25, if you use graters and mandolins a lot but you are also clumsy, or you butcher a lot of meat, are *cut resistant gloves*. I can just grab whatever I am cutting on mandolin by hand and go ham because I know I won't chop off part of my finger if it slips.
Bench Scraper/dough knife easily. Such a versatile tool.
I grew up with Y peelers and can confirm without a doubt that they are inordinately better than side peelers, which I only use at work.
I keep my digital scale in a large plastic zip-lock bag at all times. It rarely, if ever, affects the results and it's easy to wipe down anything spilt.
I would only use a mandolin with a guard! They are great for paper thin cucumber sandwiches. Thank you for the video.
As a college student soon to graduate I'm looking forward to not having to share kitchen space with my roommates. Videos like this help me figure out what I might need to get myself for cooking when we all take our separate kitchen parts when we move out. Thanks for the video!
Love this video. Just ordered the peeler, microplane, lid and mandolin!
I love anything you do partly because I love the sparseness of your kitchen. And, because your video content is so enjoyable and useful 😀.
I have been using Y peeler made by Amana for I don't know how long. I cannot begin to think about how many pounds of potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers I have peeled with it, it is the best. You are so right about the hair.
A whisk, silicone spatulas, an offset spatula, a stack of little glass mise bowls (are they really the custard cups your grandma used?), cheap paring knives.
All handy items, but I would add a pair of 12, 14 or 16 inch tweezers. My top cheap _'wouldn't want to live without'_ item? A sturdy garlic press! What a time saver.
BTW? You can get a 'set of 5' stainless bowls on the site you mention for under 25.
Cheers.
Your knife post got me looking for my Dexter Russell, forgot how much I enjoy it.
Kitchen tongs are my absolute go to (if they can resist heat). For nearly 5 dollars, it's a great tool to have (some people use to flip steaks with a... fork ; sad).