The Best Cooking Tools

By Gayot Editors

Must-Have Cooking Tools for the Home Chef

Outfitting a kitchen can be a daunting task, especially when starting from scratch (if you’re still using that random collection of pans you relied on in college, we’re talking to you).

Life just got a little easier with GAYOT’s selection of the Best Cooking Tools every home cook should have at hand. Ranging from a multitasking grate set to a stellar juicer, these cooking tools will help transform meal prep from a mere chore and unleash your inner Martha Stewart.

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1. Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor

Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
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Price: $500

Save your pennies for this pro-level processor that just about does all the work for you.

A food processor has become an essential tool for any serious cook. This model from Breville features a 5.5-inch super-wide chute that saves you the time and effort of pre-cutting fruits and veggies. Equipped with a set of eight discs and blades — including a variable slicing disc with options ranging from a paper-thin 0.3 millimeter (0.01 inch) to a solid 8 millimeters (0.3 inch) — the device encourages myriad meal prep possibilities. Don’t let the hefty price tag dissuade you; the versatile Sous Chef is worth every penny.

> For more information, visit the Breville official website.

2. Jenaluca Herb Scissors

Jenaluca Herb Scissors

Price: $16

Amazon Buy Now

These kitchen shears are indispensable for beginning chefs.

Home cooks spend years perfecting their mincing and dicing skills, but thanks to the Jenaluca scissors, evenly sliced herbs can be yours within seconds. Easy to use and affordable, these shears make a great gift for the novice chef.

> For more information, visit the Jenaluca official website.

3. Kyocera Advanced Ceramics Ceramic Grate Set

Kyocera Advanced Ceramics Ceramic Grate Set
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $58

Slice and grate like a pro with this time-saving tool.

This ceramic, dishwasher-safe Kyocera set is a time saver when it comes to slicing and grating. Included are an adjustable slicer, a julienne slicer, a coarse grater (great for shredding cheese) — plus a storage unit for efficiently collecting your perfectly sliced or shredded carrots, onions, tomatoes or cheese.

> For more information, visit the Kyocera official website.

4. Omega Juicers J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer

Omega Juicers J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $219

This juicer proves that faster isn’t always better.

While high-tech kitchen gadgets tend to tout their speed, the Omega J8006 boasts just the opposite. A “masticating style” juicer, it processes at 80 rpm (most other juicers achieve 1,650 to 15,000 rpm). Slowing down allows the machine to squeeze the fruit instead of grinding it, which helps to preserve nutrients and healthy enzymes. The slower speed also prevents oxidization, which means your juice can be stored up to 72 hours without degradation of freshness or quality — so you can take your time drinking it.

> For more information, visit the Omega Juicers official website.

5. Rösle Egg Topper

Rösle Egg Topper
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $20

Finally, a way to neatly crack both hard- and soft-boiled eggs.

Removing the top off a soft-boiled egg with a butter knife is an admirable skill that requires practice. Not yet that adept? The Rösle Egg Topper neatly cracks open both soft- and hard-boiled eggs, leaving no shell fragments behind. Simply position the handle and release, and the top of the eggshell easily lifts.

6. Salter Stainless Steel Electronic Scale

Salter Stainless Steel Electronic Scale
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $50

A sleek, easy-to-use scale that measures up to five pounds.

Familiar in European kitchens where recipes rely on the metric system, electronic food scales are much more accurate than measuring cups and spoons. Scales also cut down on cleanup — you can usually measure everything in a single bowl. In particular, the user-friendliness and sleek design of the Salter Stainless Steel Electronic Scale caught our eye — it’s attractive enough to be left out on the kitchen counter.

7. Shun Cutlery Classic 7-inch Santoku Knife

Shun Cutlery Classic 7-inch Santoku Knife
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $154

Sharpen your kitchen skills with these knives.

Forged from high-carbon stainless steel, this traditional Japanese chef’s knife ups the precision of your slicing and dicing game. The durable and ergonomic Pakkawood handle allows you to use it for hours with ease.

> For more information, visit the Shun Cutlery official website.

8. Teakhaus Cutting Board

Teakhaus Cutting Board
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $100


Your new favorite cutting board, crafted from organically grown teak.

Used for centuries as a building material for boats, teak is naturally resistant to both moisture and bacteria growth. This attractive cutting board is crafted from teak organically grown on 16,000 acres of reclaimed ranch land — Teakhaus claims their plantations in Mexico and Costa Rica capture the equivalent in CO2of 20,000 cars on the road daily. Easily maintained with a little soap and water, each board boasts a unique wood pattern.

> For more information, visit the TeakHaus official website.

9. Zojirushi Rice Cooker

Zojirushi Rice Cooker
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $250

This handy rice cooker isn’t just for rice.

Zojirushi’s stainless-steel rice cooker produces moist, fluffy rice with minimal effort. Simply pop the raw rice grains in the removable cooking pan, add water and go catch up on your latest Netflix obsession. Once the rice is ready — yielding up to 6 cups of cooked grains at a time — the device automatically switches to warm. Use it to make everything from steel-cut oats to risotto.

> For more information, visit the Zojirushi official website.

10. iDevices iGrill2 Thermometer

iDevices iGrill2 Thermometer
Amazon Buy Now


Price: $100

Monitor your grill with this hi-tech gadget.

Upgrade the precision of your cooking with the iGrill2 thermometer by iDevices. Multiple probes allow you to track the temperature of each of four different meats by simply opening up the corresponding app on your smartphone. No guesswork required.

> For more information, visit the iDevices official website.