I have a hoarding problem. A kitchen gadget hoarding problem. It’s a serious condition folks. My once meticulously organized kitchen is starting to take on a new look of overflowing drawers and overstuffed cabinets. I try to organize every now and then, but what’s the point? I use the same staple kitchen items and know exactly where they are.
During my quest to keep a ‘real food’ lifestyle (throughout my domestic goddess training years), I have built quite an impressive stash of goodies that I must share. These appliances, utensils, and funky-looking gadgets have helped me immensely in the kitchen. Why? I am more efficient, more consistent, and ooze more awesomeness when I have these lovely friends by my side, cheering me on in my culinary adventures.
Without further ado, here are my must-have kitchen tools for healthy eating and easy meal prep.
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
Why I love this: I swear my cast iron skillet makes food taste better. The searing, the charring, the easy one-pan dinners. It takes a little practice to make sure you can master this pan, but once you do, this may be the only one you’ll ever need. The fact that it can be transferred from stovetop to oven is an added bonus. I love this combo cooker set, because I felt like I totally got a 2-for-1 deal. Plus the shallow skillet can be used as a cover for the 3-qt dutch oven skillet.
Progressive Mandoline Slicer
Why I love this: Say bu-bye to hours of slicing veggies and dicing inconsistent widths. When I first used my mandoline slicer I wondered how I ever survived without it. Now I make beautifully even-sliced carrots for stir fry, perfectly cut widths for grilled sweet potatoes, and amazing apple slices to dehydrate and make into crunchy apple chips.
Chef Le Bon Silicone Baking Cups
Why I love these: Try to get anything to stick to these puppies. I challenge you. It’s like, impossible. So that’s why I love ’em. I whip up healthy muffins, egg bake cups, and even meatloaf ‘cupcakes’ in these. The best part? Whatever you bake in these silicone cups literally slides right out, and they are a cinch to clean!
Cuisinart Mini Food Processor
Why I love this: Don’t get me wrong, I love my big, ‘momma-bear’ food processor, but having a mini is clutch. Sometimes I just need to chop or pulse a cup or two of something, and since my Big Birtha food processor is so wide, it doesn’t do the trick quite like it’s mini-me counterpart. Plus the mini food processor is easy to store and easy to grab.
OXO Airtight Food Containers
Why I love these: I started with one of these oxo food containers and after experiencing the amazing seal, the easy to open “pop” top, and the sleek design to store and stack, I knew I needed more. My entire pantry is like Tetris game of these glorious plastic beauties.
All-Clad Nonstick Slotted Turner
Why I love this: “Slotted Turner” aka fancy name for a spatula. However, this fancy spatula is the queen. The extra long, non-stick base makes flipping fried eggs and pancakes a breeze. Plus the cut-outs on the bottom allow drainage of any excess oil or grease.
KitchenAid Large Slow-Cooker
Why I love this: A slow-cooker or ‘crockpot’ is like a neat little personal chef. Just search “slow-cooker meals” on Pinterest (and stay tuned for some of my favorites) and you’ll understand why having one of these is pretty much essential. I love making a whole chicken, beef stew, or nutritious bone broth in mine. Now if only it could clean itself…
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star Chef’s Knife
Why I love this: A knife in the kitchen? Duh. But this knife. Ooooo this knife. I love the curved edge – it is so efficient. Literally, I can set the tip on the cutting board, and with a few downward motions, I have everything chopped and sliced in no time. No see-saw/back-and-forth cutting motions here. Just ‘Food Network Star’ skilled slicing and dicing.
Gefu Spiral Slicer
Why I love this: Spiralizing is all the rage. You can enjoy all your old carb-loaded favorites like spaghetti, only healthier. Spiral slicers can create noodles from zucchini, carrots, and sweet potatoes to replace traditional heavy pasta. And while there are many spiralizing tools out there, I like this one because it does the trick and is really affordable!
OXO Silicone Flexible Tongs
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Why I love this: Whenever I make sautéed kale, spinach, or chard, I rely on my trusty flexi-tongs to toss the greens for even cooking. Tongs are great when you don’t want to flip or stir.
Chefs Flexible Cutting Mats
Why I love these: Since we are on the subject of flexibility….these cutting mats are awesome for two reasons: 1. they are flexible for storage and take up very little space 2. different colors help avoid cross contamination when prepping raw meat with other meal elements.
OXO Mixing Bowl
Why I love this: With its pourable spout and rubber non-slip base, stirring and pouring in this mixing bowl is super duper easy and mess free.
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Why I love this: The KitchenAid stand mixer is a wedding registry staple. There’s a reason this mixer has been around forever, and why it continues to be a top kitchen appliance. If you are a baker, you’ll love throwing ingredients in this stand mixer and letting it do the work for you. I love making mashed sweet potatoes in mine. And it comes in pretty much every color of the rainbow!
Nesco Digital Food Dehydrator
Why I love this: I understand that a food dehydrator isn’t really a necessity, BUT I love this spaceship-looking thing. Admittedly, I am a snacker. So when I create apple chips, dried sliced strawberries, cauliflower ‘popcorn’, sweet potato chips, beet chips, (and the list goes on), my belly is happy.
Vitamix Blender
Why I love this: The holy grail – The Vitamix. I’ve been swooning over this for years and I finally got one. I call it my baby, even though I have a real baby. Speaking of real babies, my husband bought this for me as a “push present”. THAT is how bad I wanted it. (Bless his heart, he also purchased something more sentimental after our son was born). I love my Vitamix – the power behind this thing is unreal, and I can make soups, hummus, salsa, sauces, and amazing smoothies in seconds. Plus it has a self-cleaning feature. A-mazing.
Waring Electronic Wine Opener
Why I love this: When I have a major recipe failure, or the baby is insanely fussy, or the messy house overwhelms me, I don’t even have to think about popping open a bottle of vino, since this appliance does it for me. Bottoms up!
And there you have it! Any appliances/gadgets/tools I missed? I’m always looking for new ideas to put on my Christmas list. My kitchen cabinets may not have room, but I can always hoard in other areas of my home.
Disclaimer: Please note that there may be some affiliate links on this page and I will earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support.
Some of these look like they would be really fun to have! I’m not sure my kitchen has room for much more though ha. I will say I could not live without my large crock pot in the winters! Nice post 🙂
Hey Alexandra – I know, my kitchen space is like ZERO yet I still accumulate more goodies. I just can’t resist! I also could not survive without my crockpot! Thanks for stopping by.
I have a few of these, but not all. Good advice! And also, I have never had a cast iron skillet but it looks like I must get one. Maybe you can post on how to use it one day?
Thanks Carol! I never really felt the need to have a cast iron skillet until I actually got one, now I can’t live without it. Great idea for a post! Thanks for the suggestion – I will definitely see how I can incorporate that in a full post. The key that I’ve found is to make sure the skillet is well seasoned (I heat oil in mine after every use and simply wipe it down after), and not to let it sit in soapy water or it will rust. Those are just two takeaways of many.
This is a great round up! I really need to get a spiralizer. I’ve been using my madoline a lot more lately and it cuts down on prep time so much! i think it’s a must have kitchen item.
Thank you Pragati! I love my spiralizing gadget! And you can’t beat the price for the Gefu spiral slicer. The mandoline slicer is amazing for prepping so many veggies! Thanks for stopping by.
WOW you DO have a lot of kitchen utensils. hahah. makes my kitchen look bare compared to yours! definitely think i should invest in those little silicone cupcake holders. they look super handy and eco-friendly 🙂
Told you it was a problem! 😉 Yes, you need the silicone cups – plus they are so affordable, so why not?!
These are great. I need most of these things…
Sounds like you have some good ideas for your Christmas list! 😉
GREAT TOOLS!!!!
Thanks Tamara!
Hah! I’m totally a kitchen gadget hoarder too. 🙂 Love this list! I think I need that wine bottle opener!!
Glad we have that in common! That wine bottle opener is SO calling your name Blair!
I love these products. I am now in the mood to shop for my kitchen 🙂
The mood to shop strikes me pretty much all the time. Thanks Joanna!
So many amazing picks! You’re spot on with all of them. I really want a mandolin slicer soo bad and I was thinking about a dutch oven, but your cast iron skillet duo looks like a better multi-function deal.
I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a ‘must have’ but I have been finding a lot of recipes require an Immersion Blender lately… maybe its all the pumpkin recipes i’m finding lol… but I’m starting to think that one of those needs a place in my kitchen -__- haha
I really love my mandoline slicer (bday gift from my parents – I’m such a kitchen geek) and the 2-for-1 cast iron skillet combo is awesome! I have wanted an immersion blender too! But I feel like my hubby would look at me like I’m crazy if I get another blending tool since I am up to three at last count. LOL! Thanks Steffanie!
So many great kitchen tools listed here. I absolutely love my mini prep and my OXO containers. I’m actually in the market for a new non-stick spatula – have to check out that All Clad one!
Hey Jessica – aren’t the oxo containers awesome? I have SO many, yet I feel like I need more. Just seeing how organized my pantry is with them makes my heart sing! You will love the All-Clad spatula. Thanks for stopping by!
My mini chop broke last week. It was so sad, but I was the third owner, so I’m sure it was time. But, I agree! Ill be at a productivity loss until I can replace it
SAD DAY! You need to get a new one stat girl!
Oh! I have almost all of these except that dehydrator. Really interested in getting one. It doesn’t look like it’s taking up too much room. Would be an awesome appliance to have.
Kitchen gadget sista’s!! Awwww yeah! The nesco food dehydrator isn’t large at all, it fits nicely in the corner of my kitchen and you can take the stackable trays off to store in pieces. I love it! Thanks Kathryn!
Oooo! What do you use it for most?
I probably make apple chips the most (sliced with my mandoline slicer of course). I love crunchy snacks so I need those on hand at all times. I also do dried strawberry and banana slices to add to almond pulp cereal. Another creation I make are flax seed crackers (flax seeds mixed with water and a little Himalayan salt). Makes amazing, crunchy/salty crackers! I’ve attempted beet & sweet potato chips but still trying to perfect those. I’ve done dried green beans (I blanch them first and add nutritional yeast) and also dried cauliflower ‘poppers’ with the nutritional yeast. My next to-do’s are beef jerky and dried herbs. See, I’m obsessed!
This makes me want one even more!! Crackers and chips I’m in! I’ve had difficulty with those in the oven. Plus dehydrated food can last a lonnnngggg time, I believe… haha.
I can’t master them in the oven either. There is something that is magical about the food dehydrator that makes pretty much anything work (I’m saying this softly, so my oven’s feelings aren’t hurt). I think you will love having one Kathryn!
I don’t think we’d have dinner on the table half of the week without the slowcooker. Best purchase ever! I love my nutribullet though too!
Right?! Same Kristin! I totally wouldn’t have survived the first two months with a newborn without my slow cooker either! I have heard great things about the Nutribullet. Thanks for stopping by!
Is it strange that my favorite thing on this list is the spiral cutter? I love that thing lol.
Not strange at all! I love it too Danielle 🙂
I too LOVE kitchen tools. I have so many of them it is becoming ridiculous! For a while I was on a Pampered Chef craze and started collecting their products in addition to other product lines. Just recently I’ve started to reorganize and declutter my kitchen drawers and give away items I don’t use. But then I see something shiny again like the gorgeous and colorful baking cups on this page and I’m tempted again! 🙂
I have some Pampered Chef products I love too! At least you are TRYING to organize your kitchen hoardingness by going through your tools and giving away what you don’t use. I can’t bring myself to do that (yet)! Thanks Denay!
i live for kitchen gadgets! Seriously I ask for them for my birthday & Christmas all the time. I can’t live without my ninja complete kitchen system & my crock pot!! I recently got a juicer & am excited to start using it more! Kitchen gadgets are worth the splurge for people who love to cook!!
Kerri, SAME! Glad I’m not the only one (seriously my family members look at me like I’m cray cray when I ask for kitchen tools for gifts). But hey, I can never get enough! Have you done anything with the leftover pulp from your juicer? I’ve seen a few creative recipes with that nutrient-dense goodness!