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1. First things first: A practical yet chic crossback apron (with pockets!) to protect your clothing from the inevitable flour clouds and sauce splatters you'll encounter during your cooking endeavors. It's so cute that you'll *almost* want to wear another apron over this one, but you can just toss it into the washing machine when it's time to clean.
2. A Breville Joule so you can sous vide your way to perfection (yes, really!) — and it's so much easier to use than its fancy name implies. Just place your food in a plastic zip-up bag, submerge in a pot of water with the Joule attached, and let the Joule heat the water to the exact temperature that'll give you the level of rareness/doneness you're looking for. Take that, Gordon Ramsay.
3. An essential chef's knife that's way more affordable than its 9,000+ 5-star ratings would have you believe. You'll be amazed by how effortlessly you can slice through a tomato, which, let's face it, would've taken fifteen minutes and an entire box of bandages to chop up with your old, dull knife. Ask any chef which item they would be lost in their kitchen without, and nine times out of 10 they'll say it's their trusty blade.
4. And, a handy little knife sharpener to keep your new favorite kitchen tool impeccably pointy. I use this for my knives, and whenever I hear the "zing!" of the blade going through, I feel *so* legit. Using a dull knife can actually be more dangerous than a really sharp one, since it requires more effort to slice through things, so having one of these on hand is a great way to extend the longevity of your knife and fingers!
5. A foolproof Philips compact pasta maker with accessories, so you can finally master the art of handmade noodles — no hand-cranking required. Cook up some spaghetti and meatballs and enjoy with your S.O. a la Lady and the Tramp — they'll be so impressed that you made them something other than Easy Mac!
6. Our Place's SWOONWORTHY Always Pan, which will quickly become your go-to cooking vessel (and is a certified BuzzFeed FAVE). Not only will its lovely minimalist aesthetic make you eager to get in the kitchen, it'll also save precious storage space: Essentially, it's an all-in-one kitchen tool, since it's designed to braise, sear, steam, strain, saute, fry, boil, serve, and store. Plus, it comes with a wooden spatula and metal steaming basket!
7. A marble mortar and pestle set, because if you're going to take the time to prepare a meal, your cooking deserves freshly ground spices. Plus, it's so satisfying to crush whole peppercorns into powder by hand.
8. Some Brightland olive oils and vinegars that'll have you crying (tears of joy) over your restaurant-quality homecooked meals once you see how much flavor they pack into salad dressings, pasta dishes, and so much more. Plus, those striking bottles will look fantastic in your kitchen.
9. An AeroGarden Harvest so you can grow — and pick! — fresh herbs right on your counter, no soil required. Nothing feels cheffier than sprinkling a flourish of fresh herbs over a dish and saying, "Bon appétit!" am I right?
10. And, a nifty herb leaf remover that separates the leaves from the stem in one fell swoop. That's right, no more picking each leaf off individually, and no more unpleasant stems sneaking their way into your food. I mean, a smattering of fresh herbs will make even your instant ramen feel gourmet.
11. A stainless-steel roasting pan for any large-format meat dishes you might have on your cooking Bingo card this year. It comes with a rack for even air circulation and a lid to seal in those savory juices, and since its sides come up higher than a sheet tray, you won't have to worry about anything overflowing and sticking to your oven.
12. A digital scale that'll give you the most accurate measurements, especially when it comes to ingredients like flour. Scooping flour into a measuring cup can yield wildly different results depending on how tightly it's packed, which is why using a scale can keep your end product from being too dry (the WORST!).
13. A gorgeous tortilla press so you can enjoy homemade tacos and chips made with fresh corn tortillas in the comfort of your own kitchen — just cover with plastic, add your dough, and press down! Every time you use it, you'll be reminded of how rewarding (and not super difficult!) home cooking can be.
14. A heavy duty pizza stone that'll help you achieve pizzeria-worthy pies at home, even if you don't have a fancy oven. Pizza stones absorb excess moisture from the dough, meaning you'll get a crispier, more evenly baked crust than you'd get if you just used a sheet tray.
15. A popular yet affordable instant read thermometer, because when it comes to knowing when something is actually done cooking, temperature is a much more accurate indicator than simply following the timing listed in a recipe (everyone's kitchen equipment is a little different!). Get yourself one of these bad boys and you'll never have to worry about overcooking that pricey steak you splurged on from an *actual* butcher shop ever again.
16. A set of glass prep bowls for your mise en place, which is just a fancy French way of referring to your pre-cooking prep. Portioning out everything ahead of time makes the actual cooking sooo much less stressful, since you can just pop ingredients into the dish when it's time to add them in. Realizing you need to measure out a cup of chopped onions while your garlic is about to burn? Not fun!
17. A stainless-steel spider that's like a cross between a ladle and slotted spoon, but can hold way more than either one. If you watch cooking shows, you've probably seen them being used to scoop up deep-fried foods from piping hot oil, noodles that are finished boiling, and pretty much anything else that should be lifted quickly to keep from overcooking.
18. A bendy fish spatula you'll use for SO much more than seafood. Sure, it's thin and flexible enough to get under a piece of fish without tearing the skin, but you'll also want it for lifting freshly baked cookies from a sheet tray or flipping eggs and pancakes. Look at you being all fancy with your perfectly intact yolks!
19. A personalized leather pot handle cover, because we've all absentmindedly reached for a piping-hot cast iron skillet at some point in our lives. It can withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees, and you can have it customized with either your initial or a heart! ❤️
20. An immersion blender for ethereally smooth soups and sauces — you know, the way they're served in restaurants. What's great about this is that you can do the blending right inside the pot, rather than having to haphazardly transfer hot liquids to a countertop blender, which, eek.
21. A Tovolo silicone spatula that'll get you flexing your folding muscles. You'll reach for it pretty much every time you whip up a batch of pancakes, cookie dough, cake, brownies — you get the picture.
22. A stainless-steel dumpling and empanada press for expertly clean crimps without any intricate handiwork on your part. Spray it with oil, place your dough over top, add filling, fold, and press for the perfect, pro-looking seal.
23. A small but mighty bench scraper, which will basically become an extension of your arm in the kitchen. When I was baking professionally, my bench scraper was what I reached for most often, after my scale. Whether you're scraping up dough that's stuck to the counter, portioning out smaller pieces, or gathering excess flour and residue while cleaning up, a bench scraper will make your life *so* much easier.
24. And, an unassuming bowl scraper that looks like a simple piece of flexible plastic but will help you get your bread dough out from the bottom of your mixing bowl in one go. It's also important to incorporate everything that gets stuck to the sides of your bowl when mixing, and this handheld tool gets the job done quickly.
25. A set of pantry labels to stick onto your dry ingredient canisters, because the last thing you want to do is mistake salt for sugar (rookie move!). Walk into any professional kitchen and you'll see that every ingredient is clearly labeled to ensure there are no mix-ups — though these labels are way prettier than the blue masking tape chefs typically use.
26. An offset spatula, because if you've ever wondered how the pros get their cakes frosted so smoothly or their batters leveled so evenly, it's more than likely because of this unassuming tool. Because the blade is on a different plane than the handle, your hand won't get in the way of spreading, meaning you'll end up with a nice flat surface.
27. And last but not least, a handheld grater to replace that bulky box grater when it comes to zesting citrus and getting the finest flakes of parm to sprinkle over your pasta. Box graters are "grate" for things like shredding potatoes, but a handheld grater gives you much more control when it comes to avoiding citrus pith (the bitter white stuff), and gets the job done a lot quicker. Restaurant chefs try to make every second count, which is likely why they prefer these over the four-sided ones.
Don't worry, he's talking about your culinary talent!
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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