Obsessed foodies everywhere have a kitchen crammed full of the latest fancy kitchen tools. With the newest gadgets and gizmos promising to do everything a whole load better than anything before, it is easy to see how state-of-the-art kitchen gadgets grab our attention.
Of course, it’s important to have a well-stocked kitchen. With a whole host of cooking implements to choose from, you will be able to do almost anything. The biggest problem for budding chefs is to overlook the essentials in favour of the latest tech gadgets. Sometimes the simplest tools in the kitchen can make all the difference between success and failure.
Don’t be overwhelmed. Here, in conjunction with Conrad we have put together a list of 20 essential kitchen chef tools most professional chefs could not work without, plus 20 favourites for going the extra mile. If you really want the tools of the trade to make some of the best food in the world, here you have it. You never know.
Essential tools for the aspiring chef
Here are our 20 essentials to make cooking up a storm relatively easy.
1. Knives
– All chefs have good knives at the top of their essential kitchen-tool list.
You will need at least 3:
Chef’s knife – it needs to be sharp and feel good in your hand. It’s worth spending a bit of money on it.
Paring knife – is essential for peeling, coring and slicing smaller foods.
Serrated knife – essential for slicing bread and cakes. Pick one that is large enough to slice a loaf.
2. A whisk
– An essential tool for batters, sauces Aioli, mayonnaise and many desserts.
3. A micro plane grater
– A must-have for grating citrus, spices, ginger, garlic and Parmesan
4. A set of chopping boards
– If it’s a wooden chopping board you are after, then bamboo is a sturdy and cost-effective choice. Then there is the hacc Index colour-coded chopping board set is very cheffy, and great for food hygiene.
5. A silicone spatula
– For scraping the last drops of sauce out of a pan, getting smoothies out of the mixer, sautéing onions or tempering chocolate.
6. Tongs
– You will not regret buying these. From tossing salads to turning meat for a perfect sear, these are in the top 10 of essentials.
7. A cast-iron skillet
– Keep it seasoned with oil and it will last a lifetime. Gets a great sear on vegetables, fish and meat.
8. Glass mixing bowls
– 3 will do (small, medium and large).
9. Measuring spoons and cups
– Even if you’re a throw-it-all in kind of chef, some recipes will require measuring precision.
10. Kitchen scissors
– A must-have for opening bags to snipping herbs.
11. An any sharp knife sharpener
– working with a sharp knife means you put let pressure on the cut and let chance of a severe cut.
12. Meat thermometer
– To make sure your joints and roots are cooked perfectly or to check a simple steak temperature.
13. A cake tester
– A simple tool to check your bake is suitably baked.
14. A decent blender
– From protein smoothies to vegetable purees, the high-powered blender does it all. Vitamix is the Ferrari of blenders, but a basic one will do.
15. A lemon squeezer
– We know Jamie Oliver flexes his muscles and goes gadget free with lemon squeezing, but if you haven’t got the strength, then you’ll need one of these.
16. A long-handled wooden spoon
– For stirring jams or anything else that spits.
17. A Kuhn Rikon peeler
– For the obvious. It’s a chef’s favourite.
18. A mortar and pestle
– Essential for grinding spices and making pastes.
19. A rolling pin
– Essential for even distribution of dough and other flat foods
A kitchen wants for the serious chef.
If you have the space, and you are serious about getting to the MasterChef finals, here are some kitchen gadgets that will help refine your culinary delights.
20. A salad spinner
– Buying whole leaf lettuce is cheaper, and it tends to be crisper and fresher.
21. An avocado scoop
– A very neat piece of kit if you are an avocado fan.
22. A mouli
– What can we say except it makes perfect mash.
23. Mandoline
– Watch your fingers, but so cool for precise, fine slicing.
24. Silpat baking sheets
– Thin, flexible mats that can be used instead of parchment paper.
25. A bamboo steamer
– Cooks fish and vegetables to perfection.
26. A digital scale
– For uber-precise measuring.
27. A dehydrator
– No longer just a kitchen fad but also great for drying fruits for cocktails.
28. A champagne stopper
– Just in case you don’t finish the bottle. Unlikely we know, but just in case, you will get a cheeky glass the next day.
29. Smoker
– There is a whole range of gizmos for the art of smoking meats, fish and veg. From simple stovetop designs and smoking guns to full-on outdoor BBQ style cookers, this kitchen tool lends a touch of the serious to the home chef.
30. Kitchen Aid
– We almost put this in the essentials list. It provokes kitchen envy. Everything gets cobbled together in her KitchenAid.
31.Oyster knife
– For shucking the oysters of course.
32.Melon baller
– Not just for melons, great for making garnishes look fabulous.
33. A slow cooker
– A staple for savvy home chefs.
34. Pressure cooker
– For those unctuous foods such as braised duck, oxtail and pork belly. Quicker than a slow cooker, the pressure cooker is a great way to achieve slow-cooked dishes you may not otherwise have the patience for.
35. Le Creuset casserole
– Another one that almost made the essentials list. So versatile – can be used on the stovetop and then transferred to the oven.
36. Immersion blender
– Once you’ve tried one of these, you won’t want to give it up. Puree soups in the pot & emulsify sauces in the pan.
37. A chinois Mousseline
– It’s a fine mesh sieve for straining stock. It’s also the trick to producing velvety, restaurant quality soups.
38. Nespresso Machine
– Who doesn’t need access to a decent cup of coffee?
39. Chefs tweezers
– a new tool of the modern chef for plating at a high level.
40. Garlic Press
– You’ll never have to peel garlic again.