10 Kitchen Tools That Changed the Way This Chef Cooks
CR's go-to culinary expert shares the cookware and gadgets he can’t live without
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Impressive culinary chops require more than just years of practice and experience—a dependable set of tools is a must. And while knives are traditionally touted as the right arm of a skilled chef, plenty of other items deserve recognition.
To delve deeper into the underbelly of professional cooking essentials, I turned to Paul Hope, CR’s resident chef (a classically trained one at that) who has written extensively on topics such as using and caring for a chef’s knife, the ins and outs of induction ranges, the best grills, and more.
I wondered: For someone who has spent years cooking and accumulating gadgets of all kinds, which of them have earned a permanent spot in his kitchen?
Luckily, I got a peek inside Hope’s personal arsenal of must-have gear. And while these items won’t transform you into a culinary savant overnight, they will make your time in the kitchen easier and more efficient.
Chef's Knife
Global Knives 8" Chef's Knife, (G-2)
When you’re a serious cook, you use your knife for almost everything, Hope says—and a great 8-inch chef’s knife is key. This Global G-2 knife is one he prefers to keep on hand, reserving a food processor for more arduous tasks like chopping a dozen onions.
Looking for an alternate? Hope also loved many of the models we’ve assessed in Best Chef’s Knives.
Hand Grater
Microplane Classic Zester Grater
This versatile tool can carry its weight in the kitchen, and it can be used for far more than just grating parmesan cheese. “Even I’m surprised at how frequently I use my Microplane grater,” Hope says. “I’ll often use it to grate garlic for salad dressing or a dipping sauce, zest citrus peel for a cocktail, or grate chocolate onto the top of a dessert because it looks festive!”
Air Fryer
A trendy countertop appliance that can stand on its own is certainly something we appreciate. Hope—an initial skeptic and admittedly a late adopter—has come to love his air fryer. “There is nothing better for wings, chicken nuggets for my 6-year-old, and freezer fries. I especially love mine for making homemade croutons with old bread.”
While the exact model Hope owns is no longer available, he recommends the Instant Vortex Plus. It’s four quarts bigger than our top-rated air fryer and earns top marks in our ease of cleaning and noise tests.
Dutch Oven
If Hope could only have a single piece of cookware in his kitchen, a Dutch oven would be it. “It braises, boils, makes great popcorn, and even sears in a pinch,” he says. “And as someone who has moved from a house that had a gas stove, then electric, and even induction, it’s a pan that’s great on any range or cooktop.”
This 5.5-quart Le Creuset Signature Dutch oven’s speed of heating is top-notch in our tests. It’s easy to clean and impresses in overall performance. It weighs 12 pounds, less than most, and has an 8-inch cooking diameter. We found that the loop handles are nice and wide, not always a given on Dutch ovens.
Blender
It’s not a blender, it’s a Vitamix, Hope says. “I got mine on sale on Prime Day for $299, and while it’s pricey, it has a great warranty and is built to last for years.”
Aside from earning top marks in our tests for making icy drinks and pureeing soup, this blender rates well in our ice-crush tests. It’s also one of the few models that can churn out hot soup—friction created by the fast-whirling blades can make it in five minutes.
Hope uses his Vitamix to make salad dressing, sauces, and for years, daily smoothies. “It never struggles, and I love that it can be delicate too.”
For more options: Best Blenders for Your Buck
Great Tongs
OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs
I have six pairs of tongs in my kitchen, and that’s how much I love to always have a clean pair at hand, Hope says. Available in a variety of sizes, he uses the short-handled tongs when cooking indoors and the long-handled ones for outdoors on the grill—there, the extra inches go a long way while working over high heat.
Squeeze Bottles
New Star Foodservice 26283 Squeeze Bottles, 8 oz. (pack of 6)
Here’s one way to instantly up your kitchen game. Employ squeeze bottles to dress up your dishes with a colorful sauce or neatly drizzle a finishing touch on top of whatever you’re serving—the containers make it a cinch to do so. “I love these for salad dressings, sauces, flavored oils, you name it,” Hope says. He whips them up in bulk and stores them in the squeeze bottles in the fridge.
Toaster Oven
Hope has had his Breville countertop toaster oven since 2009, and it has moved through five houses, always earning its keep. “In my house, there’s never a night when everyone is having the same meal. This is perfect for heating leftover pizza for one kid, baking a small piece of salmon to put over salad, and I love it for keeping things warm while I finish dinner,” Hope says. And it also comes in handy for the weekend breakfast rush since it can toast three or four bagels at once, he adds.
With a temperature range of 120° F to 450° F, the 1,800-watt Breville Smart Oven BOV800XL does a nice job baking food, reheating leftovers, and turning out a batch of even, medium-brown toast. More praise: it’s easy to operate and clean. Plus, CR members gave the brand high praise for reliability and owner satisfaction in our most recent survey.
Vacuum Sealer
Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer
“I once referred to this as the best Christmas present I’d ever received,” says Hope, who (according to him) has a reputation for refusing to throw food away. This device allows him to seal and store food to his heart’s content while maximizing the chances that it will stay free of freezer burn.
For more options: Best Vacuum Sealers
Meat Thermometer
Being able to discern when meat or poultry is perfectly cooked can take years of experience and even then, not many pros will leave it up to chance. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of the equation, making the process simple and straightforward. “Not only does this keep everyone safe, but it also helps me avoid overcooking food,” Hope says. “I use mine daily.”
This ThermoPro meat thermometer is a standout in our ratings, earning top marks in our accuracy and response time tests, which measure how precise the readings are and how quickly they appear.
