“This [bacterial growth] can happen when storage containers have hard-to-get-to spots, such as crevices in lids and narrow lips around the edges of containers,” says Reeder. Harder-to-reach crevices and corners may be harder to clean, leaving those areas vulnerable for bacteria to proliferate. Additionally, the material of the food storage containers can predispose not-so-good microorganisms to lurk.

“Plastic is a porous material, meaning that it actually has super tiny holes in it, which allow particles to pass through and be absorbed,” Reeder adds. These small, narrow places can make it difficult to clean, cooking up the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Since glass is nonporous, bacteria will have a harder time sticking around.

We tapped an RD for their input and what to look for in a bacteria-resistant food storage container. Here are six containers that prevent bacteria from playing Dance Dance Revolution with your food.

Bayco, Glass Food Storage Containers (24 Pieces) — $38.00

Snacks, soups, fruit, or larger meals—these Bayco Glass Food Storage Containers hold it all. This 24-piece set comes with four rectangular containers, four square containers, and four round containers of varying sizes, all of which are easy to clean thanks to the glass material. “I like that the seals in the lids come out, so you can easily clean what would be a tricky place to get otherwise,” says Reeder.

Material: glass

Safe with: dishwasher, oven, microwave, freezer

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Pyrex, Glass Food Storage (6 Pieces) — $18.00

This six-piece glass food storage set will give you piece of mind during a busy week. Reeder recommends these containers because the lids don’t have any tiny or small areas that are difficult to clean, so you don’t have to worry about bacteria playing hide-and-seek whenever you’re hitting the sink. Featuring a two-cup, four-cup, and seven-cup containers, the set is ideal for meal prepping or stowing away leftovers so all of your yummy bites don’t go to waste.

Material: glass

Safe with: dishwasher, microwave, freezer

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Caraway, Glass Food Storage Set (14 Pieces) — $245.00

Take meal prep to the next level with Caraway’s Glass Food Storage Set. Not only do these containers store and keep food fresh, they’re extremely easy to clean. Coated with ceramic, these containers will ensure that food slides right off. Included are one large container, two medium containers, two small containers, straps, and dash inserts, so you’ll have enough containers to meal prep or store leftovers. It also helps that the containers are free of BPA and PFAS, and they have a bento-like style (cool kid lunch, incoming).

Material: glass

Safe with: dishwasher, oven, microwave, freezer (lids and inserts are not microwave safe, according to the brand)

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Pyrex, Rectangular Storage Containers (8 Pieces) — $35.00

It’s no secret that Pyrex makes some of the most durable, easy-to-clean containers, and this set is no exception to those standards. Made of nonporous glass, these rectangular storage containers aren’t going to stow away bacteria, and the lids are extremely easy to clean. We love that this set of four doesn’t absorb any odors (leftover pasta stains, no more). What’s more, this set is dishwasher-, preheated oven-, microwave, and fridge-safe.

Material: glass

Safe with: dishwasher, preheated oven, microwave, freezer, fridge

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Pyrex, Ribbed Bowl Set (8 Pieces) — $36.00

For larger meals or leftovers from a party, Pyrex’s Ribbed Bowl set sure comes in handy. Made of nonporous glass, these containers won’t absorb odors or trap bacteria. What also makes them great for storing leftovers are the easy-to-scrub lids. They don’t trap pesky microorganism, so you don’t have to worry about bacteria partying with your food. Best of all, all of the containers are oven-, microwave-, and top rack-dishwasher safe.

Material: glass

Safe with: dishwasher (top rack only), oven, microwave

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DuraHome, Food Storage Containers (44 Pieces) — $23.00

If you’re not ready to commit to glass containers (which can be pricey), Reeder recommends this 44-piece set. “They are plastic; however, I love that they’re dishwasher safe and overall relatively easy to clean,” says Reeder. What’s inside? You’ll get 16 sets of eight-ounce containers, 16 sets of 16-ounce containers, 12 sets of 32-ounce containers, and lids that are interchangeable, so you can pack up soups, salads, condiments, fruit, snacks, meals, and more. This is especially great if you need plastic containers (or something more affordable) to give guests leftovers and not worry about getting them back.

Material: plastic

Safe with: microwave, freezer, dishwasher

 

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That was the case two years ago when All-Clad’s Mother of All Pans, one of All-Clad’s most iconic, best-selling pans sold out like hotcakes in a mere 24 hours. Let’s just say that it wasn’t restocked quickly enough. If you missed your chance to play Iron Chef, now’s not the time to play games because the Mother of All Pans (now $150) is finally back in stock. Even better? It’s a whopping 52 percent off!

All-Clad, Stainless, 3-Ply Mother of All Pans With Lid — $150.00

Originally $310, now $150

This three-layered stainless steel pan does it all: It sautés and sears protein, veggies, and more, so that you can cook delicious meals for yourself or your family.

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As the name implies, this versatile pan can do all of the things. It boils veggies, beautifully sears meats, and seamlessly prepares one-pan meals big enough for larger families, since it holds up to six quarts of food and liquids. What makes this pan so beloved, though, is all in its stainless-steel construction. Made of 18/10 stainless steel, this pan gorgeously cooks dishes, evenly distributing flames to cook whatever you’re whipping up in the kitchen. It’s also tri-ply—which means that it has three layers of stainless steel—making it easier to cook food quickly and retain heat longer. It’s basically a three-layered stainless steel sandwich.

For faster cooking or to boil pasta, simply cover the pan with the included lid. You can also take your delicious confections to the oven and broiler; the pan is also oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to being chef-approved, All-Clad pans get all of the rave from customers. “I was skeptical at first, but this pan truly is the mother of all pans,” said one dubious All-Clad shopper. “Cooking for a large family, I have always struggled to find the perfect size pan. This fits the mark. It also cooks more evenly, and I don’t have to worry about the coating eventually wearing off. After one use, I now use it daily for everything. Bonus, it holds enough sauce and gravy for a very hungry crowd.”

Trust us and customers when we say that this pan knows how to feed. Buy it now for $160 off, so you or your guests don’t go hungry.

I’ve tried several methods to get the garlicky smell out of my hands. I tried rubbing my hands with lemons, but it was no match for the bulb’s odor. I even used coffee grounds, and still to no avail. As a last resort, I used a mixture made of salt and baking soda, and though it worked to dispel the odor, the ingredients were abrasive and I couldn’t imagine routinely using the technique as someone who frequently uses garlic in their cooking.

Among the methods I’ve tried, nothing has been more conveniently effective than the Acmo Rub-A-Way Bar ($8), a slab of stainless steel with a shape reminiscent of a bar soap, which is marketed towards absorbing garlic odor.

Why the Acmo Rub-A-Way Bar?

Acmo, Rub-A-Way Bar — $10.00

A popular garlic-absorbing bar soap with a 4.5-star overall rating after more than 18,000 reviews on Amazon.

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Steel “bar soaps” are a dime a dozen, but I was curious about Acmo’s version. If not for the saloon-like slab serif font etched onto its surface (I’m a sucker for utilitarian products that look cute), then for its 4.5-star overall rating on Amazon after more than 18,000 shoppers chimed in. “It is like magic! No more onion or garlic smell on my hands when cooking,” raved one Amazon reviewer, with many others agreeing.

Until I tried it for myself, I was admittedly skeptical. Sure, it looked like bar soap, but it wouldn’t produce the sudsy lather that I commonly associate with getting squeaky-clean, so how could it be any more effective, if at all, than regular soap? Not to mention, the scientific evidence surrounding steel’s ability to whisk away garlic odor is slim at best.

However, according to Mark Lorch, PhD, a chemist and professor at the University of Hull, in an article for BBC Science Focus Magazine, there’s reason to believe that stainless steel could potentially get the smell of garlic out of one’s hands. He wrote that steel contains chromium, which creates an oxide layer that protects the material from rusting, and the oxide layer may act as a magnet for allicin, the sulfurous chemical responsible for garlic’s fragrant aroma, transferring the scent from your hands to the steel.

My review of the Acmo Rub-A-Way Bar

With nothing to lose (except, perhaps, $10, exclusive of the Amazon shipping fee), I purchased the Acmo garlic-absorbing bar and put it through the test over the course of several months. I’ve since peeled, sliced, minced, grated, and crushed garlic for recipes that called for anything from several cloves to whole heads of the allium—and suffice it to say that Acmo’s stainless steel bar has not disappointed.

1. It’s easy to use

Using the Acmo Rub-A-Way Bar is straightforward: You use it as you would regular bar soap, rubbing the bar between your hands. It’s not indicated how long you should use it for, but I typically use it for 30 seconds at a time. The manufacturer also mentions that you have the option to use the Acmo Bar with or without water, but I prefer to run my hands under running water, which makes the bar easier to maneuver in my hands while helping get rid of the sticky residue when handling raw garlic.

2. It’s convenient

Acmo’s Rub-A-Way Bar isn’t just designed for absorbing garlic odors—it can also help absorb the lingering smell of other sulfur-containing foods, like onions and seafood, such as fish and shrimp, which I’ve found works to great effect. This makes the bar convenient to have in the kitchen, particularly among those who often use their hands when cooking. Plus, the bar tucks away nicely for storage (I keep mine next to my kitchen sink), and you can also throw it in the dishwasher to clean it between uses.

3. It works

After placing the Acmo Rub-A-Way Bar through the wringer, I’m happy to report that it lives up to its claims. I noticed that it lifts the smell of garlic from my hands, and though it won’t get rid of the aroma entirely (it can’t get under your fingernails), this bar works better than any other method I’ve tried in the past. It will set your back $10, but you can use it for years to come. Plus, the fact that it’s easy and convenient to use makes it worthy of a place in my kitchen.

Suffice to say, I’m an old school “essentials only” kinda gal. I believe in nice cookware, which is why I invested in Caraway’s famous nonstick cookware set a while back. (And yes, it really is as good as the internet says.) But besides a high-quality set of pots and pans and a few nice baking dishes, I don’t have many food-adjacent accessories. This includes a formal steamer. Until recently, I’ve always just MacGyver’d my own steamer of sorts using a large sauté pan and a pasta colander, which worked well enough on nights when I needed to eat my greens. And then I got my hands on Caraway’s new Steamer Duo ($120), and my whole world changed.

Caraway, Steamer Duo — $120.00

The Steamer Duo Includes a large and small steamer that are made to fit inside the brand’s Dutch Oven and Sauce Pan, respectively.

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Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but my cooking world totally changed, as these nifty steamers shed light on what I’ve been missing all these years: perfectly cooked broccoli, warm, never-mushy dumplings, even fresh, juicy shrimp. Yum.

True to Caraway’s neat-and-tidy design ethos, the steamers are crafted to fit snug within the brand’s existing pots (which are sold separately, BTW): the Dutch Oven ($135) and the Sauce Pan ($115). This makes storage a breeze, since you can just plop them inside each pot, freeing up space in your cabinets to store other cooking gizmos and gadgets. When you’re ready to steam, you just fill up the pot with some water (about 1-2 inches will do), insert the matching steamer, fill said steamer with whatever it is you’re cooking, and put the pot’s lid on. Easy, breezy, beautiful… Covergirl steamed broccoli.

Speaking of steamed broccoli, I decided to put these steamy steamers to the test on just that. Because yes, they were pretty, and yes, they were nifty, but how did they actually hold up in the kitchen?

Actually testing the new Caraway Steamer Duo

To test, I pulled out my Caraway Dutch oven, filled it with a bit of water, and turned on the stove. Next, I nested my steamer into my Dutch oven to confirm that it really does fit perfectly—when inserted, it acts almost like an extension of the pan itself. Then, I cut up some fresh broccoli, threw it in, and topped it off with the lid. Six minutes later, I had perfectly cooked broccoli that was just the right color, texture, and taste. (With a little lemon and salt, of course.)

I immediately noticed how easy it was to transport the steamer out of the pot, thanks to the stainless steel handles on either side of the body. When I was done, I pulled out the entire basket, dumping the broccoli out onto a serving dish before tossing it into the sink. The stainless steel handles are sturdy and don’t transfer heat, so no you don’t have to worry about burning yourself if you pick it up without using a dishtowel or oven mitt.

And even though broccoli isn’t the most messy of dishes to make, I appreciated how easy the steamers were to clean afterwards. A simple rinse with soap and water did the trick. The stainless steel body is coated in the brand’s signature non-toxic ceramic coating, which makes doing dishes super simple. It’s just as non-sticky as the matching pots and pans, so you never have to worry about food getting crusted on or stuck behind. The coating is entirely non-toxic, too, so you can won’t have to worry about toxins or chemicals leaching into your food while you steam.

Arguably one of the best parts about these “gadgets” is the fact that they’re multifaceted. Got fresh produce you need to wash? Drain it in here. Straining pasta or rice? It doubles as a colander. One gadget, so many different ways to use it.

Whether you’re like me and are on the fence about loading up on trendy cooking accessories, or are the first to jump on the first fad you see on foodie TikTok, these steamers deserve a place in your kitchen. The only downside is they’re technically only compatible with Caraway’s cookware (which also deserves a place in your kitchen, if you can swing it.) But if you’ve already got the brand’s Dutch Oven or Sauce Pan (or are comfortable with the steamers not fitting *perfectly* in your other pots and pans…) get the Steamer Duo here or shop each individually below.

Caraway, Large Steamer — $65.00

Compatible with the Caraway Dutch Oven.

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Caraway, Small Steamer — $55.00

Compatible with the Caraway Sauce Pan.

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Let’s start with single-use plastic—the worst offender of all. “It’s just what it sounds like: Something made from plastic that’s designed and intended to be used just once, often for just seconds or minutes,” says Eve Fox, the digital director at Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project with the mission of ending plastic pollution. While your mind may instantly go to products like plastic straws and cutlery, in reality, it sneaks its way into every nook and cranny of your kitchen. “The plastics industry continually looks for ways to create new products where none are needed in order to deal with a glut of cheap plastics,” Fox says. “No one ‘needs’ a potato wrapped in plastic.”

Plastic isn’t the only disposable to be aware of. There’s also products like paper towels and Swiffer pads. All of which have one thing in common: Once they serve their purpose, their next destination is the trash. “Single-use plastics and other disposables are a big problem in our kitchens and our homes because these items are not recyclable and come with a large greenhouse gas footprint,” Fox says. Those that reach a landfill can sit for hundreds of years, releasing methane gas into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. They also end up in incinerators, where they create air pollution, or littered in our environment.

As single-use plastic products slowly break down over the course of hundreds of years, they’re split into smaller and smaller pieces. “These smaller pieces, called microplastics, eventually enter our soil and our water supply,” Fox says. “Or they end up being burned in an incinerator or littered somewhere in our environment where they pollute our waterways, woods, streams, and parks and endanger wildlife.”

The good news? Avoiding disposable products in your kitchen is becoming easier than ever thanks to environmentally sustainable alternatives; reusable and refillable packaging is on the rise, with one report projecting that the global market will hit $42 billion this year, an increase from $35.1 billion in 2017. Making some small changes in your own routine can add up to a big impact on the planet over time, starting with these seven cooking and cleaning swaps.

7 environmentally sustainable kitchen swaps

1. Swap paper towels and sponges for Swedish dishcloths

Between their massive water footprint (20,000 gallons for a single paper towel) and contribution to deforestation, swapping paper towels for a more planet-friendly option can greatly benefit the environment. Especially considering Americans spend billions of dollars on paper towels every year, and the majority are thrown in the trash.

If you’ve yet to hop on the Swedish dishcloth bandwagon, you’re in for a treat. They’re biodegradable and long-lasting, with a single dishcloth replacing 17 rolls of paper towels. “They’re very absorbent, completely washable, and come in a range of cute, fun patterns,” Fox says. When it’s dirty, toss it in your dishwasher or washing machine and it will look brand-new again.

Brightly Reusable Swedish Dishcloths (3 Pack) — $15.00

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2. Swap plastic dish brushes for a bamboo brush

Once your plastic dish brush runs out of scrubbing power, it’s tossed in the trash. Opt for a greener option to keep things squeaky clean—like a biodegradable bamboo dish brush with natural, non-plastic bristles. Even better if you invest in an environmentally sustainable option with a reusable handle, like this pick from Sqwishful that only needs the head replaced.

3. Swap plastic bags for reusable silicone bags

Ziplocs tend to be a hard kitchen item to give up: It’s so easy to toss your lunches or leftovers into those convenient bags. But silicone versions are just as easy to use—minus all the waste. Stasher bags are made of platinum silicone, which doesn’t degrade over time. Because you can use a single baggie thousands of times, you’re keeping the equivalent amount of plastic options out of landfills and oceans.

4. Swap plastic cleaning products for refillable or waterless options

When you’re at the store, there’s aisle upon aisle of plastic cleaning bottles. Even some of the best natural brands are packaged in plastic. Fox says she recommends opting for options from companies that focus on reducing packaging and plastic. Meliora Cleaning Products and Blueland have cleaning tablets that can be added to a reusable spray bottle—let it dissolve, give it a shake, and use as normal. Then there’s Cleancult, which sells recyclable, paper-based refills of dish soap and, beyond that, can be poured into refillable bottles, keeping plastic out of the picture.

You might even have a store nearby that allows you to refill your cleaning supplies in person. Look for a natural grocer or zero-waste store in your area, where you can stock up on all your essentials. Better yet, the options you’ll find tend to be made with planet-based, environmentally sustainable ingredients, checking off all your boxes.

5. Swap plastic wrap for beeswax wraps or reusable covers

Plastic wrap has been around since… well, basically forever. Now, nearly 74 years since it became a kitchen staple, two sustainable swaps are becoming mainstays: beeswax wraps and reusable fabric bowl covers. “I know many people are very wedded to their plastic wrap, but it’s time to let it go,” Fox says.

With these environmentally sustainable alternatives, it won’t feel like a sacrifice. Beeswax wrap is made from organic cotton and beeswax, and it’s easy to use. You simply run it under warm water to make the wax pliable, then secure it around your bowl or plate. It can be washed and reused for up to a year then composted at the end of its life. (When looking for beeswax wraps, just ensure the beeswax is sourced from sustainably managed hives.) If you’d rather opt for reusable fabric covers, many feature fuss-free adjustable cords that allow you to cover your leftovers in record time. They’re also machine-washable. Treat them well and they could last a lifetime.

Brightly Reusable Bowl Covers (Set of 3) — $25.00

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6. Swap Swiffer pads for reusable towels

Ready to get a little creative? Products like Swiffer pads make it really easy to clean up your kitchen, but they get so dirty that it’s recommended to replace pads after every use. Instead of stocking up on disposable pads, get a reusable pad. Either make your own using an old towel or t-shirt, or purchase a reusable option. Either way, once dirty, you can run it through your washing machine and use it over and over again.

7. Swap parchment paper and aluminum foil for reusable baking sheets

Parchment paper is essential for everything from roasting veggies to making your favorite batch of gluten-free cookies… or is it? In 2020 alone, nearly two million Americans used 10 or more containers of parchment paper each. Because most parchment paper gets its non-stick quality from a silicone coating, it’s not recyclable. Instead of going the single-use route and contributing to landfill waste, opt for a reusable baking sheet that’s non-stick, easy to clean, and built to last.

Crockpot, Electric Lunch Box — $38.00

Originally $40, now $38

Colors: 6

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Equipped with a warming base and a 20-ounce container, the Crockpot mini will keep your food nice and toasty all day long, be it filled with stews, soups, pasta, or casseroles. It comes with a cord—which has integrated storage at the bottom of the device—that you can plug into any outlet, allowing you to heat up your food no matter where you are. Also nice, it’s crafted with an airtight lid and overhead handle, which means that your days of food spilling are officially dunzo.

@ashlovescondiments Miss Betty done sold out!! #ashlovescondiments #fyp #foryou #eatingshow #mukbangeatingshow #fypシ ♬ original sound – Ash

Seriously, it really doesn’t spill, meaning you don’t have to eat it in the break room and can savor warm meals on-the-go. In a video created by TikTok user @Ashlovescondiments, the creator is seen drinking soup from her Crockpot mini in the car, its small shape and portable design sitting atop her lap as she enjoys hot, hardy soup. So the days when you want to avoid long lines at the microwave and smalltalk in the cafeteria, so you can just grab your little Crockpot and go.

@Ashlovescondiments is only one of the thousands of customers who are saving major microwave time with this handy heated lunch pail—scroll through Amazon and find nearly 13,200 5-star ratings and 2,080 5-star reviews from happy, satiated shoppers.

One Amazon shopper says that the Crockpot mini is, “so simple to use and clean! I hate usin’ the office microwave. I mean I love my coworkers, but I really don’t love sharing their splattered lunches and who-knows-what in that microwave that rarely gets cleaned. This little gem solves the problem and lets me start from frozen as well.”

Another Amazon customer says it was the best thing they ever purchased: “So after years of microwaving soup in a plastic container, I decided I’d rather cut down on all that lovely microplastic I put in my body. I found this little guy to replace that method. [It] comes with this seamless stainless steel heating bowl that’s removable… It heats it up perfectly. I unplug it, wrap the cord around the base and carry the whole thing by its handle to my desk and eat right out of it. I use it every day. Oh yeah, the base doesn’t get too hot on the outside either.”

The mini Crockpot heats, thaws, and keeps food warm all day with just a plug. If you ask us, this on-the-go lunchbox will last years to come and is so worth the hype (it’s sold out in three colors, btw). They’re bound to sell out again, so don’t miss your chance for quick, easy, and microwave-free lunches lunches all year long.

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Indeed, if you’re following along with Well+Good’s 2023 ReNew Year program, you already know that according to Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, owner of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition and author of Eating from Our Roots (which comes out January 24), one way to encourage yourself to make more home-cooked meals in the new year is by getting your kitchen ready with the appropriate tools you need to cook up a storm.

To that end, we spoke with David Lee, the co-founder and executive chef of PLANTA, an innovative plant-based restaurant located in Toronto, South Florida, New York City, and Bethesda, to learn which chef-approved cookware pieces are a must in his kitchen for making restaurant-worthy meals at home.

3 essential chef-approved cookware pieces every kitchen needs

D3 Stainless Steel All-Clad 3-Quart Saucepan — $120.00

Right off the bat, Lee says a high-quality saucepan is a must in any kitchen. His go-to is the D3 Stainless Steel All-Clad 3-Quart Saucepan.

“This saucepan is perfect for making vegetable hotpots and miso soups with ramen noodles in them,” Lee says. All-Clad’s D3 saucepan has a classic tri-ply construction, made with a responsive aluminum core bonded together with two layers of durable stainless steel all the way around for maximum durability and fast, even heat distribution. It’s also ideal for cooking with liquids because of its high, straight sides that assist with stirring a smaller surface area to hold heat well and limit evaporation as much as possible.

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All-Clad D3 Stainless Cookware Set

All-Clad D3 Stainless Cookware Set — $700.00

Since chef Lee highly recommends the D3 Stainless Steel All-Clad 3-Quart Saucepan, we couldn’t help but scope out the All-Clad D3 Stainless Cookware Set, which includes his beloved saucepan plus nine other high-quality stainless steel cookware pots and pans. Swoon. 

This stacked set features eight- and 10-inch fry pans, two- and three-quart saucepans with lids, a three-quart saute pan with a lid, and an eight-quart stockpot with a lid. And all of these items are made with ultra-durable stainless steel that’s compatible with all cooktops, including induction, plus they’re oven and broiler-safe up to 600°F. They’ll definitely be turning out delicious dishes for years to come.

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Lodge 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet — $20.00

If you take a look in your parent’s kitchen cabinets, you’ll likely come across a decades-old cast iron skillet that has been cooking for longer than you have. That’s because this ultra-durable staple cookware piece can do it all: sear, sauté, bake, broil, braise, fry, and grill. The benefit of cooking with cast iron is that it can get super hot and has unparalleled heat retention, plus cast iron can easily go from stovetop to oven.

Chef Lee says a Lodge 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet is the perfect addition to any cookware collection. It’s not too big (though it also comes in larger sizes, like 15-inches), not too small, and it’s ideal for cooking for a party of one, two, or more. Plus, the pan comes pre-seasoned, meaning it’s been treated with a thin layer of vegetable oil to ensure the cast iron surface is as non-stick as possible.

The best part? This pan is highly affordable (under 20 bucks) and it’s a piece that will likely stick around forever—meaning you’ll definitely get your money’s worth from this handy cookware essential.

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Hans Grill Pizza Stone — $38.00

A slightly curveball cookware item chef Lee swears by is a pizza stone, which he says is one of the best ways to achieve pizzeria-worthy crusts at home. “You don’t realize how much you need a pizza stone until you use one,” Lee says. One of our favorites is the Hans Grill Pizza Stone, which is 15- by 12-inches and perfect for crisping up pies, pastries, bread, or even calzones (and, of course, pizzas). It has nearly 12,000 reviews and four and a half stars on Amazon.

So, why are pizza stones so useful? Well, they’re one of the best ways to avoid ever cooking soggy crust again. They both absorb moisture from the dough during the cooking process and help evenly crisp up the bread in the oven. As a result, you’ll have a pizza with a super crunchy crust and a layer of perfectly ooey-gooey melted cheese on top. Sold.

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An RD explains how to eat pasta every day, and we’re all ears:

Promising better-for-you cookware, Caraway goods tout a ceramic non-stick coating that’s free from teflon, lead, or any other nasties you don’t want getting in your food, welded in a cool, modern design that’ll actually get you excited about making meals. Its best-selling Cookware Set ($395) (two fry pans, a Dutch oven, and sauce pan) launched Caraway into internet fame, and has since expanded to bakeware, food storage, linens, and most recently, a Whistling Tea Kettle ($195) that instantly elevates any stovetop.

But there a lot of new, direct-to-consumer (DTC) kitchen brands out there claiming to be chef-worthy. To see if the famous pots and pans were up to snuff, I used the Caraway Cookware Set for all of my meal prep over the past two months—read on for my honest thoughts.

The Cookware Set — $395.00

Originally $545, now $395

The ideal starter kit (or holiday gift, hint hint) for any home cook, the Caraway Cookware Set includes a 10.5” frying pan, a 3-qt saucepan, a 4.5-qt sauté pan, and a 6.5-qt Dutch oven—all generously sized to accommodate cooking for one and small groups alike. The pots and pans are crafted with an aluminum core that’s treated with Caraway’s signature ceramic non-stick coating, and stainless steel handles. Plus, the pots and pans are stovetop agnostic—meaning you can use them on gas, induction, and electric stoves—and are oven-safe for up to 550 degrees. And it’s 20 percent off for the holiday season if you buy before December 31.

 

 

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The Caraway cookware set: An honest review

Looks + first impressions

Let’s get the obvious out of the way—these pots are really pretty. Caraway cookware really is just as gorgeous in person as it looks on your social media feeds. Even the packaging the set was shipped in looked chic and carefully considered. Every pot and pan was securely tucked away in a cardboard slot and arrived in pristine condition. And there was zero plastic involved, so disposal was as easy as breaking down the cardboard and chucking into my recycling bin.

And then, there’s the colors. Caraway cookware is beloved for its variety of fashionable color options that double as decor—its warm “perracotta” and mustard hues as consistent best-sellers. I opted for the brand’s original gray color, which may sound old-fashioned, but trust that there’s nothing ordinary about this classy shade. The creamy greige was a stylish upgrade from my old pots and pans and instantly modernized the look of my dated kitchen.

Thanks to the matching lid organizer and magnetic pot holders, it’s a dream for small spaces. My cabinets were a bit short to hang the canvas holder as intended, but I was not about to lose out on organization, so I used a command strip to make it fit instead. Now my days of tirelessly searching for missing pot lids are over, and I couldn’t be happier. 

It’s *actually* non-stick

After using my Caraway Cookware Set non-stop for a solid 2 months, I can confidently say that the ceramic coating lives up to its non-stick claims. My husband says making eggs in the fry pan is, “an absolute dream,” and he’s totally right. We’ve made pasta sauces from scratch, veggie stir-fry, grilled chicken, and more in the sauté pan, and the slippy, non-stick surface ensures that all of the flavors end up in your dish where they belong, not stuck to the bottom of the pan. The sauce pan is my go-to for cooking up big batches of rice, and I haven’t had to pry away a layer of crispy rice from the surface of the pot yet, which is a pretty big deal.

It’s been two months and the coating is still holding up strong. The best way to preserve the cookware’s non-stick coating, according to Caraway shoppers, is to avoid blasting the pan with high heat, and instead, build the heat up slowly—and the tip has served me well so far. And never, ever use metal utensils while cooking, of course.

It evenly distributes heat for optimal cooking

Unlike the warped, uneven bottoms of my old pots and pans, the thick, weight-y build of Caraway cookware holds and distributes heat evenly, resulting in more efficient and consistent cooking. We can pan-fry gyoza, sear steaks, or grill up salmon filets in less time, never having to rearrange food to reach the pan’s “hot spots.”  Every square inch of the pan feels the heat, which has helped build my confidence in the kitchen—and has saved a few chicken breasts from being prematurely cut up in the pan (my questionable technique for measuring their “doneness.”)

I’ll admit, I haven’t tried using my cookware in the oven just yet, but reviewers say that the Caraway pots and pans do their jobs in there as well. “The pan works great on the range and in the oven,” one Caraway customer assures in a 5-star review. Others swear by it for making one-pan peals, meatloafs, sourdough loaves, and other meals that require an oven-safe dish. Guess that’ll be my next test…

Quick + easy clean-up

Everyone says that Caraway cookware is easy to clean, but I didn’t expect them to be this easy to clean. Thanks to that ceramic non-stick coating, food grime washes clean with minimal effort, and has truly saved me so much time previously spent hunched over the kitchen sink hacking away at crusted food bits with a Brillo pad. To get the pans back to their sparkling clean glory, all I need is a soft sponges, warm water, and some dish soap. Caraway recommends letting your cookware cool completely before cleaning to best preserve the non-stick coating.

While that would normally make the crusted-on food bits even harder to wash away with my old pots and pans, washing these pots and pans is seriously just as easy once the pan is cooled. Over 1,200 Caraway shoppers agree that clean-up has never been more pleasant than with Caraway cookware. “I love that cleaning takes less than a minute with how fast food slides off the pan,” writes one customer in a 5-star review. “These are truly easy clean pans!” another writes. “They do not need to be soaked and can be cleaned and put away so quickly. Truly a game changer!”

Final thoughts

After two months of consistent use, it’s clear that the Caraway Cookware Set is so much more than a good-looking set of pots and pans. They bring out the best in your favorite dishes with their next-level heat conduction and non-stick surface while keeping busy home cooks like myself (for whom delivery is a constant temptation) top of mind. Their simplicity, aesthetic, and  convenient storage accessories make using my kitchen a much more enjoyable experience—so much so that I’ll continue to choose cooking at home with my Caraway pans over ordering in.

So yes, the durable cookware set is totally worth it and I never plan on using anything else. I recommend outfitting your kitchen with the full set (which is currently 20 percent off for the brand’s holiday sale.) You can get each piece individually if you’d like to replace a single pot or pan, but the full set is worth every penny. You’ll never want to cook with anything else.

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Caraway, Mini Fry Pan and Saucer — $180.00

Originally $200, now $180

The more you buy, the more you save: Save 10 percent on orders $85+, 15 percent on orders of $425+, and 20 percent on orders $525.

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Why I love my Caraway Minis Duo

The Caraway Minis Duo is basically just a smaller version of Caraway’s signature fry pan and sauce pot, as if the brand put them in a Shrinky Dinks oven (remember?!) and made them miniature. They’re adorable, and will make you squeal with delight the minute you open them. Kitschiness aside, they’re a lifesaver for tight living quarters where space is limited.

For starters, they’re small and slim enough that they fit anywhere. In my oven? No problem. On the countertops? No biggie. Shoved in between other pots and pans in cramped cabinets? Also works, if that’s what you need to do.

They also bring new meaning to the phrase, “small but mighty.” Just like the full-size Fry Pan ($95), the mini fry pan is covered in a non-stick ceramic coating that’s free of PTFEs, aka polytetrafluoroethylene, a toxic chemical compound that is commonly found in cookware and food storage. Having used Teflon-coated pots and pans for the majority of my life, It’s a breath of fresh air to know this set is free of harmful chemicals.

After testing the Minis Duo for a month, I can say that—in this case—good things really do come in small packages. The mini fry pan heats within a matter of minutes thanks to the aluminum core, which disperses heat quickly and evenly to cook veggies, starches, and protein. Even more, my breakfast goodies (I’ve cooked eggs and french toast on it) slide right off thanks to the ceramic coating, making cooking and cleaning a breeze. Since the pans are slick, you only need to apply a tiny dab of butter or cooking oil.

Then there’s the mini sauce pan. Equipped with a tiny lid (how cute), you can easily boil pasta, rice, or whip up your favorite, single-serving of sauce in a matter of minutes. Similar to the pan, the pot heats quickly, and it’s big enough to cook a box of fun-shaped noodles, from fusilli to penne to shells. One caveat to note is that because the handles are shorter and are made of stainless steel, they get very, very hot, so always oven mitt before grabbing them.

Since having the Caraway Minis in my cooking rotation, I’ve saved space and sliced minutes off of my cooking time. Both pieces are big enough to cook meals for me and my partner yet small enough to fry up food for myself, making it ideal for solo dwellers, people living with a roommate, or folks living in tiny spaces.

If you don’t need the Duo, you can buy each mini pan separately: the Fry Pan retails on its own for $90, while the Mini Sauce Pan retails for $110. But I recommend doubling down and going with the Duo, which is still 10 percent off through November 30. Or, take advantage of Caraway’s biggest sale of the year and stock up for greater savings; Save 15 percent on orders of $425+, and 20 percent on orders $525. Time is ticking, so get to shopping!

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In Japan, however, a donabe—a unique pot made of clay for use over an open flame in Japanese cuisine—carries unique cultural significance. For chef Naoko Takei Moore (aka, “Mrs. Donabe”), a chef, cookbook author, and the owner of Toiro (a kitchen supply store in West Hollywood, CA), it not only functions as a super practical tool for cooking a variety of delicious meals but also as a vessel for making tons of special memories.

What is a donabe?

According to Moore, donabe is a Japanese name for clay pot (do means “clay,” nabe means “pot”) that has a long, rich history, dating possibly as far back as the eighth century. “There is no [official] record, as the history of the clay pot is so old. The ancient clay pot in Japan was made more than 10,000 years ago. Donabe has been used by Japanese people since the time when the only heat source was fire,” Moore says.

This sturdy pot has a thick-walled bowl base with a dome-like lid that sits on top. It’s made of heat-resistant clay meant to cook over a direct heat source like a flame. Though they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, one thing is for sure: They’re absolutely gorgeous to look at and even better for cooking.

Over the years, donabe production has expanded, and you can find various designs on the market. But there’s one brand in particular that Moore swears by. “The kind I use is hand-crafted by Nagatani-en [a historic donabe producer since 1832] in Iga, Japan,” she says. Since 2008, Moore has worked closely with Nagatani-en to bring the donabe Stateside (and to her kitchen supply store) and share the joys of cooking with this tool.

What can you cook in a donabe?

Think of a donabe as a well-designed and practical one-pot cooking wonder that can make a wide variety of dishes. “Donabe is meant for everyday cooking, and you can make a hot pot, soup, stew, etcetera,” Moore says. But out of all the ways to use this handy vessel, what are some of her favorites? “I use different kinds of donabes every day for many different styles of cooking. So, it’s hard to say which is my favorite,” she says. “But, hot pot is one of the most frequented—and also typical—dishes you can make with donabe. I like a simple hot pot of fish, tofu, and vegetables in a dashi broth.”

Moore says the first time she tried rice made in a double-lid donabe rice cooker called a Kamado-san completely blew her away. “It was no doubt the best quality rice I had ever tasted, and didn’t even need any condiments because it was just so delicious as itself,” she says. “It tasted better than any rice cooked with any kind of rice cooking tools I had ever tried.”

Kamado-San Donabe Rice Cooker — $277.00

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For more inspiration on what to make in a donabe, you can check out Moore’s cookbook, Donabe: Classic and Modern Japanese Clay Pot Cooking ($24), dedicated to cooking with this tool. (It’s filled with tons of rice, stews, and hot pot recipes.) Moore recently curated a “donabe essentials” NYT Cooking Kit ($95) featuring her top picks of artisanal ingredients that are versatile, flavorful, and easy to use for hot pot recipes such as konbu and togarashi.

What is the cultural (and personal) significance of a donabe, according to this Japanese chef?

For Moore and many other Japanese cooks, a donabe is much more than just a pot. “It’s like a national cookware for Japanese people. It’s not just what’s cooked in a donabe that’s significant, but donabe also symbolizes Japanese communal dining culture. It’s often meant for tabletop cooking or dining to bring people together,” she says. This is why she takes special consideration when choosing the best ones to use and carry at her store.

“The perfect donabe can be so personal and varied. For me, I always use hand-crafted donabes from Iga, Japan. The more you use it, the more character, or patina, your donabe will grow. It starts to get darker on the bottom, and also on the inside, it will develop thin crackles called kannyu,” she notes. Which are “healthy and welcoming characters” that she describes as “wabi-sabi,” a Japanese term for the beauty of imperfection, that creates a more personal attachment. “With proper care, donabe can last for many decades,” she says.

Ready to get one? Before you do, keep the following tip from Moore in mind: “You can choose your donabe according to your needs or aesthetic preferences, but it’s always good to have at least one classic style—like a casserole-style—donabe.”

Cozy weather is here, which means that soups are definitely on the menu:

It’s the kind of cookware that you’ll want to keep proudly displayed on your stovetop. It’s also a great way to flex your cooking skills on friends and family this holiday season, and elevate the look of your favorite holiday dishes (the taste is totally up to you, sorry!). Now through November 28, you can shop the Great Jones website for up to *50 percent off* for the culinary brand’s Black Friday Sale. Which means if you were tasked with bringing a dish to your friendsgiving or holiday gathering this year, the sale is a great time to stock up on the stylish equipment you’ll need to wow everyone at the table.

And if you’re looking for a functional holiday gift for the home cook in your life, the Great Jones sale is a great place to start. Scroll on for the Great Jones picks we recommend scooping up during the sale.

The best Great Jones Black Friday deals

The Dutchess — $110.00

Originally $160, now $110 

A Dutch oven is a kitchen staple—invest in a good one, and it’ll be a forever favorite in your kitchen—and Great Jones’ Dutchess is the coolest one around. The enameled cast iron Dutch oven is compatible with all stovetops, and can be used to cook up everything from roast chicken (thanks to its oval shape) and hearty soups, to holiday stuffing and sourdough. Available in a spectrum of bold, matte colors, the Dutchess looks just as good on your tabletop as it does on your stove. What’s more, the sturdy and resilient build will last a lifetime, making it worth every penny. It even comes in a petite baby version ($70)!

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Hot Dish — $40.00

Originally $75, now $40 

Green bean casserole never looked better than in the Great Jones Hot Dish. A modern take on your mom’s trusty oven dish, the Hot Dish boasts a retro, scalloped pattern that comes in four playful shades. The weighty ceramic dish can be used to make roasted veggies, lasagna, cakes, cobblers, and more, and is equipped with grab handles to make loading the oven easy. And the fact that it’s dishwasher safe is a *huge* plus when it’s time to clean up the kitchen.

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Stir Crazy Bowl Set — $60.00

Originally $95, now $60

Everyone needs a set of mixing bowls in their kitchen, and Stir Crazy set is as good as they get. The trio of ceramic bowls nest into each other for easy storage, and are dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe—making them total workhorses in the kitchen. We love the practical lips on either side of the bowl that allows for easy pouring and carrying, and the retro pattern that adds instant charm to your kitchen. Plus, they’ll get loads of use in the kitchen—from mixing batters and doughs to preparing and serving salads.

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Holy Sheet — $30.00

Originally $40, now $30

Great Jones’ stylish aluminum steel sheet pan comes in four, rainbow bright colors and is treated with the brand’s custom nonstick ceramic coating—so your days of scraping charred cookie bits off the baking sheet are over. The baking sheet is even dishwasher-safe, making clean up easier than ever. Great Jones shoppers say the pans’ electric colors are even more stunning in person, and that they don’t warp over time. Your rusty old sheet pans could never. To double up on the savings (and fun colors), check out their Holy Sheet Rainbow Set.

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Sweetie Pie — $25.00

Originally $50, now $25 

Sister to the Great Jones Hot Dish, the Sweetie Pie is a 10-inch ceramic pie dish that’ll take your pie game to the next level. The durable dish distributes heat evenly to produce perfectly golden pie crusts, and features a wavy rim that’ll make crust crimping easy and give your pies that professional, “cartoon pie” look. “Recently used Sweetie Pie dish while making a Spinach Quiche,” wrote one 5-star reviewer on the Great Jones site, “The dish is deep enough to hold all ingredients and the best part, is easy to clean after use.” We love a pan that can be tossed in the dishwasher for quick and easy cleaning!

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Breadwinner — $20.00

Originally $28, now $20 

If you plan to coffee cake, pumpkin, or banana bread your way through the holiday season, Great Jones’ loaf pan is a must-have. It’s designed with the brand’s ceramic non-stick (and nontoxic) coating and features a corrugated wavy bottom that keeps baked goods from sticking to the pan and allows for an ultra-satisfying flip. “These pans gave the best result of all,” wrote one Great Jones shopper in a 5-star review, “The bread came out easily (I used butter), the pans were easy clean and the bread was perfect!”

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King Sear — $65.00

Originally $110, now $65 

Perfect for achieving that delicious, crispy sear on chicken, steak, and other savory dishes, Great Jones’ 12-inch cast iron pan is an all-star in the kitchen. The large surface area makes it a solid choice for everyday cooking and entertaining large groups alike, and comes pre-seasoned so you can jump right into cooking (and save time on cleanup!). Factor in the trio of bold colors that Great Jones does best, and the $45 savings—and you’ve got a pan too good to pass up!

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Patty Cake — $20.00

Originally $28, now $20 

The Patty Cake round pan is the secret to nailing your next dessert. The stainless steel cake pan helps give cakes that yummy golden look, and the wavy bottom allows them to drop effortlessly out of the pan without leaving any unfortunate cake chunks behind. Great Jones’ classic ceramic coating only adds to the pan’s non-stick properties, while adding scratch resistance to prolong the lifespan of your pan. Adding the Patty Cake to your cart is easy, the hard part is just picking a color.

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Little Hottie — $30.00

Originally $50, now $30 

To make your holiday side dish look like the main event, check out the Little Hottie baking dish. Thanks to its compact design and oversized, easy to carry handles, the square ceramic baking dish allows for seamless travel to and from your holiday gatherings. The smooth stoneware surface touts stain and scratch resistance, so the pan’s retro aesthetic stays pristine for years to come. And it nests perfectly inside the aforementioned Hot Dish for space-saving storage. Use it to bake casseroles, veggies, ziti or brownies—then toss it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

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Stud Muffin — $30.00

Originally $45, now $30 

Whether you’re baking muffins, corn bread, or baby quiches, the Stud Muffin pan is the ticket to achieving an even, photo-worthy bake every time. The aluminized steel muffin pan yields a dozen muffins, and features their signature nonstick coating for a quick and easy release. And it’s easy to clean, making it a low-maintenance addition to your kitchen.

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And while you’re probably thinking these will cost you a pretty penny, think again. Turns out, you don’t have to drain your savings to get them the aforementioned cookware and entertaining essentials. There are plenty of thoughtful, high-quality gifts for foodies that are well under $50 that’ll leave them glowing.

Whether they’re a pro chef trying to up their game, an at-home barista who spends more time on coffee than cooking, or a social butterfly who’s seemingly always hosting, here are the best, budget-friendly gifts for foodies to give this season.

Gift for foodies that are all $50 or less

Cooking gifts

Hedley & Bennet, Oven Mitts — $30.00

Diehard chefs will know Hedley & Bennet for its trendy aprons that turn any meal into a fashion statement. While its beloved aprons and smocks are pricier (normally $100+), its kitchen accessories are just as snazzy and less expensive. These pretty quilted oven mitts add a pop of color to any cooking space while protecting hands from hot baking trays and roasting pans. You can even complete the set with matching chef’s towels and pot holders if you really want to treat them.

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Our Place, Grill Press — $40.00

For the friend who won’t shut up about their Always Pan (rightfully so, I mean, it’s awesome), get ’em a matching grill press. The enameled cast iron accessory is perfect for getting a restaurant-quality sear right at home. And it’s available in the same candy colors as the pan, so you can get matchy-matchy with it.

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"From Scratch" by Fiona Weir Walmsley — $35.00

This gorgeous new cookbook is a treat for those who want to get back to basics in the kitchen. Featuring more than 200 delicious recipes, it’s all about making things from scratch, swapping packaged foods with your own homemade essentials. From staples like mayo and yogurt (yes, really), to more complex dishes, like ice cream and bacon jam, Walmsley’s book is a delight and a fun challenge for home chef’s who want to level up their cooking game a bit.

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Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, Hand Mixer — $30.00

We’re enamored with Drew Barrymore’s beautiful cooking and dining collection aptly named Beautiful, and it’s full of affordable goodies the foodie in your life will eat up. High on our list is this powerful hand mixer that makes blending mashed potatoes, whipped cream, and cookie dough a piece of cake. Other suggestions? This convenient Immersion Blender ($35) that’s superb for soups and stews, or this Touchscreen Toaster ($44) that’s practically a work of art. All under $50, might we add.

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Sur La Table, Professional Carbon Steel Wok — $30.00

Originally $45, now $30

Plot twist: You don’t have to drop $$$ on professional grade cookware. This hardy, carbon steel wok is a dream for stir-frying and sautéing, heating meat and veggies evenly without ever getting them stuck to the pan. It’s safe for all stove types, too, but the real star of the show is the price tag.

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Hawkins NY, Measuring Cups — $48.00

Simple. Chic. Sophisticated. That’s what these gold measuring cups are. And they come in a cute cotton bag, so you don’t even have to wrap them. Just pop ’em in your favorite baker’s stocking or under the tree as a sweet treat.

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Drink gifts

W&P, Crystal Cocktail Ice Tray — $25.00

For the at-home mixologist who’s always seems to know your signature drink, these art deco-inspired ice cube trays are a must. Each cube rounds out at a whopping 2.5-inches, turning any cocktail into a work of art without watering it down. We’ll cheers to that.

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Blume, Milk Frother — $25.00

If they’re less bartender and more barista, this pink milk frother will bring their brew routine some comfort and joy. The rechargeable frother foam-ifies drinks in seconds via two detachable whisks that make clean-up easy breezy. Their caffeine habit will thank you.

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Daysie, Organic Syrup Trio — $42.00

No beverage cart should go without these mouth-watering simple syrups from Daysie. Made with organic wildflower honey and cane sugar, they’re seriously the sweetest way to glow-up coffee, tea, and mocktails. This nifty trio includes three of the brand’s best-selling flavors—including Madagascar Vanilla, Coconut Almond, and Salted Caramel—that taste good in everything. Even sweeter, 2.1 percent of the brand’s profits go supporting women entrepreneurs, making it a gift that keeps on giving.

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Clevr Blends, Mocha Superlatte — $28.00

Clevr Blends’ super lattes are so dang good, it’s no wonder they’ve landed on Oprah’s Favorite Things list two years in a row now. The brand just launched its latest delicious latte that’ll have you skipping the Starbucks run for good. Its Mocha Superlatte is the functional beverage you’ll welcome into your morning routine with open arms, since it wakes you up sans crash. Makes for a great gift or a “treat yourself” moment.

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Portrait Coffee, Toni Blend — $15.00

Nobody will be upset to find a bag of coffee under their tree, especially when that bag is filled with deep, chocolately goodness and heavenly aromas. This blend from Portrait Coffee, a Black-owned roaster in Atlanta, ticks off both those boxes, and more. Inspired by the beloved author Toni Morrison, “Toni” is nutty, sweet, and beautifully bold.

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Crate & Barrel, French Kitchen Marble Wine Cooler — $40.00

A bottle of wine is a go-to gift, so this year switch it up with a wine cooler, like this one from Crate & Barrel. The luxe marble column looks good on any counter top and doubles as an elegant vase when it’s not being used. When it is chilling wine, however, expect perfectly cooled pour after pour.

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Edible gifts

Momofuku, Super Spicy Pack — $45.00

Behold: the best ramen noodles your giftees will ever put in their mouths, only spicier. Momofuku’s spicy soy noodles are out of this world and will make you rethink instant ramen for good. This pack also includes the brand’s intensely delicious Ghost Pepper Chili Crunch, Extra Spicy Chili Crunch, and a jar of the Spicy Seasoned Salt, making it a must-have for heat lovers.

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Haven's Kitchen, Stir-Fry & Simmer Kit — $39.00

Is there a better gift than a one-pan dinner? We think not, which is why we’re giving everyone our list these sauce quartets from Haven’s Kitchen. Perfectly portioned in reusable packets, they make stir-frying and sautéing a total no-brainer. Just add your favorite veggies and proteins, drizzle in the sauce, and enjoy. It’s so easy, and makes gifting that much simpler, too.

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18 Chestnuts, Plant-Based Soup Trio — $40.00

Soup season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a soup-y gift. Friends and family will love curling up with a bowl of tangy Red Pepper Pomodoro, slightly sweet Butternut Squash Pear, or decadent Asparagus Shiitake. All are plant-based, gluten-free, and ready to eat in minutes—the perfect winter present that’ll warm their hearts and their bellies.

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Chef's Life, Ultimate Trio Gift Box — $50.00

Restaurant-quality meals start with a restaurant-quality cooking oil, which is exactly what come in this gift box. There’s an oil for finishing, and oil for frying, and even an oil for blending—all of which are clearly labelled so they’ll know exactly when to use them. They taste scrumptious, too, and come packed in the neatest white box so you don’t have to worry about wrapping.

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Hosting gifts

Anthropogie, Agate Cake Slicer + Knife Set — $48.00

They’ll be the life of the party when they break out this dazzling cake cutting kit from Anthropologie. Each adorned with a piece of amethyst agate, they’re equal parts pretty and functional, bound to get some “ooohs” and “ahhhs” at your next celebration.

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Pottery Barn, Moroccan Handcrafted Recycled Drinking Glasses (Set of 6) — $48.00

From dinner with friends to everyday use, these drinking glasses can do it all—and will look good doing it. Made from recycled hand-blown glass, they’re a dainty upgrade from the pint glasses your loved one has been collecting since college. Available in clear, blue, olive, and amber.

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Sur La Table, Olivewood Cheese Knife Set — $40.00

For the host who always, always, always starts a party with a charcuterie. It features two cheese knives and a serving fork that make slicing and spreading easy peasy. And they nest in the prettiest olivewood board that doubles as a cheese plate come party time.

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Coton Colors by Laura Johnston, Oyster Half Dozen Platter — $25.00

The world is literally their oyster with this playful platter by Coton Colors. It’s designed specifically for serving oysters (or clams!) on the half-shell, with room for a bowl of mignonette sauce or lemon wedges in the middle. It’s sea-riously good.

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West Elm, Sway Platter — $36.00

Originally $45, now $36

Bye bye, boring white china. Whether it’s a formal Thanksgiving dinner or a casual family meal, this fun platter will liven up any tablescape. Looks aside, it’s dishwasher and microwave safe, making prep and clean-up that much easier.

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Snacking stuffers

Kyoot, Raspberry Pink Pepper Dark Chocolate (Pack of 3) — $12.00

Warning: Buying this chocolate as a gift comes with the risk of wanting to save it for yourself. This indulgent Belgian dark chocolate is the stuff of dreams, amplified with a smidge of spice from tangy raspberries and pink pepper. Your giftee will love it… if it makes it to them, of course.

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Fishwife, 2022 Limited-Edition Trio — $36.00

ICYMI: Tinned fish is the new black. Like, seriously—it’s exploded, specifically Fishwife’s tinned fish, and for very good reason. It’s convenient, sustainably-sourced, female-founded, and really tasty, especially when spread on crackers or served with olives. This limited-edition trio features three savory tins your giftee will be pleased to find in their stockings: Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp Smoked Salmon, Rainbow Trout Jerky Gems, and Campfire Cod. Yum.

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Wandel, Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Sugar Bites — $10.00

Wandel is like if cake and biscotti hooked up and had a baby. It’s inspired by traditional, twice-baked Jewish mandel bread that’s kinda like a cookie but softer. And it’s freakin’ delicious. These chocolate chip/cinnamon sugar bites make the perfect stocking stuffer and an even more perfect snack for munching on the go. And if you want even more deliciousness, there’s flavors like lemon poppyseed, gingerbread, and dark chocolate/sea salt. SLURP.

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Zach & Zoe, Raw Wildflower Honey with Lemon — $12.00

Be it drizzled over yogurt, poured into tea, or eaten by the spoonful, a jar of honey goes a long way. This one is sourced directly in the U.S. and is sweetened with a touch of lemon for a zesty bite. Target also sells raspberry and matcha flavorings, too, if that’s more your speed.

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Which is why we called upon on several experts in the culinary space to break down some of the most practical (but actually good!) gifts that all cooks can benefit from using and owning.

Best Kitchen Cookware Gifts

Five Two Silicone Baking Mat — $15.00

Silicone mats definitely deserve a spot in the kitchen—they’re incredibly useful and versatile, and can be used for both cooking and baking. They’re non-stick and allow you to cook a variety of foods without making a mess, says Stephen Chavez, chef and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. This one from Food52 is also has the easiest clean up. Just toss it into the dishwasher and you’re good to go.

Pros

• Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe
• Non-stick
• Can also be used as a prep surface
• Customizable

Cons

• Flexible, so need to be careful moving it around

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Lodge Pre-Seasoned Skillet — $21.00

Okay, the cook in your life likely already has a cast iron skillet. They probably have multiple. But that’s the thing—one can never have too many skillets, and Lodge has an affordable one that’s just as good as the luxe stuff. Recommended by Chavez, this Lodge skillet can really do it all, from sautéing and baking, to broiling and frying. “I think in terms of cookware, a good cast iron pan is super essential. I mean, nothing heats up as well. Nothing sears as well. Cast iron is great,” he tells us.

Pros

• Durable
• Good heat retention
• Can be use on the stove, in the oven, on the grill

Cons

• Heavy

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Beautiful by Drew Berrymore 6-Quart Touchscreen Air Fryer — $89.00

If your chef pal already has an air fryer, good for them. If not, it’s time to introduce them to one. And Drew Berrymore’s (from her cookware line) is worth adding to your kitchen. “Not only is this piece of equipment an excellent cooking device, it is a perfect example of design-thinking,” says Stephen Kalil, executive chef at Quorn Foods. “There are no nobs or dials, it has a sleek silhouette, and it comes in a variety of colors. It’s one kitchen appliance that you will be proud to keep visible on your counter.”

Pros

• Sleek design, multiple colors
• Easy to use
• 5 lb capacity

Cons

• Bulky

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Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 — $100.00

If you don’t love to cook (or don’t have the time) and still want to eat healthy, homemade meals, get yourself an Instant Pot—the speedy version of the crock pot. “The time saver isn’t just the cooking time but also the time you save with meal prep, defrosting time, and clean up. Just toss the pot in the dishwasher and its ready to go again tomorrow!” says Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, registered dietitian and owner of BZ Nutrition in NYC.

Pros

• 7 functions in one
• 13 customizable programs
• Safety features including overheat protection
• Dishwasher-safe lid and inner pot

Cons

• Bulky

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Best Kitchen Knives

Misen Essentials Knife Set — $150.00

A chef’s knife collection is probably their most prized thing, so if you’re shopping for a seasoned chef, it’s likely they don’t need additional knives (plus, chefs are very, very particular about their knives). However, a cook-in-training could totally benefit from a high-quality knife set they may not buy for themselves. “The set is the best knife set for home use and is reasonably priced and made from steel that will stay sharp and can take a beating from everyday use,” says chef and former Top Chef contestant, Sara Hauman. “The set includes three knives that are really all you need to tackle any kitchen task.”

Pros

• Set of three includes all your essential knives
• Japanese steel
• Affordable

Cons

• No covers or stand

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Shun Classic 7 inch Santoku Knife

“The right knife can save so much time during meal prep,” says chef and dietitian Allison Schaaf, founder of PrepDish.com. “A good-quality, sharp chef’s knife ensures speedy and more precise chopping.” She recommends the 7-inch Shun Santuko knife, which is handcrafted in Japan. It’s made with high carbon stainless steel, designed to hold a super sharp edge, and has a Pakkawood handle that can be used by right and left-handers.

Pros

• Super sharp
• High-quality
• Japanese stainless steel

Cons

• Expensive
• Slightly shoer than a standard chef’s knife

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Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife — $42.00

Another chef knife option, this 8-inch Victorinox chef’s knive has a stainless steel blade and an ergonomic, thermoplastic elastomer handle that won’t slip even when it gets wet. Schaaf recommends sharpening your knives every few months.

Pros

• Affordable
• Ergonomic, non-slip handle
• Stainless steel blade

Cons

• Some reviewers say the knife is light

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Best Kitchen Storage Items

Glasslock 18-Piece Assorted Oven Safe Container Set — $56.00

Containers might not come to mind as a kitchen gadget—but Schaaf says they’re essential for meal prep (she likes Glasslock containers). Chop your veggies and cook your grains ahead of time and store them in the fridge to keep them fresh for longer and use in recipes later. They’re also great for sauces, soups, and stews. Get the most out of your leftovers by transferring the containers from fridge to freezer.

Pros

• Oven- and microwave-safe
• BPA-free
• Leakproof

Cons

• Large set to store

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Ball Jar Rose Vintage Regular Mouth Quart Canning Jars — $25.00

Canning jars are handy whether you’re canning, pickling, or just storing food in the fridge or pantry. BPA-free and with tight lids, these glass Ball Mason jars will keep your leftovers fresh. Bonus— they make attractive and easy drinking glasses, too.

Pros

• BPA-free
• Includes four 32 oz. jars and lids
• Lids seal up to 18 months

Cons

• Hard to stack

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Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Bag — $13.00

Made of silicone, these stasher bags are an easy alternative to all those single-use plastic bags crowding up your drawers. They have a pinch seal to keep contents secure and come in various sizes (snack, sandwich, pocket, 1/2 gallon, and in sets). They’re also extremely versatile, since they’re stovetop-, dishwasher-, freezer-, sous vide-, and microwave-friendly.

Pros

• Can be used to hold a variety of dry and wet food
• Dishwasher-safe
• Sturdy

Cons

• Can stain over time
• Expensive

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Best Kitchen Accessories

New Star Food Services Stainless Steel Strainer — $25.00

When preparing a meal that requires you to drain sauces, a regular colander is not going to do the trick. Instead, Chavez recommends getting a strainer, like this one from New Star Food Service. Its fine mesh allows you to separate tiny food particles, like the pulp from your orange juice and the minced vegetables from your gravy.

Pros

• Sturdy
• Easy to clean
• Good for straining a lot of different liquids

Cons

• Relatively big in size
• Cone shape is harder to store

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Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler — $14.00

If you really want to make a cook jump for joy, consider getting them a proper peeler (because the one they have is likely dull from being used so many times). Though small, a peeler can be a huge time-saver in the kitchen.”The majority of people, especially for the holidays, just use the wrong peeler and they make work so much more difficult for themselves,” Chavez says. Many people naturally stick to a swivel peeler, which has a narrow and straight handle. But a Y-peeler has a wider handle that allows to cut your food in a more precise manner.

Pros

• Includes three different sizes
• Dishwasher-safe
• Carbon steel blades

Cons

• Some reviewers say the blades rust easily

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OXO Good Grips 5-lb Food Scale — $33.00

Another gadget that can make a difference in a cook’s life, is a food scale. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned chef, having an efficient (and more precise) way to measure quantities of food is crucial to the cooking process. “In professional cooking we really don’t use cups and teaspoons,” Chavez says. “We weigh everything. That way it’s more accurate. Plus, you can scale up and down your recipes.” And this OXO scale is a chef-favorite. “So a scale is really great, but the OXO brand is really good,” Chavez says. “You can put a big bowl on there because the little display pulls out. It’s a great, great tool. I love it.”

Pros

• Pull out display
• Thin profile
• Easy to read display

Cons

• Requires batteries (one set is included)

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All-Clad Food Mill — $130.00

For Adrian De Leon, chef and culinary director at Tarbell’s restaurant in Phoenix, AZ., it’s all about having a food mill in your cooking arsenal. It’s a type of device that finely purées, refines and strains ingredients. “[It’s] a time-saving tool that helps home and professional chefs prepare a range of recipes,” he tells us. Ask any chef (literally any chef) and they will very likely tell you that their go-to brand for anything is All-Clad. And even if your giftee has a food mill, you’d be making their lives by giving them one by All-Clad.

Pros

• Works with 8″–12″ pots, pans, and bowls
• Ergonomic ball on handle
• Dishwasher-safe

Cons

• Bulky

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Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydrator — $80.00

When it comes to underrated kitchen gadgets, a food dehydrator is a tool that Chavez swears by. This one from Hamilton Beach comes with five stackable drying trays and a 48-hour timer. You can use it to dehydrate some of your fave fruits, veggies and even jerky.

Pros

• 5 stackable trays
• 48 timer with auto-shut off
• Continuous airflow

Cons

• Bulky

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Taylor Precision Products Programmable Kitchen Thermometer — $20.00

The easiest and fastest way to know whether or not your meat is done (without cutting into it) is by using a thermometer. But not just any thermometer: A probe thermometer like this one from Taylor Precision Products is the one you should get. With it, you can check the status of your meal without ever removing it from the oven, thanks to the probe that sticks inside the meat.

Pros

• Programmable and timer alarm
• Magnetized back
• Measures temperatures from 32°F–392°F

Cons

• Some reviewers say the probes aren’t durable

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Microplane Soft-Handle Zester Grater — $16.00

Another small gadget to make life easier in the kitchen (and another tool one can never have too many of) is a Microplane zester grater. It has razor-sharp edges that makes grating parmesan cheese, or chocolate flakes a breeze.

Pros

• Comfortable grip
• Can zest and grate hard cheese
• Comes with a protective cover

Cons

• Relatively large to store

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The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook — $36.00

If your home chef really want to beef up their cooking skills, and learn tried-and-true recipes, The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook is the way to go, Chavez says. It’s great for beginners who want to know the ins and outs of classic meals.

Pros

• Great for beginners
• Tested recipes
• Includes shopping guide

Cons

• Bulky to store

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Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender — $300.00

Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, founder and CEO of Nutritious Life, says she uses her blender almost every morning to make smoothies for herself and her kids. “It’s the one gadget I always keep out on my counter. It’s so versatile!” she says.

This professional-grade Vitamix blender has hardened stainless steel blades and 10 variable speeds to help you heat, chop, grind, blend, emulsify, and more with just a press of a button. And when you’re done using it, add a drop of dish soap and warm water and the blender will clean itself in 30–60 seconds.

Pros

• 10 different speeds
• Self-cleaning function
• 48-ounce container

Cons

• Expensive

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Aerolatte Milk Frother — $22.00

Here’s an easy way to save yourself $4 (or more) every day: Make your morning caffeine at home. Zeitlin says her Aerolatte milk frother is the single most-used item in her kitchen. It’s obviously ideal for frothing the milk in lattes and cappuccinos—but it’s also perfect for matcha tea or lattes. “The electric whisk blends the matcha powder so perfectly that I never have any clumps. Using the traditional wooden whisk took more time and was less consistent with its blend-ability,” she says.

Pros

• Compact
• Fast and easy to use
• Includes batteries

Cons

• Doesn’t heat milk

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Paderno World Cuisine 6-Blade Vegetable Slicer — $20.00

Love veggie noodles? A spiralizer is an easy way to make them at home—ensuring a lower price and fresh vegetables of your choice. Zeitlin preps zucchini and sweet potato noodles on Sunday night to use as high-fiber bases for protein mains like grilled chicken, salmon, or turkey meatballs with tomato sauce. With a little prep work, dinner’s ready in 10 minutes or less during the work week.

This spiralizer includes six different blades (chipper, shredder, straight, wavy, thicker straight, and angel hair) to give you plenty of options for all your meals.

Pros

• Includes six blades
• Dishwasher-safe, includes cleaning brush
• Easy to assemble

Cons

• Can be messy

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Breville Sous Chef 12 Cup Food Processor — $300.00

Chopping always seems like an unending chore in the kitchen. A food processor can make prep work a little easier. Tlant-based, whole-foods chef Katie Simmons says she uses her Breville at least five times a week. “It’s worth the extra cost to get a brand that lasts for a long time,” she says.

The Breville food processor has a 12-cup capacity and a pulse option to let you chop, mix, and puree with ease.

Pros

• 12-cup capacity
• Multiple chute options
• Adjustable slicer

Cons

• Expensive

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Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.

Eating at home is also a noble effort towards living a healthier lifestyle, seeing as restaurants tend to use more oil and salt in their cooking, not to mention frying far more than we often realize. The trouble for many of us lies within our own cooking skills—or lack thereof. If you didn’t grow up cooking or have never received an education on the subject, you might be at a loss when it comes to how to navigate a kitchen, or stove for that matter. For this reason, every beginner could benefit from a solid, small collection of good cookbooks.

The best cookbooks for beginners, at a glance:

• Best Overall: How To Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food by Mark Bittman, $20
• Best for New Years: The Well Plated Cookbook: Fast, Healthy Recipes You’ll Want to Eat by Erin Clarke, $16
• Best Photos: Healthyish: A Cookbook with Seriously Satisfying, Truly Simple, Good-For-You (but not too Good-For-You) Recipes for Real Life by Lindsay Maitland Hunt, $30
• Best Illustrations: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat, $20
• Best For Quick Recipes: 30-Minute Cookbook For Beginners by Colleen Kennedy, $12
• Best On a Budget: Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown, $10
• Best Vegan: Five Ingredient Vegan: 100 Simple, Fast, Modern Recipes by Katy Beskow, $27
• Best Baking: Beginner’s Baking Bible: 130+ Recipes and Techniques for New Bakers by Heather Perine, $12
• Best Textbook: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee, $27
• Best For College Students: Prep: The Essential College Cookbook by Katie Sullivan Morford, $9
• Best On a Mediterranean Diet: The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day, $17
• Best for Healthy Comfort Food: Danielle Walker’s Eat What You Love: Everyday Comfort Food You Crave by Danielle Walker, $18
• Best for Minimal Prep Work: The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book  by Alyssa Brantley, $17

“Sure, there are plenty of recipes online, but the recipes that make it into a book are often more rigorously tested—and simply more likely to work in your own kitchen,” explains Annie Fenn, M.D., physician and chef focused on Alzheimer’s prevention. Plus, having a physical book means you get to dog-ear the pages, write notes in the margins, and use it as a tool as you learn. Also, physical cookbooks just make a really lovely gift.

What to look for in a cookbook for beginners

On your quest to find the right cookbook to help educate and inspire you to cook your own meals at home, here are some features to look for.

Good photography

This is one feature of a cookbook that often attracts most buyers—and for good reason. “You can study a lot about a dish by looking at it, such as the texture of sauce, the color and brightness of a finished product, etc.,” explains Josh Mouzakes, Executive Chef of ARLO at Town and Country Resort in San Diego. “I love being able to see what my final dish should look like and, let’s face it, you eat with your eyes first!”

Clear and concise instructions

You shouldn’t find yourself confused upon reading the instructions for a given recipe, so it’s important that recipes have streamlined ingredient lists and clear instructions. “For example, when describing whether or not a certain step of cooking is done, there should be useful descriptions (like: when the mushrooms are soft and starting to brown) as well as time indicators (five to eight minutes),” says Fenn.

Substitutions and suggestions

Chef Jeanne Oleksiak of Herd Provisions in Charleston, South Carolina, recommends looking for recipes that have substitution suggestions. “Depending on location, you might not be able to find specialty ingredients in your local market, but a good cookbook will give you options of more readily available ingredients,” she says.

A reassuring voice

If the author has a reassuring (i.e. kind and understanding—maybe funny even!) voice, it will help you build confidence in the kitchen, according to Fenn. “One of the reasons Ina Garten’s books are so popular is the encouraging way she speaks to the reader—plus, her recipes are clear, concise, and they work!” she says. “She is fanatic about testing and retesting them.”

Ready to shop the best cookbooks for beginners? Here are the books top chefs recommend posting up on your kitchen shelf.

Best overall

How To Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food by Mark Bittman — $20.00

This book was written more than 20 years ago, but still remains incredibly popular because it’s well-written, constructed and organized and full of vibrant pictures. “The cookbook is jam-packed with simple instructions and an introduction of fundamental cooking methods,” says Corrie Duffy, chef and food blogger at Corrie Cooks. “The enhanced ingredient lists and helpful visual guidance in this 20th anniversary edition give you greater choice.”

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Best for New Years

The Well Plated Cookbook: Fast, Healthy Recipes You'll Want to Eat — $16.00

With healthy, quick, and budget-friendly recipes, this cookbook will help you start any year, day, week, or meal on the right foot. The book offers swaps if you’re looking for a lighter recipe or don’t have a specific ingredient on hand, and tips for storing and eating leftovers. There are also recipe spin-offs, allowing you make the same recipe in multiple ways, helping you keep meal time fresh and delicious night after night. Chef Melanie Underwood, Founder and CEO of Gather Culinary says the book has “great recipes that come out well, are easy to follow, and don’t take a lot of prep to accomplish.”

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Best photos

Healthyish: A Cookbook with Seriously Satisfying, Truly Simple, Good-For-You (but not too Good-For-You) Recipes for Real Life by Lindsay Maitland Hunt — $30.00

If you’re a foodie who also wants to try and eat healthy, this book is for you. As you can see by the beautiful pictures, it shares a plethora of mouth-watering recipes that are easy to prepare and good for you to boot. “In the introduction, Maitland spells out the bones of what makes a recipe work: It’s efficient, there aren’t any extraneous ingredients, and/or it’s a smarter, faster, easier version of a recipe that already exists,” says Fenn. “Plus, a well-thought-out recipe uses fewer pots and pans so you won’t have a sink full of dirty dishes.” Fenn is especially a fan of the Soups chapter (i.e. Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Lime Yogurt and Miso Chicken Noodle Soup)!

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Best illustrations

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat — $20.00

You won’t find any real-life pictures in this cookbook, but you will find your fair share of illustrations—pretty impressive ones created by the likes of Wendy MacNaughton. It breaks down basic cooking into four fundamental ingredients of cooking—salt, fat, acid, and heat. “Through the use of illustrated walkthroughs and 100 important dishes, the cookbook bridges the gap between home kitchens and commercial kitchens,” says Duffy.

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Best for quick recipes

30-Minute Cookbook For Beginners by Colleen Kennedy — $12.00

If one of the reasons you have hesitated to cook all these years is the time in which it takes to do so, you’ll appreciate this cookbook that centers around 30-minute recipes. “It’s a dependable (and delicious) introduction [to] beginner’s cookbooks that will assist you in learning all the fundamental cooking methods, from panfrying to broiling,” says Duffy. “Additionally, it offers helpful advice on how to purchase wisely, maintain food safety, and save time by using shortcuts that enable you to prepare every recipe in 30 minutes or less.”

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Best on a budget

Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown — $10.00

OK—while eating well on $4 a day might be a challenge in 2022 (thanks to inflation, it might be more like $5-$7), this cookbook will still help you save some serious cash while eating delicious and nutritious meals. It includes more than 100 dishes, ranging from chorizo and white bean rag to vegetable jambalaya, spicy pulled pork to barley risotto with peas, and utilizes each ingredient while demonstrating cost-effective cooking techniques, explains Duffy. “There are recipes for huge batch meals, soups and salads, lunches, snacks, and even sweets like gooey, caramelized bananas that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside,” he says.

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Best vegan

Five Ingredient Vegan: 100 Simple, Fast, Modern Recipes by Katy Beskow — $27.00

If you live a vegan lifestyle, or are looking to become more plant-based in your culinary endeavors, this book is a great starting point to help educate you on the ins and outs of cooking without meat-based ingredients. From soups and salads to suppers and sweets, author Katy Bsekow takes readers through an easy tutorial of vegan cooking and incorporates recipes that are cost-effective creations (while also being palate-pleasing).

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Best baking

Beginner's Baking Bible: 130+ Recipes and Techniques for New Bakers by Heather Perine — $12.00

If baking is more of your thing than cooking, this is a great cookbook to help you get started. From sweet delights like red velvet layer cake and Key lime pie to more savory finds like jalapeño-cheddar biscuits, this baking book does an excellent job breaking down the how-tos, emphasizing the importance of measuring correctly and providing clear and concise directions along the way.

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Best textbook

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee — $27.00

Although this book is less of a cookbook and more of the science behind cooking, professional chefs who run some of the most famous restaurants in the U.S. swear by it. “I am the chef I am because of this book,” says Oleksiak. “It explains things like why salt is important, and how to use it effectively; why baking powder makes something rise and what to substitute in a pinch; how to achieve the best steak you’ve ever eaten; and how to save a dish that got way too spicy.”

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Best for college students

Prep: The Essential College Cookbook by Katie Sullivan Morford — $9.00

As the title of this book suggests, this is a great starter book for college students looking to harness the power of their own cooking; but it can truly be for anyone new to the kitchen who wants to whip up really good, easy meals. It’s written by a registered dietitian, so it includes smart advice about how to use healthy ingredients. “There are tips about shopping on a budget while choosing the most planet-friendly foods—and a foundational cooking skill is covered in each of the 10 chapters,” says Fenn.

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Best for a Mediterranean diet

The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day — $17.00

If you’re following the Mediterranean Diet, which focuses on foods high in healthy fats like omega-3s, as well as fish, fruits, veggies, grains and legumes, this is a great cookbook for you. It includes more than 500, innovative and easy-to-make recipes and is science-backed health info. “Bright flavors and easily accessible ingredients from the area make this dish at its finest, healthy, delicious, and surprisingly simple,” adds Duffy.

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Best for Healthy Comfort Food

Danielle Walker's Eat What You Love: Everyday Comfort Food You Crave — $18.00

If you’re looking for comfort food (think fried chicken, chicken pot lie, and lasagne) that’s both delicious and healthy, then this cookbook by Erin Clarke delivers. The recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo, so you can find something for everyone, even those with food allergies. “I love this one because of how close it says to the comfort food that we all love. It’s filled with simple, delicious recipes, tailored for multiple diets and plenty of advice on good habit building,” says ButcherBox Head Chef and Culinary Director,Yankel Polak.

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Best for Minimal Prep Work

The "I Don't Want to Cook" Book — $11.00

This cookbook is a nice option for beginners with easy-to-follow instructions and fun visuals, says Francesco Bonsinetto, a chef and CEO of Farm to Fork Culinary Experiences at Cucina Migrante. Designed for those long days where you’re exhausted and think to yourself “I don’t want to cook,” the book is filled with healthy, simple recipes that require no to little planning, prep work, or trips to pick up groceries.

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You can expect deals on popular  beauty items, sneakers, fitness equipment, home goods and lots of kitchen gadgets. While tons of products will be marked down this week, healthy chefs should definitely peruse the cookware deals on offer. Featuring everything from must-have cast iron Dutch ovens to the smoothie blender you’ve been eyeing for way too long, these deals are worth every penny. After all, cookware and kitchen essentials aren’t frivolous purchases; these are items you know you’ll use—and if you’re buying them for someone else, they certainly won’t sit in a drawer unappreciated.

Of course, sifting through all the deals can be more stressful than making a vegan soufflé. That’s why we did the hard work for you, rounding up the very best of the best Amazon Prime cookware deals you can find this year. The items included here rank highly on wish lists and are priced lower than other competing products on the market. Get ready to add lots of stuff to your cart.

14 Amazon Prime cookware deals worth taking advantage of

Ninja Foodi 12-in-1 XL 8 qt. Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer — $130.00

Originally $230, now $130

So many cooking tools, so little counter space. This Nina Foodi is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and air fryer, all in one. And it comes with a recipe book. This Amazon Prime Day, it’s 43 percent off.

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Amazon Basics 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set — $18.00

Originally $30, now $18

As any chef will tell you, having a good knife set is crucial for cooking—dull knives are not only ineffective but also dangerous. While typically a knife set tends to be over $100 (often, well over $100), this Amazon Prime cookware deal will score you one for just under $20, and the quality is impressive.

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Ninja Foodi 10 Quart 6-in-1 DualZone XL 2-Basket Air Fryer — $160.00

Originally $230, now $160

If you’ve been drooling over air fryer recipes but don’t have the necessary cookware to get in on the fun, now’s your chance. Ninja air fryers are 30 percent off for Amazon Prime Day. It has over 16,000 ratings with an overall score of 5 stars—so you know it’s a good one, too.

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KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus 3.5-Qt. — $260.00

Originally $380, now $260

If you’ve been dreaming of having a shiny new KitchenAid stand mixer proudly displayed in your kitchen, now’s your chance. It’s a whopping 32 percent off—making it one of the best Amazon Prime cookware deals we’ve seen. It’s still a splurge, but considering that normally it’s almost $400, it might be one of the best deals out there. (Especially since they tend to last forever.)

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Ninja Mega Kitchen System — $120.00

Originally $200, now $120

Is it finally time to upgrade the blender you’ve had for nearly a decade? This 1500-watt super powerful machine is a blender and food processor all in one. It comes with several attachments, including a to-go cup for quick and easy smoothies when you’re heading out the door.

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Amazon Basics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven, 6-Quart — $32.00

Originally $53, now $32

This Dutch oven is comparable in function to the beloved Le Creuset ones—and it’s about $300 cheaper. It holds up to six quarts, making it the ideal size for soups, stews, braises, and roasts that can feed a crowd. Plus, it’s so pretty that you may just want to leave it out even when you’re not using it. It also comes in red, green, and white.

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Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydrator — $56.00

Originally $80, now $56

Find yourself with way too much fruit that’s on the brink of spoiling far too often? This dehydrator might be the solution for you. Avoid unnecessary food waste by dehydrating your surplus of produce into fruit jerky that you can snack on for weeks.  

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Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Bag — $9.00

Originally $13, now $9

These reusable storage bags are freezer, oven, microwave, dishwasher safe, and leakproof. They come in a variety of colors and can be used to store anything from lunch to travel essentials to make organization a breeze, not to mention help lower your single-use plastic footprint.

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OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Mini Round POP Canisters — $20.00

Originally $28, now $20

Hate having unsightly clutter taking over your already limited countertop space? These airtight food storage containers can keep your snacks from turning into a soggy, stale mess, meanwhile making your kitchen look like it came straight out of a Williams Sonoma catalog.

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Zwiesel Glas Tritan Modo Collection Red Wine Glass — $32.00

Originally $46, now $32

Give your happy hour the glamour it deserves with this red wine glass set of four uniquely shaped cups that’ll make you feel like you should be holding your pinky up as you take a sip. Best of all, they’re completely dishwasher safe, making clean-up virtually effortless.

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Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Chef's Oven with Glass Lid, 7.5 qt. — $250.00

Originally $400, now $250

Is that a Le Creuset featured in an Amazon Prime Day deal? Why, yes, it is. This deal will make you stop right in your tracks. This 7.5 quart, enameled cast iron chef’s oven with glass lid comes in three stunning classic Le Creuset colors and costs $250 (that’s $150 less than usual)! You won’t want to sleep on this one.

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Cuisinart TPS-10 Professional Performance Tri-Ply 10-Piece Classic Cookware Set — $175.00

Originally $230, now $175

Sick of using your hand-me-down cookware from your grandparents that makes you cringe every time you host a potluck at your place? Well, this *10-piece* stainless steel cookware set (for $174.99) will make you instantly feel like you’re #adulting. 

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Instant Pot Omni Plus 20-QT Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo — $140.00

Originally $280, now $140

We already knew we loved toaster ovens, but this one by Instant Pot can also fit a 12-inch pizza. I’m officially sold. Making its way to Amazon Prime Day, this deal offers 50 percent off this hot (literally) item. Pizza party Friday here we come!

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Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Slicer — $28.00

Originally $50, now $28

You’ve likely seen this handy contraption all over TikTok recently—and with good reason. This produce chopper is about to save you *so* much time on meal prep that you’ll really wish you had purchased it sooner.

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My search for the right milk frother was a long, arduous, months-long back-and-forth between similar-looking but slightly different frother wands from retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon. That was until one night, TikTok convinced me to add the Foodville MF02 Milk Frother ($19) to my cart, and my life has never been the same. Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it really has changed so much about how I cook in the kitchen and what I make, well beyond the world of caffeinated drinks.

FoodVille MF02 Rechargeable Milk Frother — $19.00

With two versatile whisks, the FoodVille electric frother is one of the best kitchen essentials everyone should have handy—for coffee, and beyond.

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Step right up and listen to the ways the Foodville MF02 frother is my mealtime secret weapon, hiding in plain sight on my kitchen counter. The following are all the ways that this great gadget has paid for itself over and over again.

1. Any powder can become a seamless drink in seconds

Maybe my favorite use of this tool—although I’m inclined to say this about all of these newly unlocked talents—is that it allows me to obliterate any powder into any liquid almost instantly. Whether that is turmeric in a pot of simmering almond milk, superfood supplements in some water, cocoa mix in piping hot almond milk, or collagen into my coffee, this frother blends any mix with the might of New York City construction jackhammers that throttle me awake (without the noise.)

This is particularly amazing because most of the aforementioned powders are things that need to be well-dispersed, particularly the turmeric and superfoods powder. These ingredients are super useful, provide wellness benefits, and are great additions to my life, but I’d rather do a lot of things before I eat any chunks of them. Athletic Greens blobs hitting my tongue first thing in the morning are grounds for calling out of work and going back to bed—Nope, nope, triple nope. Texture is everything to me, and so is flavor. That’s why this high-powered, lightweight, quiet frother has made my beverage consumption a thousand times better.

2. I don’t have to break out the big appliances

So, why the Foodville MF02 and not others? A few reasons include its power settings, horsepower, cute little stand, and its long battery life (which I’ll expand more on later.) I also love that this tool comes with different extensions to switch things up—there’s the frother end that’s great for beverage blending, but there’s also a mini beater end that rules. This tool comes in handy when I have a salad dressing that looks like a lava lamp, simply begging to be emulsified, or when I have a bowl of eggs I’d like to mix up for a quick scramble, but the sound of a fork scraping a bowl does things to my soul that I can’t really explain.

The mini beater is especially great for mixing together a little bowl of pancake mix for a solo breakfast when I have a hankering for something sweet and fluffy. I don’t have to break out the heavy beaters or standing mixer when I am making something small for myself, or run out of elbow grease from stirring with a fork before I’ve even started my day. 10 points for the Foodville MF02 frother.

3. It has an out-of-this-world battery life

Back to the battery life. I’m not one for remembering to charge things—I actually love to avoid having anything that needs to be recharged in in order to work. That was my hesitancy in making the jump to purchase one of these bad boys in the first place. Another thing to charge? No, thank you. But this little milk frother just died, and I bought it in February and have used it a lot. I am so impressed at that battery life that I mildly suspect some sort of sorcery…

4. It means I get to cook and eat more of what I love

All in all, this tool has made cooking so much easier while still allowing me to produce quality foods that I love to eat and drink. That’s probably the most important part of the experience. Typically, if I want something to be easier or faster, I have to sacrifice something else like flavor, texture, or healthiness. With this tool, I don’t sacrifice the texture of my drink, the blend of my salad dressing, or the fluffiness of my pancakes. If anything, I have better food that is easier to make, which is always the goal.

Need some ideas for your new frother? Check out this mood-boosting matcha smoothie. 

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Which is why we tapped six professional chefs for the must-have convenient cooking tools they can’t live without. If anyone knows about whipping up restaurant-quality meals on a time crunch, it’s them. So, put the frozen potstickers and instant noodles away—you can cook up a fresh, savory meal in under a half hour, we promise. Scroll to find out how.

Chef-approved convenient cooking tools you need ASAP

A good sauce

Momofuku, Soy Sauce + Tamari 2-Pack — $21.00

Award-winning chef Ji Hye Kim, owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan and James Beard Award Best Chef semifinalist, says you should always have a good sauce or two (or 10…) handy. Olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, miso, gochujang—these should be staples in your pantry

“The time and effort that goes into a good dish is already in that sauce. Sauté some vegetables in a good sauce with rice and egg and you’re good to go,” she says. “I personally love a bag of spinach sautéd with mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce. It takes less time than microwaving a meal most of the time!”

Same goes with a good, savory stock: “I usually have anchovy or chicken stock on hand. Heat up the stock with soy sauce and garlic, cook pasta or noodle, top with leftover meat, chili oil, a hardboiled egg, and you have instant ramen!”

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Quality options

A Dozen Cousins, Seasoned Beans Variety Pack — $24.00

Joshua Resnick, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, recommends shopping mindfully so you have quick, healthy options ready to go.

“When you’re in a time crunch, it’s great to have canned beans on hand as they are hearty, provide protein, and extremely versatile. Black beans can be used in salad, on nachos and in rice, while garbanzo beans can be blended into hummus, used in salads and pastas or added to a sauce” Resnick says. “I always have frozen shrimp in my freezer—they are fast to defrost, cook quickly, and can be used in many ways, like pan seared on top of a bed of greens, added to pasta or blended to make shrimp burgers.” 

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An immersion blender

Mueller, Ultra-Stick 500 Watt Immersion Hand Blender — $25.00

Kim is also a big fan of a quality stick blender. “You can mince garlic easily, make pesto, juice—it’s a total time saver!”

You can spend hundreds of dollars on an immersion blender, or you can get this affordable tool on Amazon. For $25, Mueller’s stick blender will froth, blend, and whisk whatever it is you’re whipping up in seconds. It’s powered by a 500 Watt motor and features nine different speeds.

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A quality roasting pan

Le Creuset, Signature Roaster — $290.00

In a pinch? Odette Williams, Brooklyn-based Australian cook and writer of the awarded cookbook, Simple Cake ($14) ,says a good meal awaits at your local grocery store. “Pick up a great rotisserie chicken and gorgeous baguette,” she says. “Then, make homemade creamy mashed potatoes, or herbed roasted potatoes. Serve it all with a simple arugula salad and some good oil and vinegar at the table—done!”

Easy peasy, right? If you do want to roast up some chicken (which doesn’t take long, BTW), she recommends investing in a premium roasting pan. “Roasting veggies, slow-cooked meats, baked pastas, anything with filo or puff pastry sweet or savory, is at your fingertips,” Williams says. “I bought my mum the Le Creuset [pan]. Worth the splurge. “

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A digital scale

Sur La Table, 15 lb. Digital Scale — $35.00

Another easy, relatively affordable gadget to always have handy? A digital scale, like this one from Sur La Table. “They take all the guess work out and make measuring cups redundant,” Williams says. This scale makes measuring simple, and when you’re done, its sleek, slim frame fits neatly in drawers or underneath other tools, making storage a breeze, too.

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A mandoline slicer

Amazon, OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer — $45.00

Both Greg Baxtrom, award-winning chef-owner of acclaimed restaurants Olmsted, Maison Yaki, and Patti Ann’s Family Restaurant and Bakery, and Thomas Lim, culinary director for Wish You Were Here Group, agree that a mandoline can save you time in the prep arena. This $45 mandoline slicer by OXO has sharp stainless steel blades you can adjust into four different thickness settings that cut seamlessly through even the hardiest veggies.

“I recommend making a version of the Summer Squash Som Tum Salad we serve at Olmsted for something that is quick, hearty, and tasty,” says Baxtrom. “As long as you have a mandolin tool with a tooth attachment, you can get creative with the ingredients and take the salad in several directions. Some notable people I have had the pleasure of cooking for have enjoyed adding in not-so-traditional ingredients like orange and basil.”

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A Prepdeck

Prepdeck, Recipe Deck & Storage Station — $100.00

In addition to a mandoline, Lim also recommends a Magic Bullet (for quick, easy blends), a Microplane (for zesting and grating) and sleek, organized Prepdeck, which will have you waving goodbye to disorganized prep and cooking for good.

This Shark Tank gadget features everything you need to chop, grate, peel, zest, and prepare your favorite meals. Everything is exactly where it should be, making clean up that much easier. (There’s even a convenient scrap bin for keeping your cutting board clean.) It’s a game-changer, regardless of your cooking ability.

 

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A premium knife

Zwilling, Pro Slim 7" Chef's Knife — $90.00

Almost all of the chefs, including Divya Alter, founder of Divya’s Kitchen in New York City, agrees that a sharp, quality chef’s knife can cut down on cooking time tenfold.

“I’m not a fan of collecting single-purpose gadgets that fulfill the role of a sharp knife,” Alter says. “I don’t like cluttering my kitchen with garlic choppers, mango and avocado slicers, etc. Rather, I’d suggested investing in a good quality chef’s knife and taking a knife skills class. Both will stay with you for life.

From there, she recommends planning your meals ahead of time, prepping veggies up to 12 hours before using them, and making staples, like ghee or spice blends, once a month to have handy. “For a 15-minute meal fix, choose quick-cooking vegetables that do not need peeling, such as zucchini, asparagus, fennel, cabbage, leafy greens, green beans, cauliflower, or broccoli. You can have these pre-chopped,” Alter says. Noted.

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That’s right. Now until May 8, you can score a handful of discounted kitchen essentials from Our Place during the brand’s massive  Annual Spring Sale. This includes chic dinner plates and cups, kitchen knives, and yes, the Always Pan. While famous kitchen cookware normally retails for $145, it’s now up for grabs for $115.

Our Place Always Pan — $115.00

Originally $145, now $115

Meet the pan that does it all in one. With 18K top reviews and counting, it might be time to snag it on sale.

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According to Our Place, the Always Pan is meant to replace your fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, non-stick pan, spatula, and spoon rest—which is at my count eight items that you can save space on with this single buy. Also, if you’re like: What? A spatula in a sauté pan, know that the beechwood-based tool is able to nest into the handle in a pretty genius way.

The Always Pan comes with some fairly useful other accessories and features as well. For those who like to steam things while cooking, there’s a stainless steel steamer basket, which comes in really handy for veggies and the like. There’s also a pour spout so if you’re making pastas or something that needs water drained, it’s really accessible and easy-to-use.

The pan is made from aluminum, which allows for it heat up quickly and distribute that heat evenly throughout. Its nonstick coating is made without PFOAs, PTFEs, other PFAs, lead, cadmium, toxic metals, and nanoparticles, which have been identified as potential toxic materials. While it works with all cooktops, you’re going to want to skip the metal tools, which can scratch the surface of the non-stick coating as well as the dishwasher on this one to keep it looking and functioning optimally. But given that this one-pot pan is all it takes to get dinner ready—and given doubly that it’s on sale—maybe I’ll cave and do those dishes after all.

As we said, the Always Pan isn’t the only beloved Our Place cookware product on sale. Take a look at some of our fave picks below.

Our Place Main Plates, Set of 4 — $40.00

Originally $50, now $40

These extra-large porcelain dinner plates are ideal for hosting. They’re gorgeous, look like they belong in an adult’s kitchen, and they’re microwave and dishwasher-safe. Available in three colors.

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Our Place Side Bowls, Set of 4 — $36.00

Originally $45, now $36

These stackable porcelain bowls are stackable, dishwasher and microwave-safe, resistant to chipping, and perfect for that butternut squash soup you’re planning on whipping up.

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Our Place Drinking Glasses, Set of 4 — $40.00

Originally $50, now $40

These hand-blown glasses give off a cool, vintage-y feel. They’re the perfect size (12 oz.) and stackable for your convenience. Get them in a bunch of different colors (we’re torn between this pretty blue and dusty rose), and sets of four or eight.

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Perfect Pot — $125.00

Originally $165, now $125

Think of the Perfect Pot as the bigger brother to the Always Pan. It still has the same innovative design, but with more room to spare. This makes it perfect for boiling, crisping, braising and even steaming your fave veggies. The pot comes with a built-in strainer, a removable roasting rack, and a small holder for a stirring spoon.

 

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Shop the rest of the sale here.

First up in your new Always Pan? This delicious vegetarian cauliflower fried rice

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Until recently, I fell into this camp. My countertop collection consisted of: colorful rubber scrapers, metal tongs, a few random ladles, a meat pounder I don’t think I’ve ever used, two whisks, and a plastic spatula with a half-melted handle, all packed into a glass vase I had gotten from a bouquet a long time ago. Was is it functional? Maybe…? Most of the tools hadn’t been updated since my college days, so barely. Was it pretty? Definitely not.

When Material Kitchen’s “The Fundamentals” set ($195, 20% off with code WELLANDGOOD right now) showed up at my door to test for work, I decided it was time for an overdue *adult* upgrade. I donated my sad collection of misfit tools and promptly put this beautiful set on my counter—now I’m imploring you all to do the same.

Material Kitchen, The Fundamentals — $195.00

The Fundamentals includes all your favorites: two sleek knives, a wooden spoon, a metal spoon, slotted spatula, tongs, and a ladle, all in a chic, magnetic base that you’ll be proud to put on your counter. Use code WELLANDGOOD at checkout for 20% off during April.

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Where to start? Between the stunning wood base, the Instagram-worthy tools and the effectiveness of each, it’s hard to pick favorites. “The Fundamentals” go back to basics in the least basic way possible, elevating the everyday kitchen tools you know and love to something you’ll actually want to show off.

Let’s start with the tools themselves—these pieces are most definitely a treat. Each set includes the most exquisite essentials, including two Japanese stainless steel chef’s knives (one 8-inch, one 4-inch), a wooden spoon, a metal spoon, a slotted spatula, and tongs. The looks alone are so pretty, and feature a pop of color on each piece (besides the tongs and the wooden spoon) that elevate an overall minimalist aesthetic.

But the function is much more impressive. They’re easy to use and work well—something I didn’t know I was missing out on when I was using my assortment of random, Dollar Store goodies. For instance, my new spatula doesn’t ever stick to the pan, since it’s stainless steel. That doesn’t mean it’s too rigid to turn, say, a pancake or a flaky filet of fish. It’s bendy enough without being fragile and is melt-proof for the times I accidentally leave it on my skillet. The spoon is cool, too, since it’s actually three tools in one. Most obviously, I use it to stir sauces and soups. But it doubles as a measuring spoon with a 1/4 cup capacity, and acts as a serving ladle come dinner time.

If I had to narrow it down, though, I think my favorite part would come be the chic, organized base that, again, marries function and beauty. You can choose from two types of wood bases: walnut or maple. I went with maple,  and—not to toot my own horn, but *beep beep*—the light wood looks fresh and clean against my white cabinets and kitchen counters. It looks put together, like I didn’t just have a vase filled with randomness in its place minutes before.

The best part of the base, though, is its thoughtful design. The five tools fit perfectly into the slotted base, while the knives hang neatly from a magnetized inner wall. This secret magnet wall keeps them off the bottom, protects them from getting scratched, and provides an easy place to grab from when you’re mid-meal prepping. While other products skimp on convenience and functionality, Material Kitchen’s tools set blends them seamlessly, and layers on design—something your potpourri of kitchen tools definitely doesn’t do.

I know, I know—breaking up with that random vase of spatulas, tongs, and whisks isn’t easy. But trust me—it’s the *adult* upgrade that’ll make you feel like a top chef with the counter space to match. And now is the time—this month, you get 20% off any Material Kitchen goods with the code WELLANDGOOD.

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Keeping your knives sharp can be relatively easy, and doesn’t even require leaving your house if you have a knife sharpening stone or whetstone. In fact, you probably need more than one. Executive Chef William Dissen says he uses high quality whetstones in different grits to maintain his knives for precision each and every day. “As they say, ‘A chef is only as sharp as his knife’,” he says.

Best knife sharpening stones at a glance

• Best all around: King Two Sided Sharpening Stone with Base
• Best with bamboo base: Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone
• Best budget: Shan Zu Sharpening Stone
• Best for professionals: Mizuyama Sharpening Stone #1000/#6000
• Best ceramic: Naniwa 1000-Grit Super Ceramic Water Stone
• Best kit: KERYE Knife Sharpening Stone Kit
• Best with angled base: KEENBEST Sharpening Stone Whetstone
• Best complete set: ShaPu Whetstones Set
• Best with breathable storage: Shapton Whetstone Set
• Best standalone: Nano Hone True Splash and Go Whetstone

What is a knife sharpening stone/whetstone?

Whetstones and knife sharpening stones are the same thing, says Neel Kajale, a chef who has worked at Eleven Madison Park and is now the Kitchen Test Manager at Haven’s Kitchen. “A sharpening stone is a device used to sharpen tools and instruments with a sharp blade,” he says.

There are two main types of sharpening stones:

Oil stones

These stones use oil as a lubricant, which reduces friction during the grinding of the metal during the sharpening process. Oil stones with a finer grit cut metal on the knives at a slow pace, thus it takes longer to sharpen the blade.

Water stones

These stones use water as a lubricant. “Technically any stone can be a water stone,” says Kajale.

Regardless what type of stone you use, Kajale says it’s important not to mix up your lubricants. So if you sharpen using oil as the lubricant, you have to always sharpen with oil, as using water afterward can permanently damage your stone.

It’s also important to note that a honing stick (a handheld rod used for straightening knife blades) is not the same, nor is is it a substitute, for a whetstone. “A honing stick only brings the blade edge back to center, rather than creating a new edge all together,” says chef and culinary personality Eitan Bernath.

Ahead find the best chef-recommended whetstones to keep your knives—and your cooking skills—sharp.

Best knife sharpening stones (or whetstones)

Best all-around: King Two Sided Sharpening Stone with Base — $50.00

Chef Ryan Schmidtberger of Hancock St. in New York says he always recommends getting two stones for sharpening knives, “one in 1,000 grit and a second in either 4,000 or 6,000 grit depending on the style of knife you have.” He says there are a few versions that offer one stone with two sides of grits, such as this Korin one, which can be used at home or in a restaurant.

This two-sided King sharpening stone is also a favorite of Ji Hye Kim, the award-winning chef/owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, MI. “The stone is high-quality enough for professionals, but its two sides and sturdy base make it a great efficient option for home cooks and novices as well. It’s also relatively affordable while still being high quality,” she says.

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Best with bamboo base: Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone — $40.00

This two-sided stone is a a recommendation from Kajale. The stone is made out of aluminum oxide and has a 1,000-grit side for sharpening and a 6,000-grit side for honing. It also comes with a non-slip silicone holder, a bamboo base, and an angle guide to help you sharpen at the correct angle.

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Best budget: Shan Zu Sharpening Stone — $25.00

Dorzon likes this whetstone, which is double sided (1,000/6,000) and made of aluminum oxide. It comes with a silicon base to hold the stone, a bamboo base, and an angle guide to hold your knife. Soak the stone in water for five minutes and then use the #1000 side for sharpening and the #6000 side for honing.

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Best for professionals: Mizuyama Sharpening Stone #1000/#6000 — $76.00

Dissen says he looks for high-quality Japanese-style ceramic whetstones for sharpening his knives, and always has an 800 Grit, 1,000 grit, 4,000 grit, 8,000 grit, and a 10,000 grit stone, as well as a stone fixer on hand to keep the stones flat to ensure even knife sharpening. He says Mizuyama is one of his favorite brands. Mizuyama stones were developed by a natural sharpening stone specialist and absorb water to make the sharpening process easier.  This #1000/6000 grit stone can be used both as sharpener and a finishing stone.

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Best ceramic: Naniwa 1000-Grit Super Ceramic Water Stone — $69.00

Bernath recommends this ceramic water stone, made by Japanese company Naniwa. It’s 1,000-grit and splash and go—add some water and you’re ready to get a razor sharp edge. It also comes with a stand to help prevent the stone from sliding around, and a dressing stone to keep the sharpening stone in tip top shape. He mentions that it’s also important to make sure you have the right angle for the knife you’re sharpening (for example, Western vs. Japanese knives are sharpened at different angles). For a little extra help, Bernath recommends using these wedges.

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Best kit: KERYE Knife Sharpening Stone Kit — $40.00

Carla Contreras, a chef who also teaches basic knife skills, sharpening and care in her online cooking school, Cook+Chop, suggests this set, which comes with two Japanese whetstones. Each stone is double-sided (400/1,000 and 300/800), and the set also includes a bamboo base to hold the whetstones in place, a leather strop to polish the knife, an angle guide, a flattening stone to keep your whetstones level, and a pair of cut-resistant gloves so you can sharpen without worrying about any unwanted injuries.

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Best with angled base: KEENBEST Sharpening Stone Whetstone — $52.00

Traditionally, Eastern knives are sharpened on a whetstone with (approximately) a 15-degree angle and take more care, says Contreras. This set comes with two double-sided whetstones (400/1,000 and 300/800) and a stand with a built-in 15-degree angle. You can also use it for other knives too — you’ll also get a basic non-slip rubber base and angle guide, as well as a leather strop, polishing compound, a flattening stone, and an extra sand stone.

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Best complete set: ShaPu Whetstones Set — $120.00

For anyone who likes to have options, this pick from Kajale gives you four whetstones with a total of eight grits (240/800, 600/1,500, 1,000/3,000, and 5,000/10,000) to make sure all your sharpening needs are covered. The whetstones are made with aluminum oxide, and also included is an acacia wood base, flattening stone, angle guide, and carrying case to keep everything organized when not in use.

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Best with breathable storage: Shapton Whetstone Set — $126.00

This multi-stone set, another option from Kajale, comes with three ceramic whetstones: rough grit (#320), medium grit (#1,000), and fine grit (#5,000). Each stone has a ventilated plastic box that can be used as a stand and also provide some breathable storage, and the boxes are color-coded so you can easily grab the right stone when you need it.

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Best standalone: Nano Hone True Splash and Go Whetstone — $85.00

Bernath also recommends this splash-and-go whetstone, made of a non-porous ceramic. There are six different options, ranging from 200-1,000 grit. The stones have a reinforced aluminum backing plate but don’t come with a stand. You can also order a stone stage, designed to fit the backing plates, to secure your whetstone in place while you sharpen.

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What to look for in a knife sharpening stone/whetstone

Grit

Whetstones are measured in grit levels, which is the coarseness of the stone. Serena Poon, a celebrity chef, nutritionist, and Reiki master explains: “Coarse whetstones, which are generally categorized as up to about 1000-grit are useful for repairing damaged knives. Medium whetstones have about a 1,000-3,000-grit and are used to sharpen dull knives—this is likely the coarseness that you would use most at home. Finishing stones, or anything above 3,000-grit are used to polish and refine the blade.” Kajale recommends having a set that includes 400,1,000, 3,000, and 6,000-grit so you have a range you can use whether you’re setting or polishing your blade.

Material

The material of your whetstone is a matter of personal preference, says Poon. Whetstones can be made from natural stone or synthetic materials like ceramic, aluminum oxide, diamond, and glass.  The material will also determine the hardness or softness of the stone. For example, silicon carbine is the hardest material, while aluminum oxide is softer, says Kajale. He says ideally you want a balance so the hardness of the stone helps grind the metal off the knife, but softness of the stone ensures allows the stone to wear away over time to expose more surface area that has sharpening/polishing properties.

Size

It’s important to have the right width and length, says Tobias Dorzon,  Executive Chef and contestant on Season 3 of Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions. “If you get a small stone, it prevents you from sharpening bigger knives and can cause injuries,” he says. Kajale advises that the length of the stone should be directly proportional to the length of the blade of the knife, so when you’re sharpening an 8″ Chef’s knife, the stone should be at least 8″.

Quality

Regardless of the grit or material, make sure you’re buying a high quality product. “A whetstone can be a longtime purchase if you choose a high quality option and take good care of it. You might want to invest a little more in something that will last,” says Poon.

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Luckily for us, San Diego-based chef Brian Malarkey, who serves as a judge on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games, gave us the scoop. Ahead, find five expensive kitchen tools that the Top Chef Season 3 finalist assures us are well worth the splurge.

A professional chef's "worth it" kitchen essentials

KitchenAid K400 Matte Blender — $200.00

Sure, we love a convenient, colorful BlendJet as much as the next person, but have you ever thought about sprucing up your at-home blending station with a top-quality option? According to Malarkey, who is the founder of the newly launched line of cooking oils, Chefs Life, you should. “You can use a KitchenAid blender for everything, from vinaigrettes to smoothies and marinades, and even mayonnaise,” he says. “It’s perfect because you can adjust the gears from slow to fast, so you don’t make a mess in the kitchen. These are top of the line, and every chef has one.”

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Breville The Oracle Touch Espresso Machine — $2,700.00

If you love sipping on delicious coffee each morning but are tired of having to go out to buy it, Malarkey can’t recommend a top-notch coffee machine enough. “A Breville Espresso Machine is worth every penny,” he assures us. “I’ve had one for forever, and truly believe there is nothing better than a proper cup of coffee in the morning to get the day started. When it comes to coffee, I believe in quality over quantity, meaning I’d rather have one great cup of coffee to start the day rather than many bad cups of coffee throughout the day.”

Breville is known for making coffee shop-quality espresso—and you don’t need to be a trained barista to do it. The machines are easy to use, make espresso (and steamed milk!) in about 60 seconds, and they’re simple to take care of, too. For a cheaper option, we also love Breville’s Bambino Plus. It doesn’t have as many bells and whistles, but it’ll give you  delicious espresso and steamed/frothed milk (and it’s got the same Breville top-notch quality).

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Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Hot Handle Holder (12-Inch) — $41.00

As gorgeous and beloved as Le Creuset and Staub cast iron is, Malarkey admits that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg when outfitting your kitchen with this essential item. “You don’t need to break the bank, but everyone needs a great cast iron pan that you can pass on from generation to generation to generation,” he says. “They’re easy to clean, the more you use them the better they get, and they’re bulletproof—literally.”

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Miyabi Kaizen II 8-Inch Chef’s Knife — $180.00

Many people believe that knife sets are essential in any kitchen. To Malarkey, though, less is more. “I always like to say, every good chef really only needs two knives—serrated and not serrated,” he says. “If you have a Miyabi, you won’t need a million different knives.” Still, he points out that if you’re of the “more is more” mindset, Miyabi has many iterations to offer. “These are one of my favorite kitchen items, these Japanese knives come in so many different styles and selections,” he adds.

This Japanese-crafted Demascus knife is the perfect weight, and is sturdy enough to last you several lifetimes if cared for properly (i.e. don’t ever throw it in the dishwasher, and make sure to sharpen it when it starts to get dull). The precision you get out of a Miyabi is unparalleled.

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Hiawatha WoodWorks End Grain Cutting Board — $90.00

Last but not least, Malarkey says to skip the basic plastic cutting board in favor of a high-quality Hiawatha WoodWorks option. “These are my favorite cutting boards—they are beautifully hand crafted and you’re able to customize them with a name, message, or brand to personalize your gift,” he shares. “All the boards are incredible and durable, and purchasing them is a great way to support authentic craftsmanship.”

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We know how hard it is to find a solid nonstick cookware set. We also know how nice it is to have a good nonstick frying pan or pot in your kitchen. (Dirty dishes that don’t require a night of soaking?! Yes, please.) That’s why we rounded-up the best of the best nonstick cookware sets money can buy, so you can have all the convenience of easy, breezy cooking—minus the soap-sucking cleanup.

What goes into our decision-making? Quality is number one—nonstick cookware should be, well, nonstick. It should last more than a few uses, be made of a material that evenly conducts heat (and is compatible with your range, for starters), and has a high cooking capacity. More importantly, it should be safe—traditional nonstick coatings, like polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), leech into fumes and food, which isn’t healthy. Our picks skip the toxins and chemicals and aim for healthier options.

The best nonstick cookware sets money can buy

Best overall

Caraway, Cookware Set — $495.00

Turns out, the internet’s favorite cookware is our favorite cookware, too. Caraway reigns supreme as our best overall nonstick set, thanks to its ridiculous non-stickiness, top chef quality, and IG-worthy design.

The 4-piece ceramic set is coated in the brand’s legendary coating that’s free of any chemicals, toxins, or anything else that could harm your food. The result? Quite literally the easiest cookware you’ll ever have to wash (unless you pop it in the dishwasher, which you can). Sticky sauces, thick rouxs, day-old splatter—nothing is a match for these nonstick pans, which really are worth the hype.

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Runner up

All Clad, Essentials Nonstick Cookware Set — $150.00

All-Clad has been revered by professional chefs and home cooks alike for more than 50 years, thanks to its premium quality and long-lasting design. Seriously, a few of our editors swear by All-Clad for all-things cookware, nonstick and otherwise .

This 4-piece essentials set is made from heavy-duty aluminum that’s coated in a safe-but-serious nonstick coating for easy cleanup. It’s compatible with all sorts of ranges, and safe to use in an oven up to 500°F, perfect for broiling, roasting, and more. What we really love, though, is the nesting element—the three pans stack neatly into one another, so if you’re short on space, it makes storage that much more convenient.

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Best on Amazon

GreenLife, Soft Grip Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Pots and Pans Set — $100.00

Scour the Amazon reviews and you’ll find this top-rated nonstick cookware set that has won the hearts of 28,000+ happy home cooks. The size of the set alone is impressive (you get 16 pieces for just $100), but the nonstick factor is what people love most.

Made by Greenlife, everything is safe your the body and better for the planet. Of course, there are no toxins or heavy metals that can leech into your food, but it’s also made from recycled aluminum to reduce waste and uses a coating that creates less carbon emissions in the curing phase. The pans themselves are oven safe up to 350°F and can be used on gas and electric stovetops. The colors don’t hurt either, nor do the squishy, stay-cool handle that makes transport from stove to table a breeze.

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Best under $100

Amazon Basics, 8-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set — $42.00

Turns out, Amazon’s own nonstick cookware set is worthy of kitchen space, too. Just look at the 30,000+ glowing reviews on this 8-piece starter kit that praise everything from its price (duh) to its durability. These pots and pans are made from a safely coated aluminum that’s compatible with gas and electric stovetops. And you get a lot—there are two different frying pans, two sauce pans with matching lids, plus a 3-quart casserole pan with lid.

The downsides? They’re not compatible with induction ranges and they’re not dishwasher safe, so get your dish gloves out. But for $42, the price is unbeatable, making it a great gift for new grads or home chefs just getting into the cooking game.

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Best splurge

Viking, Hard-Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set — $500.00

If you’re going to spend the money on a nonstick set that isn’t Caraway, we recommend this Viking set. Here’s why: Viking is renowned in the cooking world for its ranges, and its cookware is just as impressive. These hardy pots and pans are made from aluminum and feature stainless steel bases that are compatible with all types of stovetops, so no worrying about whether your cookware is going to work or not.

As for the coating, it’s of course non-toxic and safe. But it’s also built to last—each pan is coated with three layers to ensure it holds up over time. That doesn’t mean you have to treat it like a newborn child—it’s dishwasher safe, so on the days you don’t feel like doing the dishes, pop it in the dishwasher worry-free.

Then there’s the impressive details you won’t find on budget-friendly cookware. Features like measurement markings on the interior of the Dutch oven for precise measurement, and tempered glass lids that lock in moisture for better cooking. Tldr: This set is worth the splurge.

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Best ceramic set

Calphalon, Classic Oil-Infused Ceramic 11-Piece Cookware Set — $300.00

Reminder: ceramic pans are actually ceramic coated, which gives it that non-stickiness. We love Calphalon’s classic oil-infused set, which features a sleek, slippery coating for hassle-free cooking.

Aside from the oil-infused coating, which eliminates the need for any extra butter or cooking oil, the pans themselves are hardy and long-lasting. Since they’re made of hard-anodized aluminum core, cooks and bakes come out evenly and tasting better than other materials. It’s durable, high-quality, and with 11-pieces included, a decent bang for your buck.

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Best single pan

Our Place, Always Pan — $145.00

Don’t need a whole new set, but ready to invest in a decent nonstick pan? Get the Our Place Always Pan. Yep, just like Caraway Cookware, this do-it-all pan you keep seeing on Instagram is way worth the hype.

For one, it’s nonstick, making cooking and clean-up easy peasy. But it’s also the equivalent of a multi-piece cookware set wrapped up into one pretty pan. Frying, sauteeing, steaming, boiling, straining, sauce-ing, stirring, plating—this pan does it all, thanks to unique features, like its steaming basket insert and its built-in wooden spatula handle. Oh, and it comes in a rainbow of colors that look so chic on your stovetop, you’ll never want to put it away.

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Best baking set

Great Jones, Fully Baked — $215.00

At-home pastry chefs and wanna-be Great British Bake Off champs, if you want to up your baking game, do it with this trendy Great Jones set. Looks aside, it really makes baking a piece of cake.

Each set comes with a large sheet pan, two cake rounds, a 10-inch pie dish, a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, and two loaf pans, all coated in heavy-duty nonstick coating that make sure your bakes come out beautiful. There’s no scraping the sides, no breaking corners, no worrying half of your cake is going to get left in the pan come decorating time. It’s a no-brainer for baking that comes in two adorable colors (broccoli green and blueberry blue) you won’t want to hide in your cabinets.

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Best for small spaces

Rachael Ray, Stackable 8-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set — $119.00

Birds, Russian dolls, cookware—we love things that nest. Like this stackable 8-piece set by Rachael Ray which nests neatly into each other to save space when you need it most. Besides the stacking feature, each piece is coated in layers of PlatinumShield Technology, aka, a really good, really safe coating that makes sure there’s no mess left behind.

When you’re done whipping up a meal, stack everything into the biggest pot and store away in your cabinets (or on your counter) until the next time you need it.

 

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Best for camping

GSI Outdoors, Pinnacle Camper Cook Set — $150.00

Camp chefs—next time you wander out into the Great Unknown, do it with this cook set by your side. It has everything you need to whip up meals for four hungry hikers, including three nonstick pieces that make prep and clean-up a breeze. From quick breakfasts before a hike, to full-blown meals on night’s of recovery, this set is quality and convenient.

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Lucky for ambitious home cooks, Institute of Culinary Education professional chef Adrienne Cheatham is spilling the beans on the cooking tools she shelled out for after graduating from culinary school. As you can imagine, as a budding chef, she already had the basics, but once she got schooled in the kitchen (literally), she realized there were a few tools that made meal prep and cooking a heck of a lot easier.

Rounded up here are five chef-recommended cooking tools, courtesy of Cheatham. Your kitchen skills are about to reach new heights—just in time for the marathon of holiday meal prep.

5 chef-recommended cooking tools

Plastic Bowl Scraper — $5.00

“I use a bowl scraper all the time,” Cheatham says of this $5 cooking tool. Never heard of it? She explains that a bowl scraper is used to get every bit of dough, batter, or whatever contents are in your bowl out. The edge is rounded so it bends to the shape of a bowl. “It does a way better job than using a spatula,” Cheatham says. The flat side of the bowl scraper works as a dull knife that can be used to cut through dough.

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Bench Scraper & Chopper, Set of 2 — $8.00

A bench scraper is used differently from a bowl scraper, but Cheatham says it’s just as handy. “Unlike a bowl scraper, a bench scraper is metal and is firm; it does not bend,” she says. Similar to the bowl scraper, it has a dull knife which is handy for cutting dough. But since it’s made of metal, it does a better job of cutting portions for foods like lasagna and casseroles, too. “You can also use it to clean your cutting boards, getting anything leftover off in one movement,” Cheatham says. What’s more, your bench scraper tool is just the thing for transporting ingredients from one area of the kitchen to the other, like when you’re bringing green beans from the cutting board to the cooktop.

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Ziruma Teak Wood Cutting Board — $50.00

Cheatham says a thick, sturdy cutting board is something she uses constantly. “I have a heavy, wooden cutting board that I use a lot,” she says. Wooden cutting boards are more durable than plastic, making them great everyday cooking tools. This teak one is made to last for a full 50 years. It also comes with beeswax, which acts as a protective coating on the board’s surface.

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Zeffy Plasti Cutting Boards — $14.00

Cutting boards are used so much in cooking that Cheatham doesn’t just have her single wooden one out when whipping up a meal. Instead, she has a plastic one (or several) handy, too. “If I’m chopping something small, I don’t necessarily need the big wooden one,” she says. “Plastic cutting boards are lighter and easier to clean. Often, they’re just more convenient.” They’re also less porous than wood, which makes them ideal for cutting raw meat or fish—two foods that are highly prone to cross-contamination when you’re using the same cutting board to prep all your ingredients. These colored ones are brilliant for just that reason: Red is for beef, blue is for seafood, green is for fruit, and so on. Her expert option is that it’s worth investing in both types.

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Deiss Pro Microplane — $11.00

The last cooking tool on Cheatham’s must-have list is a handy dandy microplane. “I use it for everything, like zesting lemon, grating Parmesan cheese, or mincing ginger,” she says. “It’s great for mincing garlic, too, because it won’t make your hands smell all garlicky.” If you’re looking to save time in the kitchen, this tool is endlessly useful.

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Sure, pots, pans, and spatulas are all essential for cooking. But you knew that already, right? The tools Cheatham highlighted above are the under-the-radar ones pro chefs use to save time. And saving time when it comes to meal prep and cooking is pretty much priceless.

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There are a few things you should look out for in any good knife set (namely, which knives are actually included), but then there are many other subjective factors, like style of knives, whether or not you want a block, and how much you want to spend. To help you sharpen up your options, we talked to a number of chefs to find out what you should look for in a knife set and which ones they prefer or use themselves. Ahead, find 16 of the best knife sets to have in your kitchen, so you can get cracking on all the pumpkin recipes for the season.

Best knife sets at a glance

• Best overall: WÜSTHOF Classic Seven Piece Knife Block Set
• Best classic: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Professional “S” 7-Piece Knife Block Set
• Best self-sharpening: Calphalon Classic Self-Sharpening 12-Piece Cutlery Set
• Best with steak knives: WÜSTHOF Classic 12-Piece Block Set
• Best minimalist: Material The Knives + Stand
• Best knife roll: Mercer Culinary Genesis 7-Piece Forged Knife Roll Set
• Best for professionals: Wolf 7 Piece Cutlery Set
• Best Japanese: Shun Premier Blonde 5-Piece Knife Block Set
• Best lower maintenance Japanese: Global Classic 7-Piece Takashi Knife Wood Block Set
• Best budget: Amazon Basics 18-Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set
• Best lightweight: Cuisinart 15-Piece Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Block Set
• Best with heat-resistant handles: Ginsu Gourmet Chikara Series Forged 8-Piece Japanese Steel Knife Set
• Best essentials: Misen Essentials Knife Set
• Best portable: Victorinox Forschner 7 Pc Fibrox Deluxe Culinary Knife Roll Set
• Best splurge: Coltellerie Berti 5 Piece Insieme Kitchen Knife Set
• Best unique design: Silverthorn Knife & Tool Set
• Best value: Chicago Cutlery Fusion 17 Piece Kitchen Knife Set
• Best with sustainable handles: Made In The Knife Set
• Best chef-designed: Cangshan Thomas Keller Signature Collection

What to look for in a knife set

First and foremost, when shopping for a knife set, make sure it has all the essential knives you need. You also need to decide if you prefer Eastern or Western style knives, if you want to add on additional knives beyond the essentials, and consider what materials the knives are made of.

Additionally, you may want to consider storage of a knife set. A block can help organize all your knives in one place and protect the blades, but it can also take up counter space. If your set doesn’t include a block, you can also store them using in-drawer inserts or a magnetic strip.

What are the 3 most important knives in a kitchen?

Regardless of how many pieces are in a knife set, most chefs agree that there are three essential knives to have: a chef’s knife, paring knife, and serrated knife. You don’t need many knives for day-to-day cooking, says Button, who says she only uses those three knives and either a boning knife or petty (also known as utility knife). Horn also considers a 5-6” petty knife an essential knife as well, as “it’s a great workhorse when you don’t want to unveil your chef’s knife,” and can be used on things like mushrooms, herbs, or even a quick breakdown of fruits.

What knives do you actually need?

Keefe says the foundation of your knife set will be an 8” or 9” chef’s knife, which is the knife you’ll likely reach for most often. You want something that almost feels like an extension of your hand: it should fit in your hand and not overwhelm it in length or weight. “It doesn’t matter how good the set is if you don’t love the chef’s knife,” she says.

Once you’ve got your three knives nailed down, look for a pair of kitchen shears, a steel, and a knife sharpener,” adds Carla Contreras, a chef, food stylist, photographer, and health coach.

Eastern or Western Style

There are traditionally two styles of knives: Eastern (i.e., Japanese) and Western. The difference between the two, explains Keefe, comes down to the blade and the shape of the blade. Western-style knives have two blades (it comes to a point) and generally have more of a curve, whereas Japanese knives have one blade (it looks slightly slanted) and tend to be straighter. “A sharp knife is the best knife, so it’s all about sharpening, and many believe that a Japanese knife is sharper because of the type of blade,” says Keefe. But at the end of the day, it’s about knowing the difference between sharpening each type and which you’re likely to do.

Traditionally, Eastern knives are sharpened on a whetstone and take more care, adds Contreras, while Western knives usually require less maintenance. There are also hybrid designs, and both can be easily maintained with a steel. You still need to sharpen the blade with home use at least once a month for heavy use and every few months for lighter use, she says, but you can also take your knives to a professional to get them sharpened if you don’t want to do it yourself.

“If you aren’t a blacksmith, now is not the time to start,” says Horn. “Honing your blade with a steel (preferably ceramic) is great for keeping your knife’s edge even and in the middle.”

What do you need to know before you purchase a knife set?

Chef Alain Allegretti of Fig & Olive Restaurant Group says to keep in mind a few things before making your purchase decision. For example, material (steel, carbon or ceramic), weight, comfort and balance, left-handed or right-handed, and more importantly the type of knife you are looking for and what task you are looking to accomplish, are all important to consider. “Knives can be investments and having good knives in the kitchen can make all the difference in cooking and enjoying your time in the kitchen,” he says.

What makes a high quality knife?

For high quality knives, it’s all about the blade.

Knife Materials

Most high quality knives are made out of high carbon stainless steel, which is low maintenance and rust-resistant, says Contreras, who teaches basic knife skills, sharpening, and care in her online cooking school, Cook+Chop. “I also love ceramic knives for food styling. They are incredibly sharp but very delicate,” she says. It’s also important that the knives can achieve and maintain sharp edges, because sharp knives are the goal (and are safer to have in the kitchen).

Full Tang

“You want to make sure that you can see the metal part from the tip all the way to the edge of the handle,” says Meg Walker, Executive Chef & CEO of Made by Meg Catering. This is called “full tang,” which shows you that the metal runs through the whole length of the knife and won’t break in the middle of chopping or cooking. “The metal part of many lower quality knives is simply fused into the plastic handle rather than running all the way through, making it easy for it to snap off,” says Walker.

Should I buy a knife set or separate knives for separate tasks?

While it’s hard to argue with the ease and convenience of a knife set, many chefs recommend building your own. “Trust me, each knife has a purpose and it’s not a one-size-fits-all. You also need way less than you think you do,” says Keefe.

We tend to use only one or two knives in a home kitchen, says Michelle Hernandez, pastry chef and owner of Le Dix-Sept Patisserie in San Francisco. And it’s easier to care for a couple of knives and keep them sharp than a larger set at home. She recommends buying three high-quality knives at a specialty knives store—if it’s a quality knife, it will last a lifetime, she says.

In what order should I buy my kitchen knives?

Start with a 8” chef’s knife, a 4” paring knife, and a serrated bread knife, and you can add on from there. You’ll also need a sharpening blade, which you should use every time before using your knife. The key is quality over quantity. “One of my chefs that I worked for in France told me you only need one good knife to do everything in the kitchen,” Hernandez says. Some of her favorite knives include a Wusthof 8” chef’s knife, which is a great sturdy, starter knife; Material’s almost 4” knife or Victorinox Utility Knife; and a Wusthof “double serrated” bread knife to slice through crusty loaves

If you’re looking for domestic craft knives, Button recommends South Carolina-based Middleton Made Knives, which makes comfortable, well-made knives for everyday use, and Vermont-based Chelsea Miller Knives, one of the few female knife makers in the country. “Choosing a domestic craft knife allows you to get to know your knife maker, talk to them about what you want and how you’re going to use it,” she adds.

Best kitchen knife sets

Best overall: WÜSTHOF Classic Seven Piece Knife Block Set — $280.00

These Wusthof knives have blades that are precision-forged from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel and synthetic handles. This is another seven-piece set that includes an 8″ cook’s knife, 3 1/2″ paring knife, 6″ utility knife, 8″ bread knife, 9″ honing steel, kitchen shears, and a 13-slot storage block so you have extra room to stash some extra knives you pick up later.

“This was my first set of professional knives and what got me through culinary school. Wusthof makes quality knives that will last for decades. I find the grip and handles are smooth and comfortable, but some people may find these knives to be a little heavy, especially the chef’s knife,” says Devan Cameron, chef and owner of Braised & Deglazed, a food-focused website with recipes, tips and inspiration for the home cook.

Wusthof “are great workhorse knives. They are affordable, have a heavier and durable blade and last forever,” says Katie Button, award-winning chef, restaurateur, and host of the series From the Source on Magnolia Network.

Pros

• Each knife is made from one piece of steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Handles are full tang
• Full bolster protects fingers

Cons

• Storage block has extra knife slots, which may not be needed

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Best classic: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Professional "S" 7-Piece Knife Block Set — $350.00

This Henckels seven-piece set has everything you need to start testing our some new recipes, including an 8″ chef’s knife, 4″ paring knife, 5″ serrated utility knife, 6″ slicing knife, kitchen shears, honing steel, and a wood storage block to hold everything in one place.

“This is basic and beautiful. I love how simple it is. This set will last for a lifetime,” says Contreras. Adds Zoë François, pastry chef and host of Zoë Bakes on Magnolia Network, “Henkel were my very first set of knives and they still hold up 30+ years later.

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Best knife sets with block

Best self-sharpening: Calphalon Classic Self-Sharpening 12-Piece Cutlery Set — $119.00

The block included this set has built-in ceramic sharpeners, ensuring your knives are nice and sharp every time you remove or put them back into the block. There are six, 12, and 15-piece options depending on what knives you need. The 12-piece includes a 8″ chef’s knife, 6″ serrated utility knife, 4.5″ paring knife, 5″ Santoku knife, six steak knives, kitchen shears, and the block. And to make it easier for you to grab the right knife at the right time, most of the knives have labeled handles.

Pros

• Made from high carbon
• Riveted handles help with grip
• Handles are full tang
• Storage block has ceramic sharpeners built in

Cons

• Don’t have as much control sharpening your knives

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Best with steak knives: WÜSTHOF Classic 12-Piece Block Set — $550.00

This Wusthof 12-piece set includes all your go-to cutlery: A 6″ and 8″ cook’s knife, 3 1/2″ paring knife, a 6″ utility knife, and 8″ bread knife”— as well as a steel, kitchen shears, and four steak knives to help you properly enjoy your dinners at home.

Allegretti suggests this set for at home use. “This has the essentials for anyone to use in their home kitchen—they are sharp, durable, and affordable.”

Pros

• Each knife is made from one piece of steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Ergonomic handles
• Full bolster protects fingers

Cons

• May not need all the extra steak knives

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Best minimalist: Material The Knives + Stand — $225.00

Simple and sleek, Material’s set includes an 8″ chef’s knife, 6″ serrated knife, and an almost 4″ paring knife, as well as a walnut or beech stand. The knives have three layers of Japanese stainless steel and carbon to be both super sharp and durable, and the stand is magnetized for easy storage. The knives + stand were also a pick for Oprah’s Favorite Things 2021.

Pros

• Includes just your three essential knives
• Made from Japanese stainless steel and high carbon
• Includes slim, magnetic wood stand

Cons

• No sharpener or steel included

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Best knife sets for chefs

Best knife roll: Mercer Culinary Genesis 7-Piece Forged Knife Roll Set — $162.00

There’s no block included in this set, but there is a knife roll that will make you think you’re a contestant on Top Chef. The roll has a non-slip grip, can withstand hot and cold temperatures, and has seven pockets to hold the knives included in this set: A paring knife, utility knife, flexible boning knife, bread knife, chef’s knife, and sharpening steel.

Says Contreras, “This is a culinary school kit by Mercer. These are incredible knives and some of my favorites! They are affordable and last for ages.”

Pros

• Made from high carbon German steel
• Ergonomic handles
• Storage roll is portable and wipes clean
• Includes steel

Cons

• Storage roll fabric is thin so need to be careful of weight and sharp knives

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Best for professionals: Wolf 7 Piece Cutlery Set — $640.00

Wolf is synonymous with professional-level kitchen appliances, and this applies to their knives, too. This set comes with four knives—bread, paring, chef’s, and Santoku—with high carbon stainless steel blades and moisture-resistant wood handles. You also get a honing steel, kitchen shears, and a wood block that has a tablet/book rest on the back if you need to refer to some new or old recipes.

This set was made with industry professions in mind, says Aceq chef and owner Elijah Safford. “While comfortable and easy to use, the knives are designed to last since it was made in line with Japanese precision and German durability. At home, I use each instrument for prepping big meals or making a quick meal after a long night,” he says.

Pros

• Each knife is made from one piece of stainless steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Handle fits in left or right hand

Cons

• Expensive
• Block has extra knife slots

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Best Japanese knife sets

Best Japanese: Shun Premier Blonde 5-Piece Knife Block Set — $490.00

Shun knives are handcrafted in Japan with hand-hammered blades and wooden knives, making them lightweight, effective, and attractive on your counter. The slim bamboo block holds an 8″ chef’s knife, 4″ paring knife, 6 1/2″ utility knife, and a combination honing steel.

“Shun makes great knives both for the professional and the home chef. Great blade that will retain its edge with good care, ” say Khoran Horn, a Philadelphia-based chef and restaurateur.

Pros

• Each blade has microthin layers of stainless steel
• Hand-hammered finish
• Handles have a two-position design
• Includes honing steel and storage block

Cons

• Expensive

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Best lower maintenance Japanese: Global Classic 7-Piece Takashi Knife Wood Block Set — $400.00

Handcrafted in Japan, Global knives have been made using the same tradition for decades and have super sharp edges that have been ground into a point. No matter what you’re slicing or chopping, the knives in this set—8″ chef’s, 3″ peeling, 4 1/4″ utility, 5 1/2″ vegetable, and 9″ bread— will make meal prep a breeze. When it’s time to resharpen those blades, you can use the included ceramic honing rod.

“This is an Eastern style designed knife set that can be sharpened like Western knives, which makes them a lot easier to care for. The design is simple and beautiful,” says Contreras.

Pros

• Made from stainless steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Handles are sand-filled for balance and control
• Ergonomic handles

Cons

• Stainless steel handles may be harder to grip

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Best knife sets from Amazon

Best budget: Amazon Basics 18-Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set — $68.00

If you’re looking for some bang for your buck, this 18-piece Amazon Basics set is it. It includes a chef’s Santoku, slicing, bread, utility, boning, and paring knife, as well as shears, a sharpener, a knife block, and eight steak knives. All the knives have stainless steel blades and ergonomic handles. The extremely affordable set also has over 13,000 five-star reviews, with one reviewer saying, “There is nothing flimsy about the blades…thick, sturdy and they seem to hold an edge. The full tang adds strength and balance, a bonus not usually found when purchasing inexpensive knives.”

Pros

• Made of high carbon stainless steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Handles are full tang
• Affordable

Cons

• Includes more knives than you probably need

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Best lightweight: Cuisinart 15-Piece Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Block Set — $60.00

The stainless steel knives in this set have precision-tapered ground blades and hollow handles, making them sharp and lightweight enough to handle even the biggest jobs in the kitchen. The set includes 15 pieces, including a chef’s knife, a Santoku knife, a paring knife, six steak knives, shears, and more. The set is highly rated on Amazon, with reviews like this one: “First things first; they are SHARP. I can only cut with one hand and these bad boys slice through tomatoes like nobody’s business. One handed cutters dream!! Second, they are GORGEOUS. I am beyond proud of displaying them. Third, they have a wonderful balance to them.”

Pros

• Made from high carbon stainless steel
• Includes honing steel and storage block
• Lightweight
• Affordable

Cons

• Stainless steel handles may be harder to grip
• Storage block has extra knife slots, which may not be needed

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Best with heat-resistant handles: Ginsu Gourmet Chikara Series Forged 8-Piece Japanese Steel Knife Set — $120.00

Ginsu knives are forged from Japanese stainless steel and have traditional rounded handles that are heat resistant. The set includes five different knives, a honing rod, kitchen shears, and bamboo storage block. One reviewer said, “These knives are sharp! They are balanced well and the round grip works fine. I like the variety of knives in the set—I have used the chef’s knife for chopping, the Santoku for slicing, the paring knife for peeling and hand-cutting things like broccoli. The scissors are super sharp and cut through anything, even splitting a chicken.”

Pros

• Each knife is made from one piece of Japanese stainless steel
• Streamlined handles
• Extended tangs
• Includes hong steel and storage block

Cons

• Some reviewers report rust on the blades

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Best knife sets for the money

Best essentials: Misen Essentials Knife Set — $150.00

For minimalists, this Misen set includes just the essentials: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife. Top Chef season 18 contestant Sara Hauman calls it “the best knife set for home use and is reasonably priced and made from steel that will stay sharp and can take a beating from everyday use. The set includes three knives that are really all you need to tackle any kitchen task.” There’s also a five-piece set that has the essentials, plus a Santoku knife and utility knife.

Pros

• Made with AICHI steel
• Just the three essential knives
• Unique bolster

Cons

• Doesn’t include a honing steel

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Best portable: Victorinox Forschner 7 Pc Fibrox Deluxe Culinary Knife Roll Set — $188.00

This knife roll set can be used be amateur or pro chefs, and includes five different knives, including an offset wavy bread knife, a sharpening steel, and a handy polyester bag to store it all away without taking up too much room. “Victorinox makes great but affordable knives. It’s worth noting that these knives won’t keep their edge as long as Wusthof or Henckel knives but they’re still easily sharpened. I highly recommend Victorinox knives for their very reasonable price and comfortable grips,” says Cameron.

Pros

• Made with high carbon stainless steel
• Roll bag is lightweight and portable
• Bolsterless edges so you can use the entire blade
• Slip-resistant handles

Cons

• Reviewers say they’re hard to keep sharp

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Best high-end knife sets

Best splurge: Coltellerie Berti 5 Piece Insieme Kitchen Knife Set — $2,128.00

Handmade in Italy since 1895, Berti knives are almost works of art. Each knife is made by one craftsman from start to finish,  and their initials are engraved in the blade. This set of knives has lucite carbon handles and stainless steel blades, and includes a chef’s, utility, paring, and bread knife. Each knife has its own wood block (with a picture of the knife and its Italian name on the front), and the blocks can be magnetized together or kept separated. Oh, and the brand is also a favorite of Giada De Laurentiis‘.

“Berti makes a pretty and pretty good knife set that can be bought individually or separately, the ‘block’ actually snaps together,” says Ashton Keefe, a chef and food stylist.

Pros

• Made from stainless steel
• Each knife is handmade by a single craftsman
• Storage block pieces can snap together or be separated

Cons

• Expensive

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Best unique design: Silverthorn Knife & Tool Set — $450.00

For a knife set that’s not like what all your other friends have, Horn is a fan of these sets from a hyper local blacksmith out of North Carolina. ‘He pours love into his blades and each is unique, with special steel mixes to create patina over time. For the adventurous chef.” You can choose between sets of trimming, boning, and petty knives, and they all have colorful handles you’ll love looking at while you slice and dice away.

Pros

• Handmade by a blacksmith
• Unique handle designs
• Made with O1 tool steel

Cons

• Doesn’t have chef’s knives
• Expensive

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Best no-rust knife sets

Best value: Chicago Cutlery Fusion 17 Piece Kitchen Knife Set — $100.00

You’ll never be without whatever sharp knife you need with this set, which includes a chef’s knife, serrated bread knife, two Santoku knifes, a utility knife, a paring, eight steak knives, a sharpening steel, a chop assist, and a wood block.  The blades are made with high-carbon stainless steel and designed to be stain- and rust-resistant.

Pros

• Affordable
• High-carbon stainless steel
• Includes all the essentials and a sharpening steel
• Includes wood block

Cons

• Bulkier block

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Best with sustainable handles: Made In The Knife Set — $485.00

Made in France by a 5th generation bladesmith, each of these Made in knives is crafted from a single rod of stainless steel and hardened with nitrogen. They’re finished with stylish, smooth handles made from sustainably-sourced reclaimed olive oil—you’ll want to show these off on your counter. The set includes a chef’s knife, bread knife, paring knife, and a Naikiri knife, which has a blunt-nose blade.

Pros

• Made be a bladesmith
• Full tang
• Stainless steel
• Attractive handles

Cons

• No block

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Best chef-designed: Cangshan Thomas Keller Signature Collection — $796.00

Even if you haven’t dined at one of Thomas Keller’s Michelin-starred restaurants, you can cook at home with knives designed by the chef himself. This knife set is designed by Keller (his name is on the blade and handle) and made by cutlery brand Cangshan, and includes a pairing knife, a utility knife, two chef’s knives, a bread knife, and a carving knife. And if you’re low on counter but not on wall space, the set includes a magnetic bar instead of a block, which makes it easier to see and reach for the right knife. The knifes have full-tang construction and are made from Swedish Damasteel RWL34 powdered steel, which is hard and corrosion-resistant.

Pros

• Chef-designed
• Swedish Damasteel RWL34 powdered steel
• Full-tang
• Magnetic bar saves counterspace

Cons

• Expensive

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And especially right now, when you’re likely spending a lot more time in your own kitchen—even if it’s just to throw a frozen pizza in the oven—giving every utensil and ingredient its own spot can help you stay efficient, calm, and (most importantly) pumped to whip up meal after meal.

Not sure where to start? Consider these six affordable organizing staples from Walmart your gateway to a clutter-free, streamlined pantry, or, you know, the cupboard where you keep your food. Knowing you can post a casually gorgeous pantry still life on Instagram Stories at any moment (if the feeling moves you) is just a bonus.

Ready to learn how to organize your pantry? Keep scrolling for six stylish, functional must-haves.

MegaChef Kitchen Food Storage and Organization 5 Piece Canister Set, $38

Step number one in the how to organize your pantry handbook? Stock up on all your cooking basics and find somewhere to put them. These food-safe storage canisters make great homes for coffee, sugar, and the like (and the matte gray finish will look styled and fresh no matter how many loose coffee grinds you spill around them).

Better Homes & Gardens 3-Piece Reactive Finish Vase Set, $32

Okay, so we wouldn’t recommend storing pasta in these, but in order to be truly happy spending time in your kitchen, you need a few pops of color and a place to plop any impulse-buy bouquets. (Because fresh flowers have never made a space less inviting.)

Better Homes & Gardens Outdoor Melamine Grey Terazzo Serve Bowl, $15

Got open shelves or cabinets? Pretty serving bowls can double as decorative art pieces. This one’s dishwasher safe, great for storing little knickknacks, tea bags, or treats, and—when it’s on the dinner table—will make any salad seem 10 times more exciting.

Better Homes & Gardens Large Rectangle Wire Orb Baskets, $30 for 3

Whether they’re storing fruits and veggies, extra dish towels, or cleaning supplies, these bronze wire baskets will get the job done and make said supplies look instantly fancy.

Farberware 15-inch x 21-inch Hardwood Cutting Board, $20

You need a cutting board for all the veggie chopping you’re going to be doing in your new kitchen oasis, so you might as well make it an aesthetically pleasing one.  To that end, this classic hardwood board adds a rustic touch to any shelf.

Home Basics 4-Piece Glass Clear Canister Set, $12 

Whether you’re displaying nuts or cereal in these clear canisters, no pantry is really complete without classic glass jars. Airtight lids make sure whatever you’re storing stays fresh, and spoons attached to the side make for convenient serving. And really, what sparks more joy than knowing your pistachios have their own specially devoted spoon?

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Here’s the thing about meal prep: It looks so attainable, so easy, so perfect, in the gridded world of Instagram. However, the process to actually achieving perfectly pre-packaged meals, however, requires a whole lot of time and effort—and I’ve always struggled to know how to start. To help bring my healthy foodie dreams to fruition, I chatted with registered clinical nutritionist Gabriela Peacock and registered dietician Jennifer Maeng, RD, CDN, of Chelsea Nutrition. They say that meal prep success comes down to three components: recipes, time, and tools.

First and foremost, “make the foods you actually enjoy and want to eat,” Peacock says. “If you have a pre-prepared lunch that you hate, you’re way more likely to ignore it and end up browsing the snack aisle of your local shop.” Maeng agrees, saying that it’s best to prepare meals in advance that make your mouth water, versus preparing a boring meal that you’re pre-committing to eat in the future. (Need some ideas? You can’t go wrong with with this healthy meal plan.)

It’s also crucial to factor in enough time to get all of your cooking done—and no, that doesn’t mean you have to spend every Sunday working over a hot stove. “For my busy clients, I usually recommend twice per week, which means meal prepping two to three days in advance. Then they don’t have to freeze and reheat their meals and the food is always fresh,” Maeng says. Plus, when you only prep three days in advance, Peacock adds that you’re less likely to get bored of what you’re eating.

As for the right meal prep containers and tools, this is where things get tricky. While it might seem like a no-brainer to put any and all food prep into randomly hoarded plastic take-out containers and gallon baggies, both experts urge people to consider the environment when meal prepping. “I try not to use any disposable plastic or minimize it as much as possible,” Peacock says. “At home I store my pre-prepared food in Kilner jars, glass dishes and bowls, and use reusable seals or bee’s wrap to keep them fresh.” Maeng similarly tries to avoid plastic of all kinds, even if it’s BPA-free. “I prefer eco-friendly silicone, glass, paper, wood, or stainless steel kitchen tools and containers,” she says.

Beyond that, the container you choose depends largely on the food you plan to store in it. “For wet food storage—sauces and cooked foods—I prefer [freezable] and microwavable glass Tupperware,” says Maeng. (For meals that don’t need to be reheated, she uses stainless steel containers.) “For dry or semi-dry foods I use silicone, paper, and glass. I also use cotton mesh bags to organize produce in my fridge.” She says that cotton mesh bags are breathable and thus can help extend the life on your produce, minimizing food waste. “For cut fruits like lemons, avocados, and tomatoes, I use silicone caps or beeswax wrap,” she adds, noting that these are also great for snack storage.

If you’re planning on bringing your prepped meals with you on the go, you might want to reconsider glass options (because, you know, they’re heavy). “If I’m taking my leftovers or meal prep to work or when I travel, I use my bamboo lunchbox or bee’s wraps,” Peacock adds. Additionally, if you’re comfortable with reusable, BPA-free plastic, segmented containers and bento boxes are great options, so long as you don’t buy in bulk (after all, the environment).

Got all that? Shop the tools below to get your meal prep journey started in style:

Expert-approved meal prep essentials

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Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers

$24

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Tavva Stainless Steel Food Containers

$30

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PackIt Mod Lunch Bento Food Storage Container

$15

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Bee's Wrap Reuseable Food Wrap

$18

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Stasher Reusable Silicone Bag, Multi-Pack

$54

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Purifyou Premium Reusable Mesh Produce Bags

$15

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Mcool Silicone Straws

$7

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Food Huggers Reusable Silicone Food Savers

$13

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Grub2Go Japanese Bento Box

$25

If you want to further encourage yourself to meal prep, check out these hard boiled egg meal prep recipes and vegan Instant Pot recipes that make cooking a cinch.

“It’s so easy to go overboard and want it all!” says Isabel Maples, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Whether you’re building up your chef’s arsenal to start a healthy cooking habit or just want to perfect your game, you definitely don’t want things falling on your feet every time you open your cupboard.

So what tools do you really need to avoid kitchen overload? We talked with eight nutritionists and healthy chefs to get the lowdown on the 13 kitchen essentials they absolutely can’t cook without.

1. Electric tea kettle

A watched (tea)pot never boils…so set your electric tea kettle and forget it. Plant-based, whole-foods chef Katie Simmons says she uses her kettle to boil water for stewing quick oats or soaking grains like couscous and bulgur. Or make her quick miso soup by using your kettle to boil a quart of water. Pour into a pot, add 2 tablespoons miso, grated ginger, and a dash of red chili pepper, and bring back to a boil. Let it steep for about 10 to 15 minutes, and enjoy!

Buy it: AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Porrtable Electric Hot Water Kettle ($21); Cosori Electric Kettle ($31)

2. Immersion blender

Stick this handheld gadget directly into your cooking pot to blend up creamy sauces, milkshakes, batter for muffins, or spreads like hummus. Because you don’t have to transfer your ingredients to a food processor, it saves time and dishes (the blender attachment itself even pops off and can go in the dishwasher, says Maples). Another big plus: it takes a lot less space than a blender or food processor. Simmons recommends the Breville and Cuisinart blenders; get one with a warranty of at least two years.

Buy it: Cuisinart CSB-79 Smart Stick 2 Speed Hand Blender ($40); Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender ($87);

3. Reusable silicone bags

Do the environment (and your health) a favor by skipping the single-use plastic Ziplock bags for reusable silicone bags. “These are brand-new, and totally worth seeking out,” says Torey Armul, R.D., spokesperson for AND.

A clear panel allows you to see inside, and an airtight seal ensures nothing spills. Use them for on-the-go snacks and meals or to freeze, steam, and microwave foods. Because they’re soft and flexible, they take up less space in your bag than glass or plastic containers.

Buy it: Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bag ($12); rezip Lay-Flat Lunch Leakproof Reusable Storage Bag ($20 for 5)

4. Food processor

Chopping is the bane of every home cook’s existence. Enter the food processor: Simmons uses her Breville at least five times a week. “It’s worth the extra cost to get a brand that lasts for a long time,” she says.

Make hummus and other dips from scratch as well as no-bake treats like trail mix bars and walnut brownies. Or use a food processor to puree veggies for burgers, chickpeas for falafel, macadamia nuts for vegan “cheese,” and sun-dried tomatoes for pesto sauce.

Buy it: Hamilton Beach 70730 Food Processor ($45); Breville Sous Chef 12-Cup Food Processor ($279)

5. Blender

Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, founder and CEO of Nutritious Life, says she uses her blender almost every morning to make smoothies for herself and her kids. “It’s the one gadget I always keep out on my counter. It’s so versatile!” she says.

Other than making smoothies, blenders prep ingredients and add the finishing touches to a meal. Use your blender to whip up a quick sauce or salsa, puree cooked veggies to make soup, or blitz a pile of nuts and seeds for bread that would take a lot longer to chop by hand.

Buy it: NutriBullet NBR-1201 High-Speed Blender/Mixer ($50); Oster Pro 1200 Blender ($55)

6. Rasp grater

The rasp grater sort of looks like a giant nail file. “The long and soft handle makes it so much easier to use than a traditional grater. No worries about cutting your knuckles!” says Lindsey Pine, RDN, owner of TastyBalance Nutrition.

A rasp grater is the secret to finely-grated citrus zest, which adds a bright flavor to many recipes. You can also use it to finely grate ginger, garlic, nutmeg, chocolate, and hard cheeses. Pine uses hers to make gremolata, or a combination of lemon zest, chopped parsley, and garlic (check out her Green Beans Gremolata recipe).

Buy it: OXO Good Grips Zester and Grater ($10); Microplane 40020 Classic Zester ($13)

7. Silicone baking mat

Hate scrubbing pans? Get yourself a silicone baking mat. Since it’s reusable and dishwasher-safe, it’s more environmentally-sustainable than parchment paper or foil—and it comes in a variety of sizes to fit your sheet pans. Use the non-stick surface to roll dough, bake cookies and pastries, and roast veggies and fish (try Pine’s roasted red cabbage and shallots with hard apple cider glaze or walnut meringue cookies). It’s also freezer-safe for making yogurt or chocolate bark.

Buy it: Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat ($12); Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat ($25)

8. Air fryer

Just because “fryer” is in the name doesn’t mean it’s bad for you. Instead of using oil to cook foods, like a deep fryer, air fryers circulate hot air for a crispy, delish texture. Because you can use basically any veggies in your fridge—even the super limp ones—it helps reduce food waste. Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of BetterThanDieting.com, author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table, says her Philips Air Fryer saves her time, money, and unnecessary calories.

“My kids love ‘fried’ potatoes, chicken fingers and fish sticks, but you can also think outside the meal menu and create delicious snacks like kale chips or mushroom chips,” says Taub-Dix. Just add your favorite seasonings and a spritz of oil.

Buy it: Ninja Air Fryer ($92); Philips Starfish Technology Airfryer ($129)

9. High-quality chef’s knife

Don’t even think about chopping foods with a small paring knife! Waste of time!

“The right knife can save so much time during meal prep,” says chef and dietitian Allison Schaaf, founder of PrepDish.com. “A good-quality, sharp chef’s knife ensures speedy and more precise chopping.” She recommends the 7-inch Shun Santuko knife and Wusthoff knifes. Just be sure to sharpen your knives every few months.

Buy it: Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife ($35); Shun DM0702 Classic 7-Inch Santuko knife ($130)

10. Glass storage containers

Containers might not come to mind as a kitchen gadget—but Schaaf says they’re essential for meal prep (she likes Glasslock containers). Chop your veggies and cook your grains ahead of time and store them in the fridge to keep them fresh for longer and use in recipes later. They’re also great for sauces, soups, and stews. Get the most out of your leftovers by transferring the containers from fridge to freezer.

Buy it: Bayco 24-Piece Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids ($30); Glasslock 18-Piece Assorted Oven-Safe Container Set ($40)

11. Handheld milk frother

Here’s an easy way to save yourself $4 (or more) every day: Make your morning caffeine at home. Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, registered dietitian and owner of BZ Nutrition in NYC, says her Aerolatte milk frother is the single most-used item in her kitchen. It’s obviously ideal for frothing the milk in lattes and cappuccinos—but it’s also perfect for matcha tea or lattes. “The electric whisk blends the matcha powder so perfectly that I never have any clumps. Using the traditional wooden whisk took more time and was less consistent with its blend-ability,” she says.

Buy it: Boskenkitchen Electric Milk Frother ($10); Aerolatte Handheld Milk Frother ($20)

12. Spiralizer

Love veggie noodles? A spiralizer is an easy way to make them at home—ensuring a lower price and fresh vegetables of your choice. Zeitlin preps zucchini and sweet potato noodles on Sunday night to use as high-fiber bases for protein mains like grilled chicken, salmon, or turkey meatballs with tomato sauce. With a little prep work, dinner’s ready in 10 minutes or less during the work week.

Buy it: Paderno World Cuisine 3-Blade Vegetable Slicer ($24); Spiralizer Ultimate 7 ($25)

13. Instant Pot

If you don’t love to cook (or don’t have the time) and still want to eat healthy, homemade meals, get yourself an Instant Pot—the speedy version of the crock pot. “The time saver isn’t just the cooking time but also the time you save with meal prep, defrosting time, and clean up. Just toss the pot in the dishwasher and its ready to go again tomorrow!” says Zeitlin.

Instant Pots can cook almost anything: fish, meat, sauce, soups, chilis, hardboiled eggs. (And there are tons of recipes for various different eating plans, including the Mediterranean diet and the keto diet.) Add frozen chicken breasts with some spices and broth to the pot, and 12 minutes later you have perfectly-cooked chicken to pair with veggies for dinner. Shred leftovers to toss onto your salad the next day.

Buy it: Instant Pot DUO60 ($75); Instant Pot Ultra ($104)

Ready to start cooking? Here’s what a serving size of your favorite foods actually looks like. And have you joined our “Cook With Us” Facebook group yet?

But if you’re prepared for it, spending the day (or, uh, weekend) inside is perfectly okay. You can do your shopping online, stream a workout from your tablet, and—as long as your kitchen is stocked with the essentials—master every meal like a top chef.

“When it’s cold outside I don’t want to leave the house, so it’s super important to have a kitchen stocked with healthy delicious foods and essentials,” says Jenné Claiborne, the chef behind buzzy blog (and upcoming cookbook) Sweet Potato Soul.

“When I can quickly throw together a hearty winter meal, I’m far less likely to have something like popcorn for dinner.”

Filling your pantry with better-for-you items will help you avoid nutrition pitfalls that come with opting for takeout or scavenging for junk food, says Claiborne. “When I can quickly throw together a hearty winter meal, I’m far less likely to have something like popcorn for dinner.”

The items that Claiborne keeps front-and-center in her winter pantry include Imagine® soups and broths, most importantly because they have options made with organic and whole ingredients. “I eat the Imagine® Creamy Tomato soup and serve it with a salad and toasted sourdough bread,” she says. “It’s the perfect winter meal.”

Keep reading to see the other pantry essentials Claiborne relies on every winter.

Imagine® Low-Sodium Organic Vegetable Broth

This is a crucial pantry item for Claiborne because it’s so versatile. It contains no artificial preservatives, and Claiborne employs it for many kinds of uses. “I love using this Imagine® broth to cook my grains, beans, and soups,” she notes. “I even use it to replace oil when I sauté vegetables.”

Farro

“Farro is one of my favorite grains because it is so filling, chewy, tasty, and easy to make,” shares the healthy chef. She incorporates the ancient grain into soups, uses it as a risotto, and even tosses it into winter salads. Bonus: The complex carb is full of fiber, high in protein, and is a good source of nutrients like vitamin B3, iron, and magnesium.

Black Lentils

“These are my favorite type of lentils,” Claiborne says. “When cooked, they hold their shape and firmer texture.” The foodie expert prefers to use them like beans by adding them to veggie burgers, salads, and soups. And they come in handy if you’re cooking under a time crunch: Unlike beans, they don’t require a pre-soak and can be ready in under 20 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes

Since her website and upcoming cookbook are named after this root vegetable, it’s no surprise that sweet potatoes are Claiborne’s favorite food. “I literally use them for everything,” she admits. “All winter long I’ll use them in pancakes, soups, salads, veggie roasts, desserts, and everything in between.”

Mushrooms

Claiborne places mushrooms in the top five of her favorite foods. “They’re so delicious, full of texture, and nutritious,” she says. The flavorful fungi are good sources of protein, potassium, and iron. “ My favorite ways to eat mushrooms are in a risotto and pasta, or simply roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt.”

Imagine® Creamy Tomato soup

“Even though it’s important to me to always have a pantry stocked with raw and dry ingredients, I also like to havesome pre-made meals and soups available,” Claiborne says.

Her go-to? Imagine® Creamy Tomato soup, which checks off all her boxes: The vegan soup is packed with organic, fire-roasted tomatoes and fresh-from-the-farm herbs, and Claiborne likes to pair it with a simple mushroom panini. “That combo takes me back to my college days,” she says. It’s a hearty, easy-to-make meal that’s perfect for snowy days when the Apple TV is more appealing than the kitchen. 

In partnership with Imagine®

Top photo: Jenné Claiborne