What are your fav. non-food kitchen items?

[shoezoo]

I'm interested in products that have made your life easier as a cook. Two of my favorites are:
1. Glad Press N Seal
2. Reynolds wrap Release-non stick foil.
I use both of these products a lot. My fav. gadget is probably my micro plane grater and my mini food processor.

[scudgal]

Do appliances count? My Kitchenaid Mixer has made my baking so much easier and better, especially over the holidays for those marathon cookie baking days.

Also get alot of use out of my mini Cuisinart food processor for small chopping jobs.

Re products - love the mini boxes of chicken broth that come in a six pack for quick soups and sauces, etc.


Leslie

[wallycat]

I would have to say good cookware has been eye-opening for me. Not that OK stuff didn't work, but now, if I leave something a bit longer on the stove, it doesn't burn....more forgiving I guess. Some days that is mighty important!

I also love my pull-out cutting board.

If I had to pick something I replace, I'd say the pop-up wax paper I use to cover my plates in the microwave :)

[GingerPow]

Besides my beloved coffee maker?

~ Wine bottle topper with a little lever that seals it tightly.
~ Wax paper sandwich bags - I use them to hold and organize things like photos, cards and envelopes, etc.
~ Ziploc bags
~ Also like the Press 'n Seal
~ Non stick, as well as stainless pots and pans

[PattiA]

Is it just me? I love the idea of Press n Seal, but I simply cannot get it to work. What am I doing wrong?

My fav things are my Wusthof Culinar Santoku knife, Chef'n SwitchIt silicone spatulas, Cuisipro silicone whisks, Calphalon Everyday pan, Salter Bakers Dream scale, Deni Magic Vac vacuum sealer, Pampered Chef oil misters, KitchenAid silicone muffin pans, and the set of "antique" colored Pyrex bowls that my mother-in-law gave me when she moved into a tiny apartment.

[Kay Henderson]

I'd also nominate micro-plane graters, based upon the idea of the woodshop plane. (I have three.) In my opinion, it is the greatest improvement in a basic kitchen tool since I have been cooking.

Kay

[cangoss]

Is it just me? I love the idea of Press n Seal, but I simply cannot get it to work. What am I doing wrong?
.

You have to follow the instructions exactly and press around the edge of the bowl; and the edge of the bowl has to be dry.


My favorites are my kitchen aid mixer, my Squid basting brush, my collection of Le Creuset spatulas, and a little flipper that is nothing fancy but the perfect size for a lot of tasks (and it's nylon so it doesn't scratch non-stick pans).

[wintersummer]

You all have named a number of things I just love. Here's my list:
Reynolds non-stick foil
Chicken broth in 1 cup sizes
Microplane
Food processer
West Bend 3 event kitchen timer
Oxo salad spinner
All-Clad saute pan (I'm gradually replacing old cookware and this is 1st piece I replaced...just love it...maybe I'll get another piece for Christmas)
Pyrex large size pie dishes (I use them for breading things, I don't think these are made anymore, I've found them at yard sales)
Pyrex little glass dishes (the old fashioned kinds that your Mother served pudding in. They no longer make the small ones, but I love them to measure out spices and other food items I'll use in cooking)

Never had experience with the press-and-seal.

[Beth Y]

No question, ziploc bags. As far as I am concerned, they are the greatest invention since the wheel. I use them for everything, particularly outside the kitchen. I use one in place of a fancy dop kit in my suitcase, since it is watertight and when the shampoo leaks, it doesn't all over my clothes and I just throw it away. I use it in my purse to hold crayons for the kids, my hand cleaning gel and snacks, and wet wipes from a larger discount pack. I use them in the kids art cabinet to hold anything that has already been opened and I don't want to get all over the place. I use them in my pantry to keep bugs and moisture out of my things (i.e. pour out brown sugar in to ziploc, close, put back in box so you know what it is, but it is "safe"....) works, great, cheap and doesn't break like glass.

I could go on. Oh, and I use them in my kitchen too.

And, yes, I have been known to wash them out and reuse them.

[wintersummer]

Beth - Forgot about the wonder of ziploc bags. I use them alot in traveling. Put all my underwear in one bag, so if security wants to open my suitcase, at least my underwear doesn't go scattering all over the floor. I keep a stash of empty bags in my suitcase. Had to use some just last week. Had leftover muffin for breakfast...great way to save for later. Inn gave us these cute little bottles of infused maple syrup, put those in ziploc and put in suitcase. Not to mention all the good ways to use in the kitchen!

[AndreaU]

Non-stick cookware!! I love being able to make eggs/omelets, pancakes, crepes, chili, etc. without labor-intensive messy cleanup!

Spoon rests

Good knives

[stefania4]

My digital meat thermometer - LOVE that thing! It doesn't poke a crater-size hole in the chicken/pork tenderloin/whatever, and it gives me an accurate reading in 10 seconds or so.

Michael Graves garlic press - easy to clean, nice and heavy, easy for my arthritic hands to hold.

Of all the silly things, a wooden spoon that's flat across the bottom edge so that I can scrape the bottom of the pot or skillet when I stir.

A little (4x6) cutting board, so I don't have to haul out & wash a big one just to cut up a few carrots.

I second the 1-cup portions of chicken broth - what a godsend!

The immersion blender - could pureeing soup possibly be any easier and less messy with this thing? I adored the one I had for 5 years or so (some $20 thing from Target); I was going to replace it with a Kitchen Aid, but DH picked one up at a thrift store for $2. It looks to be about 10 years old and is doing great.

The insulated Pyrex baking/traveling dish I got for Christmas a few years ago. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is better for bringing something to a potluck.

[brownie12]

I love my Zyliss garlic press-for both garlic and ginger.

Ziplocs are right up there for me, too. I bet I have things in them in every room of the house!

And I love my Crockpot. It makes my life so much easier!

One thing I hate to run out of is my pop-up box of wax paper sheets. I get it at Sam's, and they're the perfect size to put over a plate or dish in the microwave. Plenty of other uses, too, but that's a biggie here. No more mystery spatters in the microwave from the kids or DH! :D

[Paula H]

In no particular order:
- My microplane (with interchangeable blades, although I hardly ever change them)
- Non-stick baking tray liners (along the lines of Silpats, but the NZ version); life is soooooo much easier with those bad boys, and my cookies don't burn nearly as much as they used to
- My silicon muffin tray; no more problems with non-stick trays that stick, or have the lining peel off
- Dr Love, as the official dishwasher and occasional chef's assistant (as well as chef every other night)

[sab1976]

Pampered Chef chopper

Braun immersion blender

[cooknmom38]

I too am a fan of the Glad press and seal and the Reynolds no stick foil wrap.

I also love baking parchement, disposable pastry bags, my favorite knives which is a F.A. Porsche-Chroma 301 Japanese steel blade knives, this old glass 2c. measuring cup that I bought for a dollar at a yard sale. Its not your typical glass pyrex thing.. its cool and old fashioned and very functional!, my microplaner with the rubberized handle, no more skinned knuckles! those throw away Glad or Dixie "tupperware" containers that if you lose the top its no big deal! just go buy another 4 pack at the food store!...and a slew of other things that I cant think of right now! LOL!

[tholbrook]

I don't have anything that hasn't already been mentioned, but here are some things I can't live without:

Microplane grater
Chef's knife and Santoku knife
2-cup capacity glass bowls (http://www.thehomemarketplace.com/product_detail.aspx?item_no=1012925) with lids (I use them for all sorts of things, and I prefer them to using disposable bags whenever possible)
LOTS of measuring cups and spoons

And my favorite appliances:
KitchenAid stand mixer (never thought I'd use it as often as I do!)
Convection toaster oven
Immersion blender (but it's getting worn out, and I need a new one)
Cuisinart Griddler

[stacie99]

I love this thread, it gives me ideas for things that I need for Christmas because everyone said it was necessary :D !!

I love my ...
Kitchenaid Immersion Blender and my
double mezzaluna (I think that is what it is called)with cutting board/bowl. I can finally chop fresh herbs nicely with this, not to mention other things!
Large Calphalon saute pan- I cook everything with this!

[heavy hedonist]

I'll stick to the things I use everyday, several times a day in most cases:

my Wusthof trident (6" chef knife)

cheap dollar store portable juicer (rinse off, throw it in the rack)

good paring knife

whisk & mini-whisks ( have three each)

braun coffee-grinder

[Kay Henderson]

OK if I pop in again? I didn't know how much I would use my 5" Santoku knife when I received it last year as a Christmas present. I find myself using it several times a day. It doesn't work for paring fruit, for example, but it is light and easy to use for small amounts of chopping, which I do a lot of.

Kay

[helene]

:cool: Love my mandoline. It was worth the $25.00 I spent on it.

[marshcl]

Cuisinart Griddler (makes getting dinner on the table during the week a possibility in under 20 minutes).

Cuisinart Electric can opener (i know there are people out there that think these are silly. i had wrist surgery last year on my right wrist - am right handed - and can't use a manual can opener because of the force / angle - it just hurts and makes me cry). I am more independent in the kitchen because of this gadget.

[JHaris]

Re products - love the mini boxes of chicken broth that come in a six pack for quick soups and sauces, etc.


Leslie

What is the brand name? This sounds like something I would stock up on.

[scudgal]

The brand I use is made by Stop and Shop - but I think other companies like College Inn or Swanson may also have them.


Leslie

[JHaris]

Thanks,, Leslie. I am going to look for them. I had been freezing the remainder of broth in ice cube trays and stashing them in the fridge/freezer, but they were taking up too much space. I don't have a separate freezer. These small containers are perfect when you only need a little.

Some of my "can't be without" items are my large cuinsart, mini chop, mini-hole zester, my accumulated assortment of knives, especially the Fiskar knives that DH brought back from Finland. Also many of the above items that other BB's have listed.

It is amazing how many things I have that my Mom didn't have which making cooking a pleasure and easier.

One thing I can't get the hang of is "Press and Seal." I used some to wrap cheeses and it was totally unusable afterwards. Am I the only one having trouble using this product?

[marshcl]

I haven't found the smaller sizes of chicken broth yet... I normally use all the chicken broth (I buy the ones at Trader Joe's in the vacuum cube-thingees). If I did have leftover, I would probably freeze it in recycled yoghurt containers. Just a thought... I normally would want more than the ice cube size...

[Hoodone]

The thing that I love and only got about a year ago is my kitchen scale. Every time I use it I wonder what I did before getting it! I love other things, too. That one just stands out for me as a recent acquisition that I use CONSTANTLY!

[mrs_ellenbecker]

I love Gladware! I cook big batches of stuff all the time and freeze it to take to work (but I usually have so mny containers in the freezer I can't put much else in there). Plus if I lose it or wait too long to dishes and it gets funky I don't have to feel too bad about throwing it away.
I also have a great nonstick "chicken fryer" pan from Dansk. It's deep, wide and has a glass lid. I use this pan almost everyday.

[dorothyntototoo]

It's the simple things that make life easier. I couldn't live without my flexible cutting board - easy to store & clean. And I can't stand wire twist ties, so Pampered Chef Twixit clips are great. I use them in the cabinet, on bags of snacks & in the freezer. They're great. http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=10977&categoryCode=KH

Dorothy

[ramson]

The things I love the most are:

My kitchen tongs. I use them for EVERYTHING. Since I am constantly opening up the running dishwasher to get them out for some use or another I treated myself to a second pair last week.

7" Wusthof Santoku knife is used for 95% of all my knifing needs

Cast iron grill pan (thank you Rachel Ray!) With no BBQ pit this thing gets used about 1x a week if not more.

My giant woodblock cutting board for fruits and veg, pink plastic cutting board for beef and purple plastic one for chicken.