Lately I've been getting a lot of questions about the tools I use in my cooking. What's an olive oil mister? How can I cut potato slices thin for chips? Since I'm a little bit of a kitchen tool nerd, I thought I'd share some of the tools I use most often for my recipes on Oh My Veggies and why I love them. (And full disclosure, some of these are affiliate links.)
Corn Zipper
Why I Love It: If you don't have a corn zipper, you are missing out. Knives leave so much of the kernel on the cob. The corn zipper gets the whole thing off.
Used In: Fresh Corn, Poblano and Cheddar Pizza
Buy It: Kuhn Rikon Corn Zipper
Oil Mister
Why I Love It: I'm sure you've noticed that many of my recipes call for cooking spray or oil from a mister. I love my mister! We used to go through so many cans of cooking spray before I bought it. Seriously, every kitchen needs an oil mister.
Used In: Easy Roasted Broccoli
Buy It: Misto Olive Oil Sprayer
Safety Can Opener
Why I Love It: This can opener is the best thing ever. No, it's not a fancy electric one, but it takes the lid of the can clean off the top. No sharp edges! No gross lids falling into the can! Best invention ever.
Used In: Mediterranean Kidney Bean Salad
Buy It: Kuhn Rikon Slim Safety Lid Lifter
Microplane Zester
Why I Love It: A good microplane zester should be a staple in every kitchen. Before I got this, I was using a box grater--this is far, far superior.
Used In: Strawberry Mimosa Cupcakes
Buy It: Microplane Rasp Grater/Zester
Tofu Press
Why I Love It: This is a little bit pricey, but if you use tofu a lot, it's worth it. No more going through half a roll of paper towels to press your tofu--this little gadget will get the liquid out without all that hassle. You can also use it to squeeze the liquid from spinach!
Used In: Thai Red Curry with Asparagus and Tofu
Buy It: Tofu Xpress, $39.95 from Amazon.com
Canning Jars
Why I Love It: People ask me about the jars I use all the time. They're adorable, right? They're Weck Canning Jars and I buy them at Crate & Barrel. I love them for storing simple syrups, caramelized onions, and for preparing my overnight oatmeal.
Used In: Coconut Mango Overnight Oatmeal
Mini Skillet
Why I Love It: Baby skillet! Not only is it adorable, but it's perfect for toasting small amount of nuts or seeds and frying sage leaves.
Used In: Sweet Potato Stacks with Crispy Sage Leaves
Buy It: Lodge Mini Skillet
Mandoline Slicer
Why I Love It: Three words: homemade potato chips.
Used In: Baked Sriracha Potato Chips
Buy It: DeBuyer Kobra Slicer
Baking Mat
Why I Love It: If you're making cookies, galettes, or other baked goods, you can use a Silpat instead of greasing your baking sheet or lining it with parchment paper. Nothing sticks to it and clean up is oh-so-easy.
Used In: Honey & Nectarine Galette
Buy It: Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat
Garlic Press
Why I Love It: I honestly think I use my garlic press almost everyday. I went through many, many cheap ones before I spent the money on a more expensive one. It was worth every penny, believe me!
Used In: Mediterranean-Style Rotini with Toasted Garlic Panko
Buy It: Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Now you know some of my favorite kitchen tools--I'd love to know what tools you use most in your cooking!
Terrific round-up of your favorites. The corn zipper gets my vote, works like a charms! Love my mandoline. I bought a teflon knife glove for just in case but never remember to use it.
I really need to get one of those gloves too!
I've been dying for a mandoline, but never know which one to get! But with your recommendation, I'm about to order the one you use! So excited to finally be able to make my own potato chips!
Once you start making your own potato chips, your life will never be the same. For real.
I have the same mandoline at it is AWESOME!!! I also use my mandoline to take corn kernels off of the cob instead of a corn zipper. It works great and is super fast. I love Weck canning jars too. We use our canning jars instead of Tupperware around this house. I love the way they look and I feel so much better about using glass than plastic. Great post!
Yeah, I like the canning jars more than Tupperware too. Because unless you're prone to dropping them, the glass jars hold up so much better. No tomato stains or ill-fitting lids after going through the dishwasher.
I can't live without my garlic press!
Me too--mincing it with a knife never works out well when I do it.
I need a corn zipper! How cool! Would make life in the kitchen so much easier!
It really does. It's one of those things you don't use everyday, but when you do need it, you're so glad you have it.
I MUST get the corn zipper! I've never seen in before but it's brilliant. Thanks for sharing... great list!
Yes! Knives work, but the corn zipper works MUCH better.
I love this post! My dad is an awesome cook and I always try to think of new gadgets to get him for birthdays.
Yay, glad I could give you some ideas! 😀
Terrific round up. I love my mister and Silpat too!
The tools that save me calories are always among my favorites. 🙂
Oh my goodness, I love this post! Although my wallet might not because I'm adding a bunch of things to my list of kitchen gadgets to buy, haha. The things I do have(garlic press, baking mat and a oil sprayer) I absolutely love, so I'm sure the other things I want from your list will be equally awesome 😀
Kitchen tools are my indulgence. Other people have jewelry, expensive clothes, and things like that, and I have my rasp graters and mandoline slicers. 😉 I'm on vacation right now and instead of souvenirs, I bought stuff to cook with--ha!
I love my oil mister but surprisingly have only used my garlic press a handful of times. I just end up buying the minced garlic in a jar. I'm so guilty of using the big box grater for zesting too but it's not something I do too often so I haven't bothered investing in a rasp grater yet. I do love those canning jars - they're much cuter than the Ball jars I have! My everyday tools are my oil mister and sharp knives.
I put lemon zest in just about everything I possibly can--I love it. 🙂 But yeah, if you don't zest or grate very much, the box grater is probably fine.
So I tell you how I don't zest very often and tonight here I go trying to make one of your recipes and need a zester. It was worth doing it with the box grater to get the lime zest but since I plan on making this dish many more times, I'm getting the zester. Heading to Amazon now...
Yeah, the annoying thing with the box grater & zest is that it kind of sticks to the inside...
Great list. I have to get my hands on a garlic press for sure.
You do--it makes mincing garlic so much easier!
I love my zester and we're now happy mandoline owners, too! I'm jealous of your silpat mats I've wanted those ever since I saw Martha Stewart use them. (Strange, particularly since I'm not a baker!).
You know, I don't bake that much either, but when I do, it's really nice to have. And it's also nice to save a few calories from not having to grease the baking sheets!
I use parchment paper...because I had to wash the baking sheets. Isn't that awful. Lazy & bad for the environment - what's wrong with me?!
There are still some things that I use parchment paper for. Like when I roast certain vegetables, parchment paper makes clean up much easier and the silpat wouldn't work for that. So if there's something wrong with you, I guess there's something wrong with me too. 🙂
I have that same microplane and love it. I use it all the time. And the Silpat is a total must. But I'm old school and always chop my garlic by hand, but I'm one of those weird people who actually like hands that smell like garlic!
I like when my hands smell like garlic for about an hour. And then after that, I hate it because it just makes me so hungry...
Oh what a wonderful selection of great kitchen tools! I love my rasp grater buy now I am wanting to get several more since reading your post!
I was going to list your Chef's Friend soap too, but I figured that's not exactly a tool. 😉 But it's definitely one of my favorite kitchen items--I still have that bar from January and I still use it whenever I have garlic on my fingers!
Awesome tools. Thanks for sharing this list with the rest of us.
I could talk about kitchen tools all day. Really. 🙂
I need a garlic press! I have some of the tools you've mentioned - I think that's a good sign! 🙂
Yes, go get one! I feel like when you mince the garlic with a press, it makes everything much more garlicky. And garlicky is always good.
I've never seen anything to get the corn off like that! This is a must in my house
...and not only is it incredibly useful, it's super fun to use. 🙂
These are terrific ideas, and I am likely to buy at least a couple of them. I'm eyeing that slicer.
I am completely unable to cut even slices with a knife, so if you're anything like me, you will love having a slicer.
Silpats and microplanes are the bestttt! I've got to get my hands on that tofu press though. I always dirty so many dish towels or use way too many paper towels.
I held off on buying one for SO long because, IMO, they are over-priced. But! I still think they're worth it because they do a much better job than the plates/paper towel method. And it's nice not to go through half a roll of paper towels every time I'm making something with tofu. 🙂
This is such a useful post, I love it! I have most of these gadgets but am missing a few, and have never even heard of a corn zipper - it sounds fantastic though!
I think the corn zipper is a new-ish thing. I had never seen them until a few years ago, but now it seems like every store is pushing them during the summer!
Corn grater where have you been all my life? I swear I'm going to lose a finger every time I cut corn off the cob. What a great list - thank you!!
Yeah, I've had a few close calls with knives and corn. Like when the corn slips on the cutting board. Not good!
I desperately need a mandoline and a misto. I don't know why I keep putting it off?! Absolutely love my microplane zester and garlic press, too.
Well, the mandoline is an investment and there are a lot of sub-par ones out there, so procrastinating on that decision is understandable. But yes, you need a Misto now. 🙂
I have never seen a corn zipper but I want one now!
If you love fresh corn, you will not regret buying one!
I love having a microplane grater, but mine has been dull for ages--- just ordered a new one from Amazon through your link. I've never even heard of a corn zipper, and I almost never get the kernels off a corn cob because it's a pain-- guess that should be my next gizmo. I don't use a mandoline because I'm afraid of them, though I admire how nicely they slice veggies.
Once I got my corn zipper, I started making recipes that call for the kernels all the time. It's so much easier to use than a knife, and it's kind of fun too. And yes, mandolines make me a little nervous. I'm a multi-tasker and I have to remind myself to pay full attention to what I'm doing when I use it--no looking over at the TV or talking on the phone!
I've never heard of a tofu press! I've been using cans and paper towels all along. And I've always wondered about those corn zippers.
The tofu press is soooo much better than cans and paper towels! It took me years to finally get one because I thought they were over-priced, but it really is convenient. And it does a better job too.