With so many kitchen gadgets on the market, it can be majorly overwhelming figuring out which to skip and which are worth the hype. After all, no one wants an overly cluttered kitchen, especially if you're working with a small space. To help us choose, we connected with the crazy-talented Los Angeles-based chef Clara Silverman, who has done everything from catering to food styling to working as a highly successful personal chef. Given all her knowledge and experience, we 100% trust her when she says these are the five most important kitchen gadgets to own.
Best for Everyday Use
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Instead of a spoon rest, many professional chefs, including Chef Silverman, opt for a ceramic utensil holder. She uses this tool as a bain-marie, aka a hot water bath. After filling the ceramic vessel with a good amount of hot water, she uses it to hold all her cooking utensils while she's at work. This avoids getting anything caked onto your whisk, spatula, or spoon while it's not in use, so you're always reaching for a fresh utensil.
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Biggest Game-Changer
There's really no bigger game-changer than slicing, dicing, and chopping with a sharp knife. Chef Silverman emphasizes the importance of stainless steel as the sharpening blade's material, as opposed to another steel alloy. Dull knives are both frustrating and unsafe to use, so it's time to say goodbye to them once and for all.
Best Investment
We all know it, we all love it (or know someone else who loves it): The KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It comes in over 10 colors — both neutral and vibrant — as well as various models, depending on how much food you're looking to make. Plus, it's compatible with over 12 unique attachments to do everything from shredding cheese to crafting the perfect pasta.
Best Cooking Vessel
Cast iron skillets are one of the most all-around useful cooking vessels you can find. Between their ultra-high heat retention and 10/10 durability, they can be pretty much used on any surface from the grill to the stovetop, oven, and even campfire. Cast irons also build up a seasoning over time, which adds more and more flavor to the food each time you cook. It's truly the perfect pan to sear your proteins for that amazing crust we all aim for.
Most Versatile
The cult classic brand has been around for nearly 100 years and is still as hot as ever. Although it rings in at a higher price point than most other blenders, it is certainly worth the cost. With its powerful, high-performance motor, you can make smoothies, juices, desserts, hot soups, nut butters, dips, and so much more.