Discover the essential kitchen tools and appliances endorsed by America’s Test Kitchen to enhance your culinary skills and elevate your cooking experience. Since 1993, America’s Test Kitchen has been a trusted authority, rigorously testing and recommending products to help home cooks achieve exceptional results.
In this article, we highlight the top 10 kitchen tools and appliances that have earned the coveted seal of approval from America’s Test Kitchen, providing invaluable support and guidance for enthusiasts and professionals alike.
As pioneers in the cooking, baking, and entertaining realm, it’s no surprise that some of our most cherished, sought-after, and top-selling cookware, tools, and small appliances have earned the ATK seal of approval. Below, we’re showcasing 10 essential kitchen tools and small appliances that are endorsed by America’s Test Kitchen to enhance your culinary skills.
Breville Air Fryer Pro
If you haven’t joined the countertop oven trend yet, now’s the time.
Forget about single-function appliances—this versatile 13-in-1 machine can air fry, toast, dehydrate, and even proof bread. Plus, it comes with a pizza setting to bring that wood-fired taste straight to your kitchen tools.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our top choice demonstrated intuitive controls and consistently delivered the best results among the selections. We appreciated it’s clearly labeled knobs and digital interface, which showcased the time, temperature, and cooking settings. It excelled in making toast, offering adjustable settings tailored to different bread types. Additionally, it produced perfectly cooked broiled asparagus and golden-roasted chicken. Its performance in air-frying french fries and chicken Parmesan matched that of our favorite traditional air fryer.
Le Creuset Signature Braiser:
If there’s one thing Le Creuset excels at, it’s creating exceptional enameled cast iron cookware.
From roasts and casseroles to bread, desserts, and appetizers, this enameled cast iron braiser is incredibly versatile. With excellent heat distribution and retention, plus a spacious cooking surface, this braiser is perfect for tackling a wide range of dishes with ease. You’ll find yourself reaching for it repeatedly.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our top-rated braiser stood out for its exceptional performance in multiple tests. It featured a light interior, making it simple to monitor browning, along with a moderately thick bottom for excellent heat retention and even browning. Its spacious cooking surface accommodated various recipes, from whole chicken to meatballs, without overcrowding. Additionally, the braiser boasted large, comfortable looped handles and a stainless-steel lid knob, ensuring a secure grip, particularly when handling heavy, hot food.
Kitchen Tools: Cuisinart’s 14-cup Food Processor
When it comes to food processors, nothing beats the original.
When Cuisinart introduced the food processor to American kitchens in the early 1970s, it revolutionized home cooking—for good reason. Tedious tasks like making pie dough or pesto became quick and easy, from shredding cheese and kneading dough to chopping veggies or preparing dips.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our previous top pick continues to shine with its powerful performance, precise operation, and compact design that saves space in the kitchen. Despite boasting one of the largest capacities, it comes at a reasonable price. The smooth bowl and blade design make it easy to handle, monitor, and clean. Its unique feed tube placement enhances bowl visibility. Plus, it includes three blades for chopping, shredding, and slicing, all conveniently stored inside the bowl without the need for an accessories box.
Zyliss Cheese Grater for Professional Results
Ever dreamed of owning the same cheese grater used at Olive Garden? Well, you’re not alone. A quick Google search for “Olive Garden cheese grater” reveals many articles and TikTok videos raving about this kitchen gadget and where to buy it.
And the hype is real—this cheese grater outperforms other models, with America’s Test Kitchen grating 1 ounce of Parmesan cheese in just 23 seconds! Plus, it’s designed for both left- and right-handed users, making it a versatile addition to any kitchen tools.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our preferred model consistently grated Parmesan cheese faster than others tested. Although compact enough to pass around the table, it boasted a sizable hopper for handling large cheese chunks. Rubberized grips on the handle and crank ensured comfortable use, and the crank could be easily switched to either side of the rotating drum, catering to both left-handed and right-handed users.
Chef’sChoice Trizor XV Knife Sharpener
Every chef or cooking enthusiast knows: that a dull knife is a risky tool.
But with Chef’s Choice electric knife sharpener, you can bid farewell to danger and dullness. Featuring a 3-stage sharpening process, this user-friendly sharpener is perfect for maintaining razor-sharp blades between professional sharpenings, promoting safety, and prolonging the lifespan of your knives.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our top pick for a knife sharpener delivered outstanding and consistent results with speed, precision, and ease. The instructions were straightforward, guiding us through each step for a polished, razor-sharp edge in just about 2 minutes. The narrow, spring-loaded slots ensured a consistent angle, effortlessly sharpening both everyday and premium chef’s knives.
Say Goodbye to Tears with R.S.V.P. International Onion Goggles
Say goodbye to onion tears with the R.S.V.P. International Onion Goggles. These goggles feature a comfortable, yet durable foam seal designed specifically to protect your eyes from tears while cutting onions. They excel at their intended purpose, providing effective relief from this common kitchen frustration.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Although they may appear a bit silly, these goggles effectively keep your attention on chopping onions, whether they’re yellow, Vidalia, red, or any other type. They outperform sunglasses in blocking irritating fumes, and the foam padding around the antifog lenses offers a more comfortable experience compared to swim goggles. You can choose from white or black with lime green trim.
Ooni Koda 16: Gas-Powered Pizza Oven
Once you experience the magic of this Ooni pizza oven, frozen or take-out pizza will be a thing of the past.
Comparable to a traditional stone pizza oven, the Ooni Koda 16 reaches an impressive 950°F, crafting your pizza to perfection in just 60 seconds. But its capabilities don’t end there. With enough space to cook a 16″ pizza, this oven is versatile enough to handle everything from steaks and veggies to flatbreads and desserts.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our top pick for an outdoor pizza oven combines the convenience of propane with the ability to cook pizzas up to 16 inches wide. Its powerful L-shaped burner effectively heats both the stone and the air inside the oven, resulting in perfectly cooked pizzas with a delightful char on the bottom. To ensure even cooking, it’s important to rotate the pizzas since the back left corner tends to get hotter. The oven’s sleek design is impressive, and its foldable legs make it fairly compact for storage or transportation, although it’s bulkier and heavier compared to the Ooni Koda 12.
GreenPan Valencia Pro: Ceramic Nonstick Skillet
When it comes to cookware, we believe in a balanced approach. That means having a mix of stainless steel for heavy-duty tasks and a couple of reliable nonstick skillets for delicate dishes like eggs or fish.
One standout option in the nonstick category is the GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick Skillet. With its PFAS-, PFOA-, lead-, and cadmium-free ceramic coating, this skillet is safe to use with metal utensils and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Plus, it works on all cooking surfaces, including induction.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Among the few pans that passed our test for nonstick coating durability, this skillet stood out for its consistent slick surface, maintaining it even under rigorous cooking and testing conditions. Cooking with it was a pleasure, thanks to its excellent heat conductivity, though we had to keep an eye on visual cues to prevent overcooking. Food may be cooked faster than usual due to its efficient heat transfer. Additionally, this pan can withstand oven temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, much higher than typical nonstick skillets containing PTFE.
ALL-CLAD D3 Stainless Steel Skillet with Cover
When it comes to stainless steel cookware, All-Clad reigns supreme. And this essential kitchen tools skillet is no exception.
Whether you need an everyday 8″ skillet or a larger 12″ pan for big recipes, All-Clad has you covered. Their patented triple-ply, 18/10 stainless steel design is durable, nonreactive, and works on all cooktops, including induction!
Plus, it features an aluminum core that ensures even heating and cooking, eliminating hot spots for consistent results every time.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
Our trusted skillet remains unmatched, boasting a simple yet effective design. We value its spacious cooking area and angled sides, perfect for achieving optimal browning and evaporation. The steel handle stays cool during stovetop use and offers a secure grip. With a balanced weight and sturdy build, it withstands warping and handles abuse without damage. Thanks to its three layers of cladding, it ensures consistent and deep browning with aluminum sandwiched between steel.
Silpat Half-Sheet Silicone Baking Mat
The silicone baking mat revolutionizes kitchen prep.
Praised by America’s Test Kitchen as a kitchen essential, this Silpat silicone baking mat eliminates the need for disposable foil or parchment paper. Designed to fit perfectly on a standard half-sheet pan, it can handle temperatures from -40°F to 480°F, making it versatile for various cooking needs.
Review of America’s Test Kitchen:
This mat, highly regarded in many restaurant kitchens, consistently delivered perfectly browned food, and simplified the removal of baked goods and roasted dishes. Its value was evident in its perfect fit for our preferred baking sheet, its secure placement due to its weight, and it’s dishwasher-safe design, which minimized the accumulation of oils and odors.
Transform your cooking experience with these top-rated kitchen tools and appliances recommended by America’s Test Kitchen. With their seal of approval, you can trust that each product is designed to enhance your culinary skills and bring out the best in every dish. Say goodbye to guesswork in the kitchen and hello to delicious, restaurant-quality meals at home. Explore these must-have items today and take your cooking to new heights!
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