New and Noteworthy Tools for the Kitchen

Spring clean your old kitchen gadgets to make room for these exciting new innovations

If you are a cook or a gadget geek (or perhaps even both), you probably have kitchen tools spilling out of your drawers and cupboards—and then boom—something else comes to the market that you simply just must add to that collection.

Here are a few things we’d suggest are worthy of clearing out some of those older for new, and if you need something to do with those gently used kitchen tools you are replacing, you can always donate to Les Dames d’Escoffier’s annual Culinary Garage Sale (2020 date pending).

When it really comes to knowing what’s new and noteworthy in the cooking world, Caren McSherry, owner of Gourmet Warehouse, is heavily in the know. We’ll start this list with her top picks—which she has of course brought into her East Vancouver store—before suggesting a few of our own…

 

1. Scanpan Non-stick Fry Pan

“Scanpan has a fabulous new high-end non-stick pan that is made in Denmark, and is both dishwasher and high-heat safe. They launched just recently and are quite spectacular,” says McSherry.

We’re equally impressed as you can now achieve a fried crust without fat, brown your meat without extra calories, and you can use metal tools without scratching the surface. The non-stick coating used here is called Stratanium, and since we accidentally scratched our mother’s non-stick fry pan on the last visit, we’ll remedy with a purchase of one of these.

 

2. Silpat Perfect Pizza

Silpat baking mats are another top seller at Gourmet Warehouse, and the company produces a variety of types, the newest being Silpat for pizza. All mats are ideal for baking as they ensure even baking without burning. You can release food easily and cleanup is a cinch. The non-stick bottom is porous to allow airflow, making sure your pizza crust is crisp and won’t stick.

 

3. Charcoal Companion Hasselback Potato Slicing Rack

Another item that McSherry recommends is the Charcoal Companion Hasselback Potato Slicing Rack. Normally, you cut each slice individually and the results are often inconsistent (some thick, some thin slices and sometimes you accidentally cut right through)—but this new gadget ensures all slices are even.

 

4. Lagostina Melodia Covered Stew Pot

We’ve been testing many new tools lately and have some picks of our own…

We’ve fallen in love with the softly rounded shapes of the Lagostina Melodia Covered Stew Pot from the company’s new made-in-Italy line. It’s beautiful and so very sturdy, has great heat diffusion, and is roomy enough for when you are cooking for a crowd with its 3.7-quart capacity.

 

5. Blush Peony Rose Gold Measuring Cups and Spoons

Speaking of pretty kitchen tools, Blush Peony has some divine measuring cups and spoons that make baking more beautiful!  The set of measuring spoons covers all the basic measurements, or you could go for the whole rose gold bundle that includes two Moscow Mule mugs, two Mint Julep cups, measuring cups, the measuring spoons and a gem-topped pen for recipe notes.

 

6. All-Clad Two-Piece Roasting Sheet and Cooling Rack

We’ve done some spring baking with the All-Clad Canada D3 Stainless Ovenware collection, and it’s sturdier than ever with its three-ply bonded technology. The All-Clad Two-Piece Roasting Sheet and Non-stick Cooling Rack Set is ideal for baking cookies, or even savoury items like pizza or roasted vegetables. The included cooling rack is also oven-safe up to 445°F, making it perfect for preparing a variety of oven-baked meals.

 

7. Zwilling French Press

We’re big coffee drinkers at home and have numerous ways of making our cup of roasted delight—but when it comes to French presses, Zwilling has nailed it. The Zwilling Sorrento double-walled glass carafe keeps our coffee hot when we’ve got a morning where we can linger and enjoy a full pot. There’s also 750 ml capacity so we can share, and the glass, while handmade, is dishwasher safe. It even comes with some very styling coffee cups should you wish.

 

8. Nespresso Barista Device

Speaking of coffee, the Barista Device from Nespresso allows you to prepare anything from iced coffees to latte art and decadent hot chocolate with a simple push of a button. Just select your ingredients, sit back and let the Barista do the rest. It’s even Bluetooth compatible and comes with more than 20 recipes and connects to the Nespresso app where you can download even more recipes.

 

9. Staub Paella Pan

We’ve got several Staub cooking vessels and have been using our cast-iron paella pan for more than just paella; it’s so versatile and gorgeous enough to go from oven to table. This Staub Paella Pan comes in a variety of sizes and the low, shallow shape promotes evaporation of liquids should we wish to reduce quickly. It’s also dishwasher safe and resistant to rust, chipping and cracking. Now pass that Sangria!

 

10. Zwilling Twin Fin II Knives

Can you ever have too many knives? Well, maybe, but if you do want to add something very modern to your collection, we’ve been admiring all the Zwilling Twin Fin II knives, and have been chopping up a storm with the 5.5-inch Santoku knife. The steel edge stays sharp forever and the balance of the knife makes slicing much more comfortable.

 

11. KitchenAid Mixer

KitchenAid has the best mixers—and we’d never be without at least one in our home. The newest attachments include a sifter and scale that deliver up to four cups of fluffy flour to the bowl, measuring for accuracy, and can be used separately on the countertop. As BBQ season is calling, the new metal food grinder that grinds fresh meat for sausages and hamburgers will come in handy for that perfect homemade taste.

It’s currently KitchenAid’s 100th anniversary and they’ve come out with a new 100 Year Queen of Hearts bright red portable appliance collection. The collection came out online April 1st and is coming to retailers this month. It’s so gorgeous we want it all!

 

12. Breville Pizza Oven

Breville appliances occupy a significant amount of shelf-space in our home and we’re going to have to make room for the new Breville Pizza Oven, as we tested it out in the US in the fall and it’s now available in Canada. The Pizzaiolo is the first countertop oven to hit 750°F and cook an authentic wood-fired style pizza in two minutes with conductive, radiant and convective heat. You won’t stay hungry long!

 

13. Breville All-in-one Immersion Blender

Another cool kitchen device, handy especially for smaller kitchens when there’s little room for larger appliances, is the Breville all-in-one Immersion Blender. It’s a multi-function kitchen tool that slices, chops, grates, purées and mashes. It features an adjustable slicing disc that customizes the thickness of your slices and a variable masher that lets you select the texture of your mash, all in a compact easy-to-store device.

There’s much cooking to do and many new devices to get cooking with, so go forth and spruce up your kitchen tool collection with some of these suggestions and get mixing and baking!