Kitchen Gear

KitchenAid Artisan Mixer

Good kitchen gear makes a world of difference. If you’re slicing and dicing with a butter knife or hand mixing a thick cake batter, then you know what I’m talking about.

Builders buy quality tools. Artists invest in good brushes. Home cooks often make do with some really awful kitchen gear.

If you’re still using the cast off pots and pans family members donated when you were first starting out or if you curse every time the food sticks to your skillet that long ago lost its Teflon finish, then it’s no wonder you don’t like to cook and think you’re not any good at cooking.

Good kitchen tools are generally expensive but do last a long time. My cast iron skillets were handed down, and I’m sure they will go along to other family members later. Grandma had her KitchenAid mixer all during my lifetime, and I’m sure mine will give years of great service (especially since I waited so long to invest in a good mixer).

Not all high priced kitchen gadgets are top quality and some that are decent machines may not suit your lifestyle. I’m still annoyed about the new fryer that I bought. It had a lid, and I thought that would be so much nicer. It never has worked very well, so I’m using my old beat up open top fryer. I also know that my uncle and aunt paid a lot for a rotisserie which has been used perhaps twice. It’s a great cooker, but they just don’t have the time or energy to get it out and use it. And, take a look at Good Will. It seems to be the rest home for old bread machines.

Some little kitchen gems are very reasonably priced and make cooking so much easier. I love my Oxo can opener. It’s a manual can opener. I tried a couple of electric can openers, and I just hated them. They were better than the really cheap manual can openers which just mangle the tops of cans, but give me a solid manual can opener any day.

If you’re getting married, be sure to add some kitchen gear to your wish list. You’re much more likely to use a microwave and a toaster (which does sound dull) than fancy china and silverware.

Already settled in? Keep adding to your kitchen gear collection. You don’t have to fully outfit your kitchen with every gadget coming and going. Think about what you really want and would really use. And, do your research. All kitchen products are not made the same, and some will make you much happier than others.

Slowly add to your kitchen equipment collection. Enjoy and savor each new item. In the end, you and your kitchen will grow.