Gear Heads Lisa McManus and Hannah Crowley are on the hunt for the best kitchen tools.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
hide caption
toggle caption
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
Gear Heads Lisa McManus and Hannah Crowley are on the hunt for the best kitchen tools.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
Whether you're driving a nail into a two-by-four or crafting the perfect soufflé, there's no substitute for having the right tool for the job.
And one way to satisfy your home chef is to make sure your kitchen is stocked with the right kitchen supplies. But with so many slicers, dicers, cookers, and fryers, how do you know what works and what might end up in your mouth?
Lisa McManus and Hannah Crowley, executive editors of America's Test Kitchen Review, have written a new book titled: Kitchen appliances: the ultimate instruction manual. Full of reviews and tips. They spoke to Morning Edition's A Martinez about the essential tools every chef should have.
Here are some highlights from the interview
It is the only essential tool for a chef.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
hide caption
toggle caption
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
It is the only essential tool for a chef.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
sharp knife
Lisa McManus: “What meal does every recipe start with? Cut something. Unless you're cooking something pre-packaged, you have to cut something. Why not start with something that is comfortable for you?
McManis recommends the Victorinox 8-inch chef's knife. she says: “It has a black plastic handle that's comfortable to hold. It's very slender and thin, with a sharp and precise knife. And there's a good amount of clearance under the handle. So if you have big hands, You’re not banging your knuckles on the cutting board when you’re cutting.”
It costs $40, but McManus says it performs on par with knives that cost about $300.
A safe and gentle cutting board that maintains the sharpness of your knives.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
hide caption
toggle caption
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
A safe and gentle cutting board that maintains the sharpness of your knives.
By: America's Test Kitchen/America's Test Kitchen
Never use glass cutting boards
Hannah Crowley: “The best choices are plastic and wood. Never, ever use a glass cutting board. It will quickly dull your life. Just make about 10 cuts in the glass. You can literally destroy the beautiful blade of any knife.'' Glass plates are decorative items, but they should never be used as cutting boards. ”
Advice for those considering buying new gadgets and tools for the kitchen
Lisa McManus: “A lot of what you see on TV and on Instagram is just designed to be eye-catching and not actually simple, functional, or durable. You know, a billion… You don’t want something with individual parts. That’s what you do.”
Hannah Crowley: “Ask yourself: Do I already have this? For example, if I have a convection oven, I basically have an air fryer, right? I talked to several relatives and friends not to buy an air fryer.
The second question is: should I use this? I don't really bake it. I have all the baking pans I need because I thought they were something I should buy for my kitchen. So, do you bake a cake at home? no? You might want to keep it or give it to a friend who loves baking. ”
