Cheap Thrills: Local Chefs’ Favorite Kitchen FINDS Under $20
Every chef has a favorite kitchen gadget they just can't live without β so we talked to local Louisville chefs to find out what they're loving right now. The best part? Each one is under $20. Take a look!
Things are heating up in the kitchen with this edition of Cheap Thrills! We talked to Louisville chefs and asked them to share their favorite cheap kitchen gadget under $20 β and where to snag them at the best price. From spoons to scales, thereβs a clever kitchen tool for everyoneΒ β even all the novice chefs out there. Check out these 12 kitchen FINDS under $20.
12 Kitchen Gadgets Under $20
Mix βN ChopΒ β $13
Mary Wheatley from Atlantic No. 5 loves Pampered Chefβs Mix βN Chop Utensil. βThis tool puts the design on the top of our lemon butter cookies, but the real reason I love this gadget is to chop up whole tomatoes when making marinara sauce and chopping up ground meats for tacos, Bolognese and chili. I use it also for mashing avocados for guacamole or bananas for cakes, muffins or quick breads.β
Cast Iron Tortilla PressΒ β $15.44
Lead Chef Mark Ford of Anoosh Bistro says,Β βMy plancha is commonly referred to as a tortilla press but can be used for so much more! It is best used for flattening everything. I use mine for not only tortillas but for empanada dough, pierogi dough, calzones or hillbilly hand pies. You just chose your dough size, press it into a circle, fill it and cook.β
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Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Paring KnifeΒ β $14.89
Chef Zachary Wolf, Corporate Executive Chef for OlΓ© Hospitality Group, says a good paring knife is a game changer. βI canβt live without a good paring knife. I use them in a lot of different applications, especially scoring or trimming meat.β His favorite knife under $20 is Mercer Culinaryβs Genesis Forged Paring Knife.
Gray Kunz Sauce Spoon XLΒ β $15.90
Dallas McGarity, chef and owner of The Fat Lamb Modern Kitchen and Bar and Portage House canβt live without a great spoon! βMy favorite item that is essential for my kitchen is the XL Grey Kunz Sauce Spoon from JB Prince. It is perfect for saucing plates, pan basting, turning things in saute pans and so many other things. It sounds crazy to say a spoon is an essential thing, but for me, this is a great multipurpose item that is just the right size for lots of applications, smaller than a wooden spoon and larger than a tablespoon.β
Accuweight 207 Digital Kitchen Multifunction Food ScaleΒ β $19.99
Eric Shaw, executive chef at Jack Fryβs,Β would be lost without his food scale. βItβs a great tool for writing savory recipes, like when weβre putting something on the menu and need to reproduce it consistently,β he says, adding, βItβs absolutely essential for baking and pastry.β
KRUPS Electric Coffee GrinderΒ β $15.96
Chef and co-owner of LUPO, Max Balliet, is head over heels for his coffee grinder. βI canβt live without my home coffee grinder! I use it for all of my spice grinding, and itβs essential for its small size and power.β
Ateco Bench ScraperΒ β $14.04
Pastry chef Kimberly Beam of 8UP Elevated Drinkery & Kitchen says her kitchen essential is her bench scraper. βAs a pastry chef, I cannot get through the workday without my bench scraper. The number one thing I use it for is cutting through bread dough and using it to portion out the various breads I make for the restaurant. Another great use for it is to frost wedding and birthday cakes to get those perfectly smooth edges. The ruler along the side of it allows me to measure and cut precise measurements on brownies, cakes, cheesecakes and various other desserts. I can go on all day about how this is a pastry chefβs best tool in the kitchen.β
Microplane Premium Zester GraterΒ β $14.48
This tool gets props from two local chefs for its usefulness. Chef Jeffery Dailey of Harvest loves the Microplane because it takes cheese to the next level. βAlthough they started out being a carpentry tool, Microplanes are used for grating cheese or spices, zesting citrus, shaving chocolate and anything else you might want. One of the best uses for the Microplane is using it to grate hard cheese. It turns a chunk of Parmesan into a soft pillow of cheese.β Chef and owner of Decca, Annie Pettry, also canβt live without the Microplane. She echoes Chef Jeffrey Daileyβs sentiments, saying itβs βgreat for adding pops of flavor to your dish! Use it to zest citrus, chocolate, ginger, garlic or Parmesan cheese.β
OXO Good Grips Cake TesterΒ β $6.49
Chef de cuisine at The Brown Hotel, Dustin Willett, likes to make sure he serves his food at the perfect temperature. βI always have a cake tester when I am cooking, because they are a quick and convenient way to be sure you are serving food at the right temperature. They are great for testing the temperature of a steak, or any protein, without leaving a large hole from a meat thermometer and having the juice run out resulting in a dry product. It is simple: The warmer the metal on the cake tester, the more done the meat. With a little practice, you will be able to get the perfect medium rare every time!β
Curious Chef Kid-Safe KnivesΒ β $8.94
Chef Liz Martino of MESA Kids Cooking School, loves to work in the kitchen with her 5-year-old son. βI love this product because it allows me and my son to work side by side in the kitchen! Our students at MESA Kids use them as well and are developing skills now that are usually picked up much later down the road. They are safe and easy to use! I really think using kid-safe products like these give children a more authentic experience in the kitchen. Using knives is such a big responsibility that they exude pride and accomplishment when they truly have completed their dish from mise en place to plating!β
Swing-A-Wayβs Adjustable Jar OpenerΒ β $12.99
Chef and co-owner of Atlantic No. 5 Rebecca Johnson chose a kitchen gadget with purpose and sentiment. βMy parents gave this tool to me a couple of years ago for Christmas, and I havenβt had trouble opening a jar since. It is truly a miracle tool and a great gift for anyoneΒ β especially those who are hard to buy for!β
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OXO Good Grips Y PeelerΒ β $8.99
Executive Chef Brian Curry of Artesano Vino, Tapas, Y MasΒ says a good peeler is a must for fruit and veggie lovers.Β βIβm a big fruits-and-veggies guy. I have a nice source in my familyβs garden, and I also make a point to visit a number of farmers markets. To make life much, much easier, a solid peeler is a must. The OXO Good Grips Peeler or something similar will go a long way to cutting down produce prep time.β
We hope youβre ready to put your cooking skills to the test with these chef-recommended kitchen gadgets!
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Wesley Ware
Wesley is a local gal who enjoys having a glass of wine and watching Netflix.