17 Incredibly Great Kitchen Items I’ve Bought After Working at Serious Eats for Two-Plus Years

The Best Bread Knife

Tojiro Bread Slicer

$49 $45 at Amazon $50 at Walmart

Our longtime favorite bread knife is truly unmatched: sharp enough to evenly slice whatever loaves you throw at it and flexible enough to peel butternut squash (truly!). We don’t recommend spending a lot on a bread knife since it’s a pain to sharpen. Instead, just buy a cheap one (like, ahem, the Tojiro) and replace it every handful of years.

A Next-Level Toaster Oven

Breville Joule Oven

$550 at Amazon $500 at Williams Sonoma $500 at Sur La Table

We’ve featured this in its own review and as an air fryer toaster oven winner. And when my toaster oven was on its way out, the Joule Oven was the one I had to have. Its accurate temperatures, fast pre-heating, and sleek digital interface make it a standout. I also love its app integration: My phone alerts me when it’s preheated and even when it’s time to rotate the food.

The Best Wok

Yosukata Carbon Steel Wok

$65 $60 at Amazon View on Yosukata.com

After working on our wok issue and wok review, I immediately purchased our favorite wok from Yosukata. We explained it best in our review: “The Yosukata Black Carbon Steel Wok is a pre-seasoned, stamped wok with a smooth, beautiful blue-black surface. It's a fast, heat-responsive pan that performed well in nearly every test.”

The Best Bench Scraper

OXO Bench Scraper

$12 at Amazon $12 at Target View on Webstaurant Store

Truly the best bench scraper around, the OXO has a non-slip handle and wide blade that effortlessly scrapes, scoops, and transfers. Its sharp edge is also great for portioning dough (gnocchi, biscuit, etc). I use mine every day, particularly during dinner prep.

The Very Best Blender

Vitamix Professional-Grade Blender

$500 at Amazon View on Vitamix.com $695 at Newegg.com

Serious Eats has recommended this blender since 2014 and it’s truly the best one around. It effortlessly pulls ingredients down into its blades, creating a vortex that churns out super-smooth sauces, soup, smoothies, purees, and more. It’s also easy to use, with just a couple of switches and a dial.

Great, Decently Priced Drinking Glasses

Bormioli Rocco Rock Bar

$25 at Amazon View on Walmart $29 at Target

I immediately purchased our favorite drinking glasses after our review came out, donating the mismatched mason jars I’d relied on for years. My favorite part about them? I can nest multiple glasses together for easy storage.

The Easiest to Use Espresso Machine

Breville Barista Express Impress

$900 $650 at Amazon $650 at Williams Sonoma $650 at Target

I consider our coffee gear reviews some of the best in the business, so when we say an espresso machine is easy to use, we mean it. I’m a coffee fan, not an expert, which is why the Impress Express is perfect for me. Its tamping arm and built-in grinder eliminate two of the trickiest parts of making espresso.

The Best Budget Coffee Grinder for Coffee Geeks

Baratza Encore

$150 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma $150 at Sur La Table

This coffee grinder was actually a present from my parents last year, but I requested it and thus feel entitled to include it here. Baratza’s grinders are unmatched in their longevity, quality, and consistency. I use mine every morning to grind coffee for my auto drip machine.

The Best Wooden Cutting Board

The Boardsmith Maple End Grain Board

$240 at Amazon View on Theboardsmith.com

This cutting board is next-level—and truly worth every cent (and a lot of cents it is…). It's thick, has non-slip feet, and is gentle on knives. There’s a reason it’s been our favorite wooden cutting board for many years.

A Pricey, Perforated Potato Masher

All-Clad Potato Masher

$48 at Williams Sonoma

I felt a twinge of regret when I ordered a $50 potato masher within minutes of publishing our corresponding review. But any maligned feelings went away as soon as the masher was in my possession. Simply put: It pounds spuds with prowess and its all stainless steel construction is built for the long haul.

The Best Chef’s Knife

Wüsthof 8-Inch Classic Chef's Knife

$170 at Amazon $135 at Williams Sonoma $170 at Sur La Table

I absolutely adore our favorite chef’s knife. It’s solid, sturdy, and sharp. I have it in the delightful Purple Yam (lilac) color.

The Best Boning Knife

Victorinox 6-Inch Fibrox Pro Flexible Boning Knife

$38 at Amazon $25 at Walmart $24 at Sur La Table

Our favorite boning knife was under $30 when I purchased it, which made it an easy buy. I’m a general fan of Victorinox’s Fibrox line, which features a textured, grippy handle.

An Aesthetic Knock Box

Crema Coffee Products The Arc

$55 at Amazon View on Cremacoffeeproducts.com

There’s something truly unpleasant about having to knock an espresso machine’s portafilter into a trash can. A knock box is the obvious solution and this pretty one from Crema Coffee actually looks swell sitting on the countertop.

The Best Cordless Electric Can Opener

Kitchen Mama Electric Can Opener

$30 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $30 at Target

It’s a delight to watch this can opener spin around and open a can on its own. This is a new purchase (our electric can opener review is very recent!), but I already influenced my mom to buy one after she used mine over Thanksgiving.

The Best Fine Mesh Strainer

Rösle Kitchen Strainer

$56 $53 at Amazon $80 at Walmart $56 at Sur La Table

Banged-up, dented strainers be gone! This fine-mesh strainer is unparalleled: Capable of straining super-smooth sauces and purees and with a large bowl hook. Its handle is rounded, too, and very comfortable to grasp.

The Best Pie Pan

Norpro Stainless Steel Pie Pan

$16 $15 at Amazon

This pie pan is CHEAP and also AMAZING (capitals—emphasis!). I now own two.

The Best Casual Stemless Wine Glasses

Bormioli Rocco Bodega Mini Glass Tumbler Set

$34 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store $44 at Food52

These stackable glasses are perfect for small pours of wine, batch cocktails, and plain ol’ water. You can also serve desserts in them (think: panna cotta or chocolate mousse). Whenever I have guests over for dinner, I set a stack of them on the table and let guests pour themselves beverages with abandon.