I'm a Recipe Developer, and These Are My Must-Have 15 Pieces of Cooking Gear

My life revolves around my kitchen. Not only do I write articles about my favorite cooking gear, I also test and develop recipes for magazines. Years of fiddling with blondie ingredients and making Italian beef sandwiches have given me a pretty good sense of the tools I like, the tools I need, and the tools I could do without.

Well, I’ve taken a full inventory of my kitchen and narrowed down my list to 15 must-have products that make my job infinitely easier as a recipe tester and developer and as a person who enjoys cooking for fun. Read on to shop my favorites, starting at just $9 at Amazon. 

15 Recipe Developer-Approved Kitchen Tools 

• Vitamix 5200 Blender, $459, originally $500  
• OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale, $52, originally $56
• Epicurean Gourmet Cutting Board, $62 
• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $350, originally $450 
• Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor, $250
• Luminarc Glass 10-Piece Stackable Bowl Set, $50 
• Thermoworks Thermapen One Instant-Read Thermometer, $115 
• Shun Classic 4-Inch Paring Knife, $95, originally $100  
• OXO Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup, $12 
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set, $37, originally $39  
• Pyrex 3-Piece Liquid Measuring Cup Set, $23, originally $26  
• Made In 8-Quart Stockpot and Pasta Insert, $279 
• Microplane Premium Zester Grater, $18  
• KitchenAid Classic Y Peeler, $8, originally $13 
• OXO Good Grips 4.4-Quart Pop Container, $19, originally $22  

Vitamix 5200 Blender 

The value of a quality blender can’t be overstated, and Vitamix engineers some of the best. I’ve used mine multiple times a week for about five years to make everything from puréed butternut squash soup to pancake batter, and it’s still just as efficient as it was when I first got it. I love that it can accommodate boiling hot broth and frozen fruit alike, has multiple speed settings, and is built to last. Buy yours now while it’s on sale at Amazon. 

OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale 

Using a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients like flour and sugar is great for two reasons: it simultaneously decreases the number of dirty dishes you have to wash and increases the likelihood that your recipe will turn out successfully. I rely on OXO’s model with its high-contrast pull-out display for those times when my bowl is wider than my scale. I also appreciate its ability to hold up to 11 pounds of food at a time and switch between metric and imperial measurements with just the press of a button. Our editors also loved OXO’s model thanks to its “extremely precise performance” and “easy-to-read” screen.       

Epicurean Gourmet Cutting Board 

I’ve used plenty of cutting boards in my time — including this OXO Good Grips set that I highly recommend — but Epicurean’s model has lasted me the longest. It’s made of a nonporous paper composite material that’s dishwasher-safe and lightweight. It’s also reversible with a well on one side to catch liquid and a totally flat surface on the other for prepping vegetables. I have the 14.5- x 11.25-inch size, but the brand makes them larger and smaller, too.         

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

I bake a lot for work and for fun, and this KitchenAid 5-quart stand mixer has seen me through all of it. While I sometimes have to hold the head down to keep it from lifting up when mixing something dense like challah dough, it does everything else I’ve ever asked of it with ease. (And other models, like the brand’s 7-quart bowl-lift stand mixer, wouldn’t have this issue.) That said, I love the exciting colors, wide array of attachments like the pasta set, and the fact that it’s $100 off right now.       

Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor 

Our editors named Cuisinart’s 14-cup food processor their favorite model, calling it “quick, efficient, powerful, and, perhaps most importantly, straightforward.” They appreciate having only two buttons to choose from, the wide chute and plunger, and the accompanying “practical” attachments. I, plus more than 15,800 Amazon shoppers, agree with all of the above, and couldn’t have said it better myself.    

Luminarc Glass 10-Piece Stackable Bowl Set 

The importance of properly gathering and preparing your ingredients before cooking through a recipe (also known as mise en place) was drilled into me first during culinary school, then in restaurant kitchens, and finally in the test kitchen. I wouldn’t be able to do this efficiently if I didn’t have prep bowls in a range of sizes near to hand. My go-to pick is Luminarc’s glass set because they don’t absorb odors, are microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and are, most importantly, stackable.    

Thermoworks Thermapen One Instant-Read Thermometer 

I have a few digital meat thermometers in my drawer, all of which are $30 or less, relatively quick, and seemingly accurate. Given this, I used to scoff at people who spent more than $100 for what seemed to be the same thing. Well, I recently got the Thermapen as a gift and I can officially say that I now understand the hype. The reads come back within two seconds, the display shuts off or turns on by moving the probe in or out, and the numbers rotate based on the orientation of my body. It’s also proven to be accurate within 1°F to 2°F, which is especially important when cooking steaks or getting a temp on turkey.    

Shun Classic 4-Inch Paring Knife 

My love of Shun’s Kanso paring knife is well-documented, but I also adore the brand’s classic 4-inch model. The Pakkawood handle is smooth and comfortable to hold, the blade is incredibly sharp, and the knife is nimble and balanced. It’s a pleasure, and a privilege, to dice onions and hull strawberries so easily.   

OXO Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup 

I’ve tried to measure juice by squeezing lemons over tablespoons and praying for the best. Naturally, only a few drops manage to make it into my dish after the inevitable tipping of the liquid out of the unbalanced spoon and the spraying of the rest over the counter. OXO’s mini angled measuring cup fixed this problem — and that of portioning alcohol for cocktails or soy sauce for stir-fries — and added a spout for easy pouring and standard and metric markings for convenience.         

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set 

Also in the name of convenience and durability, OXO once again cracked the code with its measuring cups and spoons set. The magnetic handles ensure they stay nested together in my drawer while the stainless steel construction keeps them from rusting. One Amazon shopper out of the nearly 3,000 who gave the bundle perfect ratings called them “must-have” tools for “every kitchen.”    

Pyrex 3-Piece Liquid Measuring Cup Set 

Just like 52,900 Amazon shoppers, I use Pyrex’s measuring cups for all of my liquid measuring needs. They nest inside each other for easy storage; can go in the dishwasher, freezer, or microwave; and are covered in highly legible bright red script that hasn’t peeled off in the four years that I’ve owned them.   

Made In 8-Quart Stockpot and Pasta Insert 

Yes, I love my Le Creuset Dutch oven, but I quite possibly love Made In’s 8-quart stockpot more. It has a huge capacity but is still lightweight and easy to maneuver. I especially love the pasta insert that simplifies the process of getting al dente noodles out of the boiling water and into the skillet with its sizzling tomato sauce, but the stockpot is also sold on its own if pasta isn’t your thing.  

Microplane Premium Zester Grater 

I own three Microplane rasp-style graters because the teeth seemingly defy time by never dulling and the non-slip grip is easy and comfortable in my hand. I’ve yet to find any food they can’t break down — including nutmeg, turmeric, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and ginger — and I’m unsure if I ever will. 

KitchenAid Classic Y Peeler 

KitchenAid’s Y-peeler is heavier and sturdier than many models available on the market, which is why I like it. It has incredibly sharp stainless steel blades for tackling thin and thick rinds and an ergonomic handle that doesn’t bend or slip in my hand. While you should probably replace your peeler every few years to ensure the blades stay razor-sharp, KitchenAid’s version has lasted me longer than most.    

OXO Good Grips 4.4-Quart Pop Container 

A crucial part of my job as a recipe tester and developer is keeping my kitchen organized and clean. OXO’s clear, airtight, and leakproof containers help me in this by showing me both what I have and what I need. They also keep bugs out and maintain freshness. I recommend the 10-piece set if you bake or cook a lot, but the single 4.4-quart container is a great place to start if your storage space is limited.