Cool Tools in the Kitchen - Kevin Kelly [8]
—KK
Forschner Victorinox Chef’s Knife, 8 inch
$29
Available from Amazon
Superior Vegetable Peeler
OXO Peeler
It is hard to image how the traditional kitchen peeler could be substantially improved. Remarkably, the OXO Peeler accomplishes this. Easier to use, vastly more comfortable for long stretches, sharper, and more productive. The OXO Peeler continues to win awards in test kitchens. A superior tool; worth the few extra dollars.
—KK
OXO Good Grip Swivel Peeler
$8
Manufactured by OXO
Available from Amazon
Heavy Duty Kitchen Scissors
Fiskars Kitchen Shears
I don’t consider myself a great cook, but I’ve found that for a multitude of kitchen activities, scissors are important. Whether for cutting cooking twine, small bones or a chicken breastbone, they can be very useful. Normal office scissors don’t have the right length of blade and the joint can harbor germs and food residue.
The Fiskars shears are one of a number of scissors specially made for the kitchen. They feature shorter, stainless steel blades and a take-apart joint for cleaning. However, these shears are one of the least expensive, yet still reliable pairs.
—AK
Fiskars Kitchen Scissors #9474
$17
Manufactured by Fiskars
Available from Amazon
World's Best Garlic Press
Rösle Garlic Press
Out of the dozen or more different garlic presses I’ve used, the Rösle is the absolute best. The Germanic precision of manufacture is very high. It has a built-in mechanical lever that presses the garlic significantly harder than you press the handle. Hence, it takes less physical strength and strain, which is especially helpful when you’re pressing a lot of garlic. The press is also much easier to clean because the screen where the clove is pressed can be removed. No more digging down into the “pit” to scrape out the fiber remains with your finger or a separate cleaning bristle. When I mentioned “the world’s best garlic press” in the office, two folks immediately knew I was talking about the Rösle.
—Kurt Bollacker
Rösle Garlic Press
$39
Available from Amazon
Cheapest High-Quality Cutlery
Kiwi Knives
As I got more serious about cooking, I splurged and bought myself a very nice Kai Shun santoku like the previously reviewed Tosagata Hocho. I used its preternaturally sharp edge with joyous dispatch for about 6 months, until I woefully cut some citrus with it and left it dirty overnight, eroding that wonderful edge. I’ve never been able to get that magic edge back, even with pro sharpening.
On a visit to a local Asian market, I found a series of Thai-made Kiwi brand knives. In the store, they were nearly free: The large tapered chef’s knife (model #21) that soon stole my heart cost around $4; the paring knife was $1.50.
These knives are very sharp and schuss through veggies and meats like it’s nothing. Don’t go hacking at bones with the thinner models, but Kiwi also makes quite usable cleavers for around $8. The miraculous part is, the knives hold an incredible edge for months with proper use of your steel, and they take a new edge with aplomb after a few strokes on a stone.
I have owned knives by Wusthof, Kyocera, Calphalon, and Ikea (::shudder::) and the Kiwis are the most consistently sharp, most durable, and have the most effective shapes. I’ve bought or suggested them for all of my foodie friends, and people can’t get over how wonderful they are. They don’t look like much, but they’re well-balanced, very sharp. It doesn’t hurt that I could have picked up a full set for less than my crappy block-o-food-manglers cost 10 years ago.
As far as longevity goes, I’ve had my main chef’s knife for about four years, have steeled it every time I used it and given it a few good hones on mySpyderco Sharpmaker. It’s still wicked sharp, and while I haven’t babied it, it looks none the worse for wear. I used my paring knife to whack the lid off a persnickety glued-shut can of Lyle’s Golden Syrup,