Amazon
When you think of a seasoned culinary expert, you probably picture someone in a pristine kitchen with rare appliances that are impossible for a layperson to get their hands on.
And while chefs likely do have their fair share of prosumer devices from kitchen suppliers you’ve never even heard of, you may be surprised to learn that many food professionals also keep a collection of handy items from Amazon in their home and commercial kitchens.
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From garlic presses to knife storage, these gizmos and gadgets run the gamut, yet they are all recommended by real-life chefs and food experts, and most of them are pretty budget-friendly. They’re upgraded version of basic tools, handy products that provide hacks you didn’t realize could even exist, and good quality items that will simply last you and your family for many, many meals.
We asked our favorite chefs and home cooks to spill the tea on their favorite kitchen items from the big A. Whether you’re refreshing your own kitchen, just learning how to cook or are always on the lookout for new culinary gear, there’ll be something for you on the list.
HuffPost receives a share from retailers on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
1
Amazon
Chef'n PalmPeeler
"This palm peeler is one of my favorite kitchen tools, and one I get asked about very frequently in my videos. The peeler is built for your hand and makes peeling vegetables extremely easy!" — Karen Rosenbloom, chef and content creator
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Amazon
Benriner mandoline slicer
"The Benriner mandoline is so easy to use and great for small spaces." — Emma Hearst, chef, founder and CEO of Forts Ferry Farm
“I love the Benriner mandoline slicer. While I think I have pretty darn good knife skills, my affinity for well-cut veggies leads me to grabbing this thing 2-3 times a week at home. The uniform cuts produce better cooking and looking dishes. Think sandwich toppings or micro-thin sales for tacos. Be careful and use the guard — this thing always wins against your fingers!” — Rodger Bowser, head chef at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan
“I love the Benriner mandoline slicer. While I think I have pretty darn good knife skills, my affinity for well-cut veggies leads me to grabbing this thing 2-3 times a week at home. The uniform cuts produce better cooking and looking dishes. Think sandwich toppings or micro-thin sales for tacos. Be careful and use the guard — this thing always wins against your fingers!” — Rodger Bowser, head chef at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Amazon
Microplane professional series ribbon grater
"Of course, a Microplane! My new favorite one is the professional series ribbon grater." — Hearst
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Amazon
Prepworks by Progressive flip grater
"My husband also got me a folding microplane to keep in my purse… never know when you might need one." — Hearst
5
Amazon
A Bar Above short cocktail picks
"I also just found a bunch of wonderful stainless steel cocktail picks, [like these], while on an Amazon hunt for props for my cookbook, which we are photographing right now!" — Hearst
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Amazon
Wüsthof classic 8-inch chef's knife
"Absolutely one of my favorites is the Wüsthof classic chef’s knife. Mine is a 12" and it is my workhorse. My parents bought it for me 20 years ago and it is still my most used knife in my bag. Easy to use, holds a nice edge easily.” — Bob Bennett, head chef at Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan
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7
Amazon
Javelin instant read meat thermometer
"Another of my Amazon faves is the Javelin digital thermometer. I have bought this for myself, for my crew and for most folks who cook. It is heavy duty, quick and accurate – everything you need in a busy kitchen.” — Bennett
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Amazon
Ideal Gangy can opener
"These Japanese can openers are one of the handiest tools to keep in the kitchen. As anyone who has tried to use a hand-held can opener in a professional kitchen knows, the traditional ones last about 3 hours before being broken. These can openers have no moving parts and are extremely durable. I make it a point to keep a few on-hand in every kitchen I occupy, and keep one at home as well. They also make great stocking stuffers for line cooks when the holidays come around!" — Alex Napolitano, executive chef at The Maker in Hudson, New York
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Amazon
OXO Good Grips 9-inch whisk
"I saw one of my sous chefs with this little whisk in his kit and I had to have it. It’s adorable, ergonomic and well constructed. I use it everyday to make anything from aioli and vinaigrettes to beurre blanc, sabayon and bernaise." — Jake Leiber, chef-partner at Chez Ma Tante in Brooklyn, New York
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10
Amazon
Maldon sea salt flakes
"This salt is amazing! Use it in salads or to finish any dish. Add a perfect crunch and flavor." — Alma Fernanda, a Le Cordon Bleu chef and gastronomic cultural attaché at the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C.
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Amazon
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean garlic press
"Best garlic press ever! Can even add garlic with the peel." — Fernanda
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Amazon
Global two piece knife set
"Love this knife set! The only two you will ever need. Very lightweight and perfect size." — Fernanda
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Amazon
Zulay Metal 2-In-1 lemon lime squeezer
"This lemon squeezer is my favorite tool from Amazon! I used to think it was a 'nice to have' not a 'need to have' because, as we know, we can squeeze lemons by hand. But after getting one from Amazon, I realized how much of a game changer it is! It obviously speeds up my process in both my home kitchen and commercial kitchen (think about how many lemons we have to squeeze for our lemon cardamom ice cream!), but it also makes use of those hard lemons that seem to have zero juice (turns out they can be just as juicy with a lemon squeezer!). It has ended up being the most 'need to have' tool in my kitchen these days." — Pooja Bavishi, CEO and founder of Malai in Brooklyn, New York, and a home cook
14
Amazon
JB Prince bowl scraper
"My favorite kitchen tool is a plastic bench or bowl scraper from JB Prince! It’s super easy to keep clean! It can be used to scrape all the herbs, garlic or onions off your cutting board. It doubles as a rubber spatula in need. To get the last bit of batter out of a bowl, or moving dough off a wooden board, this is the most essential tool." — Ryan Bartlow, chef and owner at Ernesto's in New York City
15
Amazon
Deluxe Knifedock in-drawer kitchen knife storage
"Great for keeping drawers organized especially if you have expensive Japanese knives that you want to protect from keeping dull and preserving their longevity." — Andrew Quinn, chef/owner of The Noortwyck in New York City
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Amazon
A collapsible cooling rack
"Great for creating efficiency of space particularly in tight kitchens.” — Quinn
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Amazon
ThermoPro digital meat thermometer
"A kitchen thermometer is a crucial tool to have in your culinary arsenal. I use this tool all the time at home and in restaurants, mostly to check the temperatures of proteins to guarantee they are cooked to perfection." — Rosenbloom
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Amazon
OXO Good Grips short Pop container set
"One of our go to items in our kitchens at Loring Place and Greywind are the OXO Pop Storage containers that we use to store spices, nuts and seeds. These containers come in a variety of sizes and allow us to store ingredients in a very organized manner. They are designed with a push-button top that creates an airtight seal which also helps keep the ingredients fresh. They are also stackable, durable and dishwasher safe.” — Dan Kluger, chef/owner at Greywind in New York City
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Amazon
Ateco offset spatula
"Andy Baraghani might say you don’t need one (don’t get me wrong, I love his book) but for pastry people it’s indispensable. For smoothing the top of cake batter, frosting cakes and cupcakes and myriad other odd jobs like flipping pancakes and crepes and lifting chocolate chip cookies off a tray. My ultimate tool.” — Claire Ptak, chef/owner of Violet Cakes in London and author of "Love Is A Pink Cake"
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Amazon
A set of five 8.5-inch silicone spatulas
21
Amazon
Global 5-inch chef's utility knife
"My favorite kitchen tool is my 5 inch Global utility knife. I have had mine for about 10 years and I use it pretty much daily. I love that it holds an edge well, is very durable, and it great for most prep projects.” — Roy Elam, chef at Donna Jean in Los Angeles and San Diego, California
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Amazon
ScotchBlue painter's tape
"The organizational item that we order the most from Amazon would be blue painters tape by far. We use it constantly to label and date everything in the kitchen, which is imperative to our organization, and other types of tape either don’t stick or leave a residue after they get removed.” — Mike Williams, executive chef and culinary director at Juliet, Norah and Margot in Los Angeles, California
CORRECTION: This article previously misstated the last name of executive chef Mike Williams.
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