Kitchen gadgets that have our staff talking

Story by: Meg Grice While shiny, new trinkets and gear can complete a kitchen space, sometimes there are those steadfast pieces that brighten the hearts of cooks of every skill level and interest. Members of the Cardinal Eats executive team have put together their favorite or newly-discovered gadgets and tools that keep them coming back for more. If you’re looking for something different to test out, we’ve got just the things for you!

Vanessa Carrillo: My favorite tool is my silicone spatula! I love it because it scrapes everything off. I hate wasting food, so this helps me a lot. The edge is super flexible; it gets into all the nooks and crannies of whatever shape the container is.

Kennedy White: My favorite kitchen utensil is a whisk because I love baking any treats or desserts! Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and I would bake cupcakes and cookies together from scratch, and the job I always loved doing was mixing all the ingredients. The whisk holds a special place in my heart and tummy!

Ritika Agrawal: A food scale is my favorite kitchen device and also a new one I tried over quarantine. I always struggled with figuring out a sustainable meal plan for myself during college, and I often went back to unhealthy and fast options like eating outside or having one meal a day. I had a love-hate relationship with my kitchen until quarantine. My food scale has helped me live a sustainable lifestyle, eat the right portion of the right meals and become healthier overall!

Sara Siebrecht: I probably have more kitchen equipment than most college students or even many adults. That said, my favorite kitchen tool is also my most frequently used and it’s totally underrated: my chef’s knife. After working in a resort kitchen and several restaurants, I’ve learned that there are only three essential knives in the kitchen, and the chef’s knife is the best (the others are a serrated bread knife and a small paring knife). My first-purchased and favorite knife is a Mercer knife with an 8-inch blade. I just love how it feels like an extension of my hand, and I use it for everything: smashing garlic, chopping onions, slicing apples or cutting open a package of ground pork. I sharpen mine every few months and use it nearly every time I cook. I think that anyone who spends a fair amount of time chopping and prepping in the kitchen should have a solid chef’s knife.

Aditya Verma: Over the past few weeks, I have been enjoying a small smoothie blender I purchased. It helps me create single servings of desired smoothies. One can usually add their favorite fruits with ice to make a perfectly blended smoothie. I picked up the device from Target, and it cost me approximately $25 retail.

Meg Grice: My favorite kitchen tool is my crinkle cutter! While great for making french fries, I’ve been using it to cut carrots. My roommates think I’m always eating sweet potato fries whenever they see me eating them! It took some time getting used to using a handheld slicer, but now cutting things with it comes naturally. The tool’s curve helps cut longer vegetables, so I recommend it to anyone who loves to try out textures with their produce.

Chione Lim: My favorite kitchen gadget is my metal measuring spoon. It’s not new or fancy, but it’s so useful. I use it every day for basic things like measuring flour and rice. Because it’s heatproof, I also use it as a soup ladle and a jelly mold.

Karen Vandervort: My favorite kitchen gadget would have to be a whisk. I would say that I’m partial to whisks, as I tend to associate them with “cuteness.” Whisks are the cutest thing in the kitchen after salt and pepper shakers. I enjoy whisks partly due to the recipes they can create: cakes, meringues, puddings and icings—so many cute recipes for such a cute kitchen utensil. I also found the best whisk I have ever owned at a thrift store this year and use it at least once a week. Such a good find and, I repeat, such a useful utensil!

Breanna Bruening: My favorite kitchen gadget is my hand frother! My mom gifted it to me a year ago, and I go through phases where I use it every day while making coffee or tea. Frothing my coffee or chai lattes makes them creamy, airy and a little bit more of an experience. If you’re addicted to going out for coffee and want to start making it at home, this gadget will bring your homemade drinks a bit closer to the café experience.