What is the kitchen utensil/gadget you can't live without?

[hoffsquared]

My family always likes me to give them a list of ideas for holiday gift giving. I think cooking and upgrading cooking stuff will be my theme this year.

So what is the kitchen utensil/gadget that you can't live without? Looking for brand specifics.

One of my favorite items is my Zyliss garlic crusher. After many broken ones - this one is the best I've found.

Thanks in advance!

[Tuckervill]

I waited 20 years for a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, and now that I have one, I want a bigger one! So that's what I wouldn't do without.

Karen

[shootingstar]

A high quality:

*peeling knife for veggies (wide blade, not narrow)
*1-2 high grade paring knives.
*sharp medium sized chef grade knife strong enough for slicing meat and veggies, -- haven't bought Japanese sushi knife grade which I understand even better than German Henkel's quality. I have used Henkel for last few decades.
*Collapsible collander for draining pasta, veggies, etc. ...and for easy storage if not used.
*a medium sized saucepan with 3" high sides and lid ..for sauteeing, stir-frying dishes with sauces. Ok, you don't need a wok for stir frying or frying pan for pan frying if one is desperate to do cooking.

Have you ever cooked with long handled plain wood chopsticks? They are incredibly useful for quick whipping of eggs, sauces, stirring, or plucking out veggie/pieces of meat from a pot, etc. I would argue that untreated (unvarnished) wood chopsticks are safer than sticking in plastic utensils in hot liquids/mixtures.

[GLC1968]

Hmmm, I have a couple of bamboo spatula type things that I bought over 20 years ago that still look brand new even after years of cooking with them...I love them! (No idea on brand anymore...)

I also love my food mill, but most people probably don't have need for one of those. Mine is a hand crank one that really does an amazing job. Cuts canning and making preserves into half the time.

And I love my little mortar and pestle (sp?). It's marble, cleans up with the wipe of a cloth and makes dried spices sing.

Lastly, I have a silly little plastic food chopper thing that works like a charm. I got it from an infomercial because I cannot be within a yard of onions without tearing up, but I find I use it all the time. I'm not going to recommend it though because I think they've changed the manufacturer since I got mine and the new ones are apparently pieces of junk. Mine is still chopping strong after 6+ years of almost daily use though.

It's this thing:
http://www.amazon.com/Genius-USA-ND0.../dp/B000HEBCEM

[ASammy1]

I would die without my crock pot, plain and simple...

[OakLeaf]

One good 6" or 8" chef's knife.

Anything else I could live without if I had to.

Oh, and a cutting board that won't dull the blade.

A honing steel, and a sharpening jig is gravy.

[oxysback]

I love cooking in my cast-iron skillet. Cornbread, desserts, burgers...it's a great all purpose item to have.

[tulip]

this:

[Shara]

I like those apple slicers ^
And really I can't do without a can opener.

But my gift-worthy appliance that I really like is my rice cooker and I got it for free with a points card

[Delta7]

I bought a kitchen timer at a Pampered Chef party a while back ... use it every morning to time my french press coffee.

[Owlie]

My boyfriend doesn't count, does he? (He slices, he dices, he even does the washing up!)

Really good sharp knives and a nicely sized cutting board.

[papaver]

I don't know where to start, really. I just like my...kitchen... It was designed by me and it really is the center of our house. I love my induction stove (easy to keep clean and just as fun to cook as a gas stove). I love my oven, especially the speedheat button My oven is pre heated in 1 minute.

It really is a foodies dream.

[tulip]

Papaver, I feel the same way about my kitchen. Everything is where I like and need it to be, because I put it there! Really the best thing about my kitchen are my bamboo cabinets. They are beautiful and amazingly well-built.

But if I had to move, I'd definitely take my apple slicer!

[ridenread]

+1 on the kitchen aid standing mixer. It is not something that gets everyday or even everyweek use but it makes so many jobs so much easier.

Also a good set of knifes is essential!

[OakLeaf]

Since we're talking about gifts, and so many of us have suggested knives, corers and peelers...

my mom has a superstition - that both my sisters have adopted, but somehow not myself - that sharp objects cannot be given as gifts, or they will "cut the relationship." The remedy is for the recipient to pay the giver a token amount, like a penny, after receiving the gift, so it's actually a "sale."

Just so you're aware. I put ceramic peelers in my family's stockings one Christmas (love love love mine, and I thought they were a nice gift item since they're more money than most people want to spend on a peeler, but really worth it) - having forgotten about the superstition - and I was surprised how much the gift upset my family.

So if you give something sharp - particularly if you won't be present when the gift is opened, for them to "pay" you for it - make sure your recipients don't subscribe to this superstition!