Happy Monday! And Happy February! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
Let’s talk about kitchen tools. I am asked quite often about the tools & appliances I keep in my kitchen. I want to make it clear that all you really need to cook great vegan food are basic kitchen tools (sharp knife, a pot, a pan, mixing bowls, cutting board, etc.) – but some additional gadgets are nice to have if you have the budget & feel so inclined. Here are my favorite (and most used) specialty tools. These are pieces I use all the time & nothing here is a “dust collector.” (Who has room for unnecessary tools?!)
For the record, all of these pieces are my genuine favorites & no companies have contacted me requesting me to hype their product(s)! These really are my most-used tools & I bought them with my own hard-earned money (or received as gifts from friends & family). 
- Food processor – I have a Cuisinart 7-cup and I love it. It’s a great size (not too big or small), and customer support has been great. (My blade cracked recently & Cuisinart sent a new one to me for free right away.) A food processor is really nice to have for quickly chopping or shredding vegetables, making hummus, mock tuna, salad dressings, soups, nut-based dips & spreads, shredding nondairy cheese, etc.
- Blender – There are so many blenders on the market and everyone seems to have a favorite. It’s an expensive splurge, but if you’re looking for a seriously powerful blender that will last a lifetime, look no further than the VitaMix 5200. You can buy direct from their website, from kitchen stores, or from Costco. I bought a factory reconditioned model, which saved me about $100, and it’s been fantastic. This makes the smoothest smoothies (especially if you want to add greens like kale; the VitaMix will pulverize them so you can’t even tell they’re in there!), the creamiest hummus, and will even heat soup if you add all the ingredients & blend on high for about 5 minutes! I have also heard great things about BlendTec, but I haven’t personally used that brand.
- Vegetable Spiralizer
– While I’m not normally a big fan of kitchen tools that serve only one purpose, for me, a spiralizer is an exception. I use this World Cuisine Tri-Blade model, and it is perfect for turning zucchini & carrots into “noodles” to top with marinara, pesto, or vegan Alfredo sauce. This model makes skinny, angel hair-sized “pasta,” as well as noodles that are a little thicker (think fettuccine). It can also be used to turn potatoes into curly fries!
- Vegetable Peeler – It might sound simple, but having a good vegetable peeler is a must. I never realized one type might be better than another until I used the one I have now & realized my old one was such a hassle! Having an efficient peeler with a comfortable handle makes the job of peeling vegetables go so much faster than using one with a dull blade or awkward handle. This Zyliss Y-Peeler has a swivel head that makes peeling everything from carrots to butternut squash a breeze.
Steamer Basket – I am absolutely in love with this steamer basket. I have one that came with my pots & pans set that is stainless steel (I love that one, too), but I bought this silicone basket for my mom & I use it all the time. It’s really convenient, dishwasher safe, and fits in almost any size pot. It is also available through Amazon.
- Immersion Blender – Immersion blenders are great for pureeing soups – especially when you want to blend only part of it & still leave a bit of a chunky texture. It’s also really convenient to not have to transfer a big pot of hot
soup into a blender to puree; with an immersion blender, you just stick it into the pot itself & blend until the desired consistency is reached! I bought mine a few years ago & it doesn’t appear it be available online anymore (it’s made by Braun). However, there are many different kinds out there, and Amazon has a long list of their best-sellers here.
- Kitchen Scale – Possibly my favorite kitchen appliance. Using a scale makes measuring ingredients so easy! Instead of having to dirty a ton of measuring spoons & cups, I put my mixing bowl (or my blender, or whatever I’m measuring into) on my scale, and measure each ingredient by weight. This is especially convenient for liquid ingredients like oil, applesauce, and nondairy milk. I also use it for measuring protein powder into my smoothies, since protein powder can be so light & difficult to accurately measure with a spoon. My scale weighs in both grams & ounces, which is a nice feature.
Microplane – This is an easy way to add fresh citrus zest or grate whole nutmeg into a dish.
- Ice Cream Maker – Definitely not a necessary kitchen gadget, but it’s fun to have nevertheless, so I thought I’d mention it here. I use mine often (especially in the summer months). I have the Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1 ½ Quart model, and I’ve been very happy with it. A great companion book is Vice Cream by Jeff Rogers, which has a lot of delicious nut-based ice cream recipes.
What are your favorite kitchen tools? Did I miss anything you couldn’t live without?
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All of the above… except I don’t have a Spiralizer and would love to get one.. except every store I have been to lately they say they are out of them..?!?
I am not much of an ice cream person.. just cause I like warm foods and drink.. but Raymond is a big fan and he makes TONS AND TONS of ice cream
Love this post! I didn’t know a “vegetable spiralizer” was a real tool. I guess I had never thought about how those “noodles” are made. You amaze me Jess!
My tool of the moment is a toaster. Lovin’ English muffins in the morning. Gourmet, I know…
A Vita-Mix is my dream…unfortunately I’ve got awhile till I can afford it! And I’d love an ice cream maker, too
My favorite gadget now is my apple slicer. Simple, but it gets a ton of use!
Beautiful.
it just goes on and on…
I own a Vita, that spiralizer, the Breville stainless steel juicer, an Excalibur dehyd, a Cuisinart coffee pot, a whole separate barista setup for espresso and steamed nut milk
But the only things you really need: a knife, a cutting board, and a vita.
GREAT post.
Minnetonka. My parents still live on the border of Chanhassen/Excelsior.
Sister made it out, she’s in chicago
And I made it wayyyy out. I was in CA for years and foolishly moved to AZ and trying to get back to CA, stat.
I need to get these things one by one! I have a food processor that is decent but my blender is on its way out and I really want a Vitamix, ha ha. I also want a stand mixer because I don’t have one! But I’m going to have to save up a lot of $$ for everything first
Hi there! Love the blog!
I literally just placed my order for a spiralizer finally. I’m so excited! I’ve been peeling my zukes into noodles and while that works, I can’t wait to branch out a little.
Still lusting after the VitaMix… It’s on the wedding registry! (fingers crossed)
I love your blog! I have been vegetarian for a year now, but I find that most days my diet is vegan!
I’m glad you put the food processor and the spiralizer on here. I have been thinking about buying both. I just need recipes, so it is worth the purchase!
Can’t wait to read more! I’ve just started my own blog a little over a week ago! I’d love it if you would check it out and let me know what you think! Any suggestions or tips would be great!
~Jen
Happy Heart, Happy Mind
http://jensanders52.wordpress.com/
ahhh, I’m a sucker for kitchen tools!! I love having an immersion blender and food processor. I would die to have a vitamix and that spiralizer sounds fantastic as well.
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
The only thing I’d add on there is a coffee pot
I have a blendtec and it is awesome. I use my stand mixer several times a week. And I just got a new lab-grade food scale that makes weighing things pretty fun. This seems like a pretty inclusive list
Your blog is great, in the past while I’ve been getting into eating well and just splashed out on a Vitamix, can’t wait for it to arrive. Do you think a dehydrator is necessary or can I cheat and just cook the food in the oven for a lot less time and not worry that the food isn’t technically raw?
Susan
Thank you, Susan! You will love your VitaMix!
I think an oven is perfectly fine! I recently splurged on an Excalibur because I had been experimenting with raw foods for awhile & knew it would be a good investment for me. It was pricey, but I know I’ll use it often enough to make it worth it. I didn’t include a dehydrator on this list because I don’t think it’s a necessary kitchen appliance at all. It’s a fun one for sure (and I’m glad I have mine), but I’ve been successfully eating healthy for years without one!
If you’re not sure about whether or not you want (or even need) a dehydrator at this point, your oven is a great alternative! You can put the oven at a low heat setting (175*-200*F) & start experimenting with raw cracker recipes, raw breads, etc.
Great thanks Jessica for the advice on the dehydrator, getting excited for the Vita mix to arrive, hope it arrives in the next few days. I’ll try one of the pizza recipes from the complete idiots guide to eating raw and just adapt it and use the oven. Wonder what the buckwheat sunflower seed dough will be like.
I came back to get the link for that steamer basket and it reminded me how much I want a VitaMix. Man, I think I’d get in trouble with the husband for that purchase though!
Oh, yes, I loooooove my salad spinner!!! and my microplane for ginger and zesting. Fun post!
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